Pack Meetings

[LVtwinmama]

I have only been Cub Master since March, but I used to be a den leader. It seems like the new pack meeting plans don't have any activites. They have opening activity, den participation, awards, closing. If you are supposed to keep the boys active and involved, how does that work. The past ones had several different games/activites to choose from. If I did what was offered I feel like it would last 30 min. What are you doing come September?

[packsaddle]

Welcome to the forums! First let me congratulate you for working with the cubs. To me the cubs are the best part of scouting and I'd go back to working with them any time. (this might also have something to do with having grandchildren not quite the same age yet).

I was CM for quite a few years. There are a couple of things I learned that might help you with your question about keeping them active and involved. There are two aspects of that. First is the broader aspect of 'active and involved' in all pack levels. This is something the den leaders must do and they can get ideas from roundtable or other leaders or, these days, off the scouting web sites. But assuming you're thinking about the pack meetings in particular: don't let them go longer than one hour total. Get the awards done quickly and make sure the little guys get all the recognition they deserve. Then I used to plan way ahead for pack 'programs' in which different things were done both as a presentation kind of format AND a participation kind of format. Examples of the most successful of these was bringing in a local firefighter to demonstrate different kinds of fires and how to put them out safely. They boys really paid attention and asked all sorts of questions. Another example was having a local guy who deals in reptiles bring some of his living specimens in. The boys learned a lot about reptiles and then they got to handle live snakes (many times to the horror of some of the parents and delight for the boys). Another time was a program about camp food (and they got to help prepare a couple of things and then EAT them), then there was the time we had den contests for knot tying or some other outdoor skill, and the time that we had relay races (it was a rainy day and crab soccer really burns up the energy). And after the contests and programs they always knew that there would be cupcakes or something like that waiting for them at the end.

Enthusiasm comes naturally for boys that age so all you really have to do is allow it to happen and prevent it from becoming too destructive, lol.

Good luck and enjoy this experience while you can. It will be over way too quickly.

[SSScout]

Packsaddle has the idea.  The new Cub Pack guidelines are only an outline.  You are left with the filling in.

Here's what I tried to do each Pack Meeting:

 

Opening, (let each Den take a turn), CM's Agenda (short! Might include a Led Skit)), Den Reports (what did they do in the last weeks?),  the Program (craft, guest visitor,  game,  Den competition, some combination, etc.),  CM Minute (final announcements , give the Parents a piece of paper with the upcoming schedule on it,  Something To Think About), and Closing (again, let the Dens take turns having this responsibility), cleanup & put away...

 

I almost never had a snack time in the Pack meeting. The "cookout" meeting had food, obviously.  Food can mean more clean up and corralling of Cubs.  And don't forget to include your Unit Commissioner and DE  in your planning and your local Scout Troop.  They both will have ideas  for Cub presentations and things of interest (Whittlin' Chip?  Nothing better than a knowledgeable Den Chief Boy Scout teaching Knife Safety) .  Our Unit Commish loves talking about Astronomy and telescopes, he brings stuff to "play" with and this leads to the Astronomy Belt Loop/pin. 

 

Definitely check out "Baloo's Bugle"  http://usscouts.org/bbugle.asp   (Sorry Mr. Kipling, we will miss you), and the old, abandoned BSA publication "Cub Scout Program Helps"   http://www.scouting.org/HispanicInitiatives/Resources/ProgramHelps.aspx

 

Good Scouting to you!

[blw2]

I can't comment too much on the new outlines.... only started my initial reviews before I was "displaced".

 

What I saw makes me agree with SS Scout.... they're an outline.

Much better in my opinion that the old ones.... short, sweet, and easy to read.

 

Honestly though, I think this concept may have been downplayed on purpose with the new program....

with the idea to stay on point with the subject at hand.... having the dens work together on the Adventures.... all while keeping the meetings short.

So, I think the intent might be for less unrelated games and activity that serves no purpose than a good time.

 

I made a big part of my effort as CM to get the boys up doing something at every meeting. 

I still found that we ended up with too much sitting and talking.... so it does take effort and I think also teamwork would have helped.  For example, i didn't have an Assistant to lean on, to for example lead something while I was prepping something else....

 

I looked to Baloo's Bugle every month, sometimes found useful ideas

 

I tried to keep ideas of easy things in my back pocket for times when den's didn't comply with my wishes to have a skit or activity ready.  There are tons of things you can do with baloons.... relay races, games, and the like.

Pinterest is full of ideas.

Guest speakers, especially if there is a budget to spend since some come with a fee now....

 

If I were still doing the job, i would still plan in some games or activities..... unless the required adventure work might count.