Pinewood Derby Race Day Activities

[FireStone]

Pinewood Derby is kind of the premiere event for our Pack each year. We try to really do it up, with the decorations, snack bar (with hot and cold food for sale), 2 tracks set up (one for official races, one for fun races), race-themed banners on the walls, winners' circle podium and backdrop for photo opps. We have the local press come out and take pictures, interview scouts and parents, invite local dignitaries, etc.

As the event approaches, we are always looking for ways to improve on what we do or add something new. Does your Pack do anything interesting or unique for the derby? Any suggestions or new ideas?

[Eagledad]

Well done!

We are almost like that. We do the unofficial races first (about 20 minutes max), then the official races. Reasoning is using two tracks for most of the official races keeps the event under 90 minutes. The scouts and their siblings get pretty restless after an hour, so the event looses it's fun if it goes too long. Our pack has about 130 scouts. The snack bar is always a great hit and a good fund raiser for the pack. 

Barry

[Beccachap]

Our charter has a large, beautiful green space next to the Fellowship Hall where we hold the derby. This year we opened the doors and made it one big space. 2 years ago the Bears put on their carnival outside during the derby and that worked well. Last year it rained, if memory serves, so we were stuck inside the whole time and I don't recall it being as much fun. 

One significant improvement we did for our pack was to run separate heats and award them accordingly. That gives back uninterrupted free play to k-2 or 3-5 grades while the other heat goes down. The other half of the pack generally goes outdoors when it's not their turn, so it shortens everything up. Easier on their attention spans. 

The kids know I'm always soliciting feedback so many come to me unprompted when they like or don't like something. Hands down my biggest feedback from every single age group is 'we want more free time/ free play'. We adults often think it's a bad idea when it's hot, buggy, rainy, etc, but their response to that is so much purer. They don't care. They want to be outside, and allowed to play tag or roll around on the ground/mud/prickers. Their bodies demand it.

Maybe try adding free time. Our pack loves it. 

[Double Eagle]

I've had units set up a hotwheel track and a bucket of cars to race for siblings that always wanted to be involved.  This track keeps them from being around the real track, messing with derby cars, and helps with boredom.  The loops and turns always seem to keep the pre-lions and lions busy. 

[NDW5332]

Our Pack worked to involve some of the local Troops to provide volunteers to help run our various derbies.  Because our Pack was relatively large (it varied between 40-60 kids), and siblings made things even more crowded, we had some of the Boy Scouts run Scoutcraft stations in the back of the hall where we were running the derby.  These were somewhat popular, and typically focused on things like knots or carving. They were especially popular with some of the Cubs that were behind on their advancement because they didn't show up for other meetings.  For the Troops, aside from the service hours and some free hot dogs, it served as a great recruiting tool.