GiraffeCamp Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 I've found lots of lists of ideas online but would like some real world experience. What activities have you found to be great? Or tell me about the busts, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 It's been a while, but some of my favorite visits were to: The volunteer fire house, One of the dad's commercial photography studio. Nature trails, Ball games. Marching in parades! For our district, I coordinate a flag placement one evening in advance of Memorial day. Lots of Lion/Tiger parents tell me how much they appreciate that! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiraffeCamp Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 12 minutes ago, qwazse said: It's been a while, but some of my favorite visits were to: The volunteer fire house, One of the dad's commercial photography studio. Nature trails, Ball games. Marching in parades! For our district, I coordinate a flag placement one evening in advance of Memorial day. Lots of Lion/Tiger parents tell me how much they appreciate that! I hadn't considered the possibility of someone else already coordinating something like flag placement and us just showing up as workers. Definitely will put that on my radar! And will see what business/hobby resources we have present. The rest are definitely going on the list. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yknot Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Hikes where you go out and look for stuff are always good. Bird walk. Tree walk. Indian lore. Fish nets in the stream. I generally would scout the trail out ahead of time to find stuff to point out and sometimes even plant stuff for them to find. I personally think there is too much "indoors" in the program and it makes them fidgety, so I tried hard to get them outside. I can't remember exact years but we did the police department, the fire department, and the public works garage to see the big trucks. Maple sugaring. Farm visits. Double A baseball games. I never had Lions but every rank year we learned something about our rank namesake and I would try to take them somewhere to see some -- tigers at a zoo; wolves at a wolf sanctuary; bears at a wildlife rehab center. Webelos we took them to see real live scouts during troop visits (-" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiraffeCamp Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 1 hour ago, yknot said: Hikes where you go out and look for stuff are always good. Bird walk. Tree walk. Indian lore. Fish nets in the stream. I generally would scout the trail out ahead of time to find stuff to point out and sometimes even plant stuff for them to find. I personally think there is too much "indoors" in the program and it makes them fidgety, so I tried hard to get them outside. I can't remember exact years but we did the police department, the fire department, and the public works garage to see the big trucks. Maple sugaring. Farm visits. Double A baseball games. I never had Lions but every rank year we learned something about our rank namesake and I would try to take them somewhere to see some -- tigers at a zoo; wolves at a wolf sanctuary; bears at a wildlife rehab center. Webelos we took them to see real live scouts during troop visits (-" Genius!!! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InquisitiveScouter Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 - Local wildlife rehabilitation center (if they allow visitors, this is an awesome trip where young Scouts get to see native wildlife.) - Planetarium - Anything with dinosaurs...I mean, anything! - Local "commercial" cave - Local quarry - A farm (with animals, big machines, and something they can pick and eat) - Playing in a mud puddle!!! (You know you'd love it, too. ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiraffeCamp Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 3 hours ago, InquisitiveScouter said: - Local wildlife rehabilitation center (if they allow visitors, this is an awesome trip where young Scouts get to see native wildlife.) - Planetarium - Anything with dinosaurs...I mean, anything! - Local "commercial" cave - Local quarry - A farm (with animals, big machines, and something they can pick and eat) - Playing in a mud puddle!!! (You know you'd love it, too. ) Forget the kids, can we just have adult meeting with you planning? 😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InquisitiveScouter Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 6 minutes ago, GiraffeCamp said: Forget the kids, can we just have adult meeting with you planning? 😁 Absolutely! The adults with our Troop have just as much fun as the Scouts! Who doesn't love crossing the monkey bridge, fishing, swimming in the river, or acting silly at a campfire? Gotta be a Scout at heart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InquisitiveScouter Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 BTW, busts are anything where someone just talks or reads from a book... "A boy is not a sitting-down animal." BP 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiraffeCamp Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 26 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said: Absolutely! The adults with our Troop have just as much fun as the Scouts! Who doesn't love crossing the monkey bridge, fishing, swimming in the river, or acting silly at a campfire? Gotta be a Scout at heart 24 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said: BTW, busts are anything where someone just talks or reads from a book... "A boy is not a sitting-down animal." BP YES!!! That's the whole reason we are in scouting and not in some sort of academic enrichment program. We need experiential and social learning! I've seen conflicting things on SCOUTStrong/Healthy Unit--do you know if that's still going? If I should be checking those off and giving out an award or if it is no longer active? I saw online it is over but the official site doesn't say anything. I think I have a rough sketch of meeting and activity. Would you mind me sending a PM with it for criticism or encouragement? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InquisitiveScouter Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 13 minutes ago, GiraffeCamp said: YES!!! That's the whole reason we are in scouting and not in some sort of academic enrichment program. We need experiential and social learning! I've seen conflicting things on SCOUTStrong/Healthy Unit--do you know if that's still going? If I should be checking those off and giving out an award or if it is no longer active? I saw online it is over but the official site doesn't say anything. I think I have a rough sketch of meeting and activity. Would you mind me sending a PM with it for criticism or encouragement? No need for a PM... The Scout Strong awards were retired on 31 Dec 2020. My guess is due to lack of popularity... But, as with any retired award, you may give them out as long as you can find a source for the patches. They are still for sale... https://www.scoutshop.org/nsearch/?q=ScoutStrong These will probably show in Scoutbook for several more years, but that's a guess. I pitched these to our Patrol Leaders Council for program, and they were, "No, thanks!" There is so much other program material to do... As you are picking a program for Lions and Tigers (and Bears, oh, my!! Sorry...that slipped), you'd have to really work to put it on their level. If you choose to do one, recommend the Healthy Unit Award option... Happy Hunting 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiraffeCamp Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 10 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said: No need for a PM... The Scout Strong awards were retired on 31 Dec 2020. My guess is due to lack of popularity... But, as with any retired award, you may give them out as long as you can find a source for the patches. They are still for sale... https://www.scoutshop.org/nsearch/?q=ScoutStrong These will probably show in Scoutbook for several more years, but that's a guess. I pitched these to our Patrol Leaders Council for program, and they were, "No, thanks!" There is so much other program material to do... As you are picking a program for Lions and Tigers (and Bears, oh, my!! Sorry...that slipped), you'd have to really work to put it on their level. If you choose to do one, recommend the Healthy Unit Award option... Happy Hunting Thanks! Makes sense. I was just going through what can be automatically checked off and Healthy Unit was exactly what looked doable if we're already doing healthy snacks, water, and physical activity anyway then might as well give a patch for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiraffeCamp Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 Is the Safe Swimming stuff completely online? If I want to do Floats and Boats in September, do I need any in-person training before then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InquisitiveScouter Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 54 minutes ago, GiraffeCamp said: Is the Safe Swimming stuff completely online? If I want to do Floats and Boats in September, do I need any in-person training before then? All online... You will need to do Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat. On my.scouting Training, they are under "Expanded Learning" "Program Safety" While you are there, recommend you go ahead and complete Hazardous Weather training. Then, please read and comply with applicable sections of Guide to Safe Scouting "Aquatics Safety" section. https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss02/ Three biggest gotchas: 1. Anyone not classified as a Swimmer must be in a boat with an adult classified as Swimmer. 2. Cub Scouts may not do boating on moving water. 3. Participants must wear a life jacket for all afloat activities, including tubing. Have a blast!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InquisitiveScouter Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 1 hour ago, GiraffeCamp said: Is the Safe Swimming stuff completely online? If I want to do Floats and Boats in September, do I need any in-person training before then? If you want to increase your knowledge and skills, check in at your local Scout camp this summer and complete two courses: Aquatics Supervision: Swimming and Water Rescue - a day or two Aquatics Supervision: Paddle Craft Safety - a day or two Next level is BSA Lifeguard... takes a week at a Summer Camp, if offered Next level is go to National Camp School, Aquatics Director program. Week long intensive course... Lifeguard cert required before starting... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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