Outdoor Activity Ideas needed

[ScoutMomAng]

I'm new to this Boy Scouting stuff, however, not new to scouting. I have been in Cub Scouts with my sons and Girl Scouts with my daughter. I have signe on as my sons Troop Outdoor Activities Coordinator (somebody thought I'd be good at it). However, just coming out of cub scouts and knowing the strict rules in Girl Scouting, I must ask...are there limits to what a Boy Scout can do? What are some other outdoor activities that boys can participate in, besides camping, canoeing, kayaking...etc.

 

Ang

[cajuncody]

you can find the answers you need in the guide to safe scouting or online at:

 

http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/18-260/chart.html

 

Kristi

[ScoutMomAng]

Thanks...that helps a lot! Still would like to know, though, what other troops have done that have been successful.

 

Anybody out there that can help?

 

Ang

[beasties mom]

I was looking thru a new book I was given (The Scoutmaster's Other Handbook)and one of the ideas in it is a Video scavenger hunt.Divide the troop into groups each with a adult driver. give them a list of things to Video.and a time limit.Some of the list in to book includes What does the cornerstone of the Court house say.Get 3 people to sing the National Anthem.one member holding a door open for someone else,maybe a pencil rubbing of a police badge. Anyway you make up the list. Make it big the team that gets the most wins. Then when they come back you can watch all the films.Sounds like something the scouts would enjoy as well and the adult drivers.

[ScoutNut]

Keep in mind that Boy Scouts is a whole 'nother animal than Cub Scouts or Girl Scouts. A well run Boy Scout Troop is entirely boy led. That means that while it is fine to put together a list of oportunities in the area, new, interesting places to go & things to do, that should be about the extent of your input. It is (or should be) up to the Troop's Patrol Leaders, during the course of their Patrol Leader Conferences & led by the Senior Patrol Leader, to decide what they want to do & where they want to go. After that, the Scoutmaster lets the Committee know & the Committee then makes sure it happens.

 

So when you ask what Boy Scouts can do, it really depends on what the boys in the Troop WANT to do. They CAN do just about anything, as long as it is within the paramiters of the Guide to Safe Scouting.

 

 

[EagleBeaver]

- winter snow camping

- icefishing

- klondike derby

- rock climbing (indoor or out)

- archery and shooting

- building catapults

- sailboating

- spelunking (caving)

- white-water rafting

- fossil hunting / rockhounding

- biking

- alligator wrestling (well, maybe not :-)

 

[flowerchild]

"It is (or should be) up to the Troop's Patrol Leaders, during the course of their Patrol Leader Conferences & led by the Senior Patrol Leader, to decide what they want to do & where they want to go. After that, the Scoutmaster lets the Committee know & the Committee then makes sure it happens"

 

ScoutNut: Are you saying that the Committee - not the boys - make the arrangements for trips and activities? When we plan an activity, our boys are responsible for finding out costs, making reservations, etc. There is always an adult working with them so they can ask questions or if a deposit is necessary.

 

[ScoutMomAng]

Keep in mind that Boy Scouts is a whole 'nother animal than Cub Scouts or Girl Scouts. A well run Boy Scout Troop is entirely boy led. That means that while it is fine to put together a list of oportunities in the area, new, interesting places to go & things to do, that should be about the extent of your input.

This is exactly what I'm trying to do.  I'm trying to find out what things they like to do, but from what I understand their ideas have been somewhat lax I guess because even though the former SM claims it has been boy led it seems they have been more adult persuaded/boy led.  So, I figure, if I compile a questionnaire to give them ideas and find out if they might be interested in doing some things they may have never done before, I can then later compile a list of places they can go do the things they would like to do and they can choose from the list of places which ones are more appealing to them.  I plan on having SEVERAL places they can do most things that way they can choose where they want to go and get the prices and dates and all the other stuff put together.

I totally understand that I have to make sure the permits are sent out and all the other paper work.  I just want them to know, because I'm not sure they realize it, that they can do a whole lot more than they have been doing.  I think there should be some type of  "library" of things and places to do so they can choose what to do.

mn_scouter---thanks for the ideas!  Do you have many alligators to wrestle in Minnesota???? : ) 

Ang

 

[ScoutNut]

Check with your council. They might have something put together on outdoor oportunities in your area, or at least be able to tell you where to look. They should also have a list of council approved camping areas.

 

Of course, considering your location, the first thing that comes to mind is Florida Sea Base!

 

Where the boys go and what they want to do will actually depend on what the purpose of the outing/activity is. Every outing/activity should teach Scout skills, help them advance in rank, and reinforce the aims of Scouting. That is why National has themes for the Boy Scout program as well. It gives the boys an area to focus their activites on.

 

For instance, if they want to focus on Nuclear Science, we have various places around us our boys can go. There are 11 nuclear power plants, Fermilab, and Argonne Nat Labratory to name a few.

 

 

(This message has been edited by ScoutNut)

[Merlin2]

I have been our troop's camping chair for several years, and faced the same issue. In order to get input for planning, I handed out a survey that asked each scout to identify the top 10 merit badges that they would like to see included in the troop activity plans for the next year.

 

The results have been reported to both the PLC and troop committee, and used as a guideline in planning. Each month, we plan an outing based on one of the chosen activities, and weekly meetings prior to the outing can include the training required for that activity. We don't always complete the merit badge requirements, since some scouts usually already have each badge. But they still like to get out and have fun with the troop.

 

Past monthly themes have included snow sports, space exploration, biking, hiking, shooting, archery, climbing, emergency prep, & swimming.

 

IMHO, the biggest benefit was we knew that the input came from a lot of different scouts, and not just the oldest or most vocal ones.

[LauraT7]

We ran into the same difficulty when trying to go back to a 'boy lead' program.

 

The boys wanted to come up with their own ideas, but those ideas weren't very imaginative or original - they were same old/ same old. They don't know where to get ideas.

 

what I have done is that everytime I see something that I think they might like I cut it out, collect it or print it. When we go on family trips, I collect brochures from the state visitors kiosks and take them back to the troop. when I hear of a troop that did a great trip, either online or at a scout training event, I get the info and add it to our file. I get biking maps from local bike shops, info from our conservation district parks,I signed up the troop for mailings from the state parks and similar organizations, I collect stuff from everywhere. The result is a huge resource file of places to go and things to do that the boys can get ideas from. It doesn't matter how farfetched they may seem - a brochure on the Alabama space center from a family trip sparked a weekend of making and flying rockets locally. At the very least, by looking thru this file of material, it gets them brainstorming.

 

I've now got the boys & other troop families adding to the 'file' from their travels and experiences!

 

I have also taken trips from MY memories and scouting days, and promoted them with the boys. I did NOT decide FOR them and tell them "we're going to do this." What I did do was show them photos and tell them happy stories of my many canoe trips on the WI river, sleeping on our own island sandbar, exploring the Dells, going to Devils lake, various campgrounds I enjoyed tremendously growing up. Many of my stories became slightly different trips for our scouts, and new memories for me and my son.

 

If you want boys to come up with ideas and get enthusistic for NEW places to go - I find that photos are a wonderful way to SHOW them what they can do. Search other troops websites for ideas, (something the boys can do, but often aren't motivated to do)

 

sometimes, it's Good to repeat favorite standbys and participate in familiar district and council events - but the boys should also test some 'NEW' adventures, too.

 

laura

 

PS - as a past CM with your job - I will warn you that you need to make reservations for state parks, etc ASAP after they decide a date, and ask them to always give you 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice dates and places for events. Often, YOU don't get your first choice, and the boys can miss out on activities if you stall going back and forth to the committee for 'approval' on changes. so be prepared ahead of time for changes and be decisive! Our troop has had to cancel many campouts this year, because our current Activity Chair can't make a decision and loves to wait till the last minute to try & make reservations!

 

Also - get yourself a copy of your school district calendar, and keep checking it for changes (most districts have a website) so you can head off any 'conflicts' with Chorus, Band, prom, dances, finals, etc. You will be dealing with Middle/ Jr high/ and high school schedules!