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Badminton Pin for Cub Scouts  A badminton tournament would make a fun activity for a pack campout. This pin goes along well with my Classic Outdoor Games theme this month.

BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 2: Your Flag and Feats of Skill  BSA provides den meeting plans for den leader on the Scouting.org website. Today, I am going to go through the second Wolf plan. If you don't already have the BSA den meeting plans, download BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 2 to follow along with this article.

Capture the Flag  Capture the Flag is a great game for a large group. Our Boy Scout troop plays it often as an interpatrol activity during meetings. Cub Scouts can play it also. We had a joint Pack/Troop flag retirement ceremony at a local park in the spring. When the ceremony was over, the Boy Scouts organized a game of capture the flag, putting some Cub Scouts on each team. They used most of the park as their play area. It was legendary. :-)

Kick the Can  Kick the can is a classic game which combines tag and hide and go seek. This is a great wide area game for a large group. Use it as an activity at a pack campout or to add some physical activity to a pack meeting.

Bear Den Meeting Plan: What’s Cooking?  ZM's den had a blast when we did Achievement 9 - What's Cooking? We were able to use the kitchen at our church, which made this achievement fun. I'm always amazed when I do cooking achievements with Cub Scouts that some of them rarely cook at home. For those Scouts, these achievements are especially exciting. I always enjoy it when their parents pick them up and they ask if they can start cooking at home.

Classic Outdoor Games  For this month's theme, I am focusing on classic outdoor games. These are games which would have been played by the Scout's parents or even grandparents. There are a few ideas listed on the right, and more will gradually be shown on the Classic Outdoor Games Theme page.

Archery Merit Badge for Boy Scouts  Archery is another favorite merit badge for Boy Scout summer camp. DS earned this one a couple of years ago. When the guys sign up for this, they think it will be all shooting, but there is really a lot more to it than that. They have to learn a lot about the sport. The even make an arrow and a bowstring.

How to Fold the US Flag  The US flag is the symbol of our country and every Scout should know how to handle it. One thing I emphasize when working with Scouts on flag etiquette is that the most important thing is respect. Scouts are going to make mistakes from time to time, but they should always do their best to be respectful.

Badminton Belt Loop for Cub Scouts  If you are getting together with family this summer, you might have a chance to play some badminton. Then your Cub Scout can earn the Badminton Belt Loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program. So string a net between a couple of trees. Get out the rackets and the birdies. And have some family fun. Webelos who earn the Badminton Belt Loop while a Webelos also complete part of requirement 3 for the Sportsman activity badge.

BSA Webelos Den Meeting 1: Athlete and Fitness  BSA provides den meeting plans for den leader on the Scouting.org website. Today, I am going to go through the first Webelos plan. This plan covers Bobcat and part of the Fitness and Athlete activity badges. If you don't have any new Cub Scouts in your den, then nobody needs to earn Bobcat, but it doesn't hurt to review the material anyway.

Boy Scouts and Uniforms  Beth asked, "I realized once again that, as proud as he is to wear the uniform at a Scout function, he still feels uncomfortable wearing it in public. I have seen this with many other boys as well. Has anyone else noticed this trend, and what can be done? These guys are the future of our country and doing great things everyday, and yet the cool factor is just not there."

Ideas for July Pack Meeting – Courage  The core value for Cub Scouts for the month of July is Courage. According to the program helps courage is being brave and doing what is right regardless of our fears, the difficulties, or the consequences.

Piranha Ball  Here is a another game to go with this month's aquatic theme. It can be used to fuflill requirement 2 for the Swimming belt loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program: "Play a recreational game in the water with your den, pack, or family." This is a good game to play if you have some kids in your group who are not strong swimmers. They can play this game in chest-deep water and still have a lot of fun. For swimmers who need more of a challenge, the group can go to deeper water and tread water while they play.

Flag Football Pin for Cub Scouts  When you are getting together with your extended family this summer, you might end up playing some flag football. If so, maybe your Cub Scout can earn the Flag Football pin from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program.

Sharks and Minnows  Here is a game to go with this month's aquatic theme. It can be used to fuflill requirement 2 for the Swimming belt loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program: "Play a recreational game in the water with your den, pack, or family." This is a simple version of the game. There are many, many variations and some groups add "house rules" as well.

BSA Wolf Den Meeting 1 - Bobcat and Your Flag  BSA provides den meeting plans for den leader on the Scouting.org website. Today, I am going to go through the first Wolf plan. This plan covers Bobcat and part of Wolf Achievement 2 - Your Flag. If you don't have any new Cub Scouts in your den, then nobody needs to earn Bobcat, but it doesn't hurt to review the material anyway.

Swimming Merit Badge for Boy Scouts  Our first year Boy Scouts almost always work on Swimming merit badge at summer camp. At our council camps, it is always integrated into the program for first year campers. This works well because the requirements for this badge overlap with the aquatics requirements for Second Class and First Class.

BSA Swim Test  Pack your swimsuit on top. Those are always the instructions when packing for summer camp, because one of the first things we will have to do when we get there is the swim test. The BSA swim test is used to determine ability level so that participants can swim in an area which is appropriate for them.

Red Light Green Light  When working with Cub Scouts, remember KISMIF - Keep It Simple. Make It Fun. Sometimes we come up with elaborite or complicated plans when our young Scouts would really be just as happy with something simple. Red Light Green Light is a great example of this. It is simple and requires no preparation or materials. My Cub Scouts always enjoy these "classic" playground games.

Cubmaster Minute – Science and Perseverance  The Cub Scout core value for the month of June is perseverance. Here is a brief Cubmaster minute to help Cub Scout understand why perseverance is important.

Ideas for June Pack Meeting – Perseverance  The core value for Cub Scouts for the month of June is Perseverance. According to the program helps perseverance is: Sticking with something and not giving up, even if it is difficult.

Den Meeting Plan for Webelos Athlete Activity Badge  For this badge your Webelos have to do several fitness tasks. Then they are supposed to work on these skills on their own and then do the tasks again 30 days later to see if they improved. This is similar to the fitness requirements for the Tenderfoot badge and for the Personal Fitness merit badge which they will work on when they get to Boy Scouts.

BSA Medical Forms  All four of my boys had their physicals yesterday. And I took along the BSA medical form to have it filled out so they would be ready for camp this summer. Sometimes this takes parents by surprise. Remind them to make an appointment and get it done if they haven't already.

Physical Fitness Belt Loop for Cub Scouts  Since health and fitness is the core value for Cub Scouts for the month of May, this might be a good time to introduce the requirements for the Physical Fitness belt loop. This recognition is part of the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program

Cub Scout Perseverance Ceremony  The Cub Scout core value for the month of June is perseverance. This word might be unfamiliar to your Cub Scouts. This ceremony will help them understand the meaning of the word. This would work especially well as part of an opening ceremony.

BSA Tiger Den Meeting 4 - Keeping Myself Healthy and Safe   This is an overview of the fourth Tiger den meeting plan from the BSA program helps. I've included some additional information I think would be helpful. The main focus for this meeting is the Go See it for Achievement 3. You will be going to a sporting event.

BSA Methods - Teaching Others  The methods of Scouting are the ways that Scouting's aims of developing character, citizenship, and fitness in youth are achieved. One of the methods for Venturers is “teaching others”. Teaching others is the best way to really acquire deep knowledge of an area. By sharing their skills with others, Venturers retain their knowledge better and provide service to others

Native American Prayer  Native American lore is an important part of the Boy Scout and Cub Scout programs. This prayer is attributed to Chief Sealth (for whom Seattle is named).

Wolf Den Meeting Plan for Achievement 12 - Making Choices  I found that the best way to make this fun was to turn it into a role play game. We started out with the Character Connection, and then we started going through the scenarios. We went through more than four. They really enjoyed doing them. And with a couple of the scenarios there was some lively discussion over what they should do.

Phone Etiquette  Phone etiquette does not come naturally to most kids. It needs to be taught. Here are some very basic rules for talking on the phone. These could be used with Tiger Elective 26 - Phone Manners or Wolf Achievement 4 - Know Your Home and Community. It will also help Cub Scouts working on the Good Manners Pin.

Family Travel Belt Loop for Cub Scouts  Summer will be here before we know it. If you are planning to travel this summer, get your Cub Scout involved and he can earn his Family Travel belt loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program. If you don't have any travel plans, don't worry. He doesn't actually have to take a trip for him to earn this belt loop. The requirements are all about planning.

Scoutmaster Minute - Cheerful Service  With Order of the Arrow elections approaching in the coming months, I though I'd share this Scoutmaster minute about cheerful service. It will help the troop remember what they should be basing their votes on and it should help current OA members remember the ideals they should be trying to live up to.

A Scout's Prayer by Lord Baden-Powell  This prayer is attributed to Lord Baden-Powell himself. B-P clearly believed that faith was an important component of his Scouting program. So while Scouting is not specific to any particular faith, there is a spiritual aspect to it. This prayer, based on the Scout Law, would be appropriate for most groups of Scouts.

Ideas for May Pack Meeting - Health and Fitness  The core value for Cub Scouts for the month of May is Health and Fitness. According to the program helps health and fitness is: Being personally committed to keeping our minds and bodies cleanand fit.Cub Scouts will learn that it is important and easy to eat a healthy diet and how a fitnessprogram can be part of their daily routine.

Ultimate Belt Loop for Cub Scouts  We are going to a local park to do the Ultimate belt loop. I don't think anyone in our pack has earned this belt loop yet. I can't imagine that our Cub Scouts won't have fun throwing frisbees around in the park.

BSA Tiger Den Meeting 3 - Keeping Myself Healthy and Safe (Food Pyramid and Fire Drill)  This is an overview of the third Tiger den meeting plan from the BSA program helps. I've included some additional information I think would be helpful.

Wolf Den Meeting Plan for Achievement 1 - Feats of Skill  Wolf Achievement 1 - Feats of Skill - is all about getting stronger and faster. This meeting definitely lends itself to an outdoor setting, so meet at your school playground or a park if you can.

Scoutmaster Minute - Honesty  Honesty is an important virtue. This brief inspirational thought can be used as a Scoutmaster minute to remind Scouts that it is better to be honest from the start than to try to cover our mistakes by shading the truth.

Our Spring Break Road Trip  For Scouting families with several kids who don't have loads of money lying around for airline tickets and hotel rooms, a camping road trip is a great option.

Ideas for April Pack Meeting – Faith  The core value for Cub Scouts for the month of April is Faith. According to the program helps, faith is "Having inner strength and confidence based on our trust in God."