BSA provides Wolf den meeting ideas for Cub Scout den leader. Today, I’ll go through  the fifteenth Wolf Cub Scout den meeting plan. This plan covers the Marbles Belt Loop and Wolf Elective 4e.

If you don’t already have the BSA den meeting plans, download BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 15 to follow along with this article.

Wolf Den Meeting Ideas: BSA Den Meeting Plan 15 – Marbles

Preparation and Before the Meeting

The preparation for this meeting is just to gather the materials. You’ll need a several sets of marbles and either some chalk (if playing outside) or a marble mat.  You will also need some bottles for playing Marble Sharpshooter.

Gathering

See my gathering activities page for some ideas.

Opening

Do a simple opening flag ceremony. If any of your Wolf Cub Scouts have not completed Wolf Achievement 2 – Your Flag  yet, this will help them with their requirements.

Business

Keep business to a short and sweet.

Activities

The first activity is to play Marbles Sharpshooter. The rules are simple. Just set up a row of glass bottles. The Cub Scouts practice shooting skills by shooting marbles between the bottles.  This fulfills Elective 4e: “Play a game of marbles.”

Next, do the requirements for the Marbles belt loop. Requirement 1 is “Explain the rules of Ringer or another marble game to your leader or adult partner.” See my post Rules for Ringer (A Marbles Game) for the rules. You might also find Marbles Terminology helpful.

For requirement 2 for the belt loop  ”Spend at least 30 minutes practicing skills to play the game of Ringer or another marble game.” You can include the time spent playing Marble Sharpshooter.

Requirement 3 is “Participate in a game of marbles.”  Pair them up and let them play Ringer.

Closing

Do a simple closing like the Law of the Pack or the Cub Scout Promise.

After the Meeting

Have them all help clean up and chase down any stray marbles. This is a good time to ask some parents to help at the next meeting.

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Stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. Boy Scouts can earn the Stamp Collecting merit badge.

The world’s most popular hobby, stamp collecting is enjoyed by millions throughout the world. Through this hobby. you can experience history: postage stamps are like tiny windows that introduce the people of the world to the country’s leaders, customs, history, products, and environment.

Stamp Collecting Merit Badge Requirements

1. Do the following:
1. Discuss how you can better understand people, places, institutions, history, and geography as a result of collecting stamps.
2. Briefly describe some aspects of the history, growth, and development of the United States postal system. Tell how it is different from postal systems in other countries.
2. Define topical stamp collecting. Name and describe three other types of stamp collections.
3. Show at least ONE example of each of the following:
1. Perforated and imperforate stamps
2. Mint and used stamps
3. Sheet, booklet, and coil stamps
4. Numbers on plate block, booklet, or coil, or marginal markings
5. Overprint and surcharge
6. Metered mail
7. Definitive, commemorative, semipostal, and airmail stamps
8. Cancellation and postmark
9. First day cover
10. Postal stationery (aerogramme, stamped envelope, and postal card)
4. Do the following:
1. Demonstrate the use of ONE standard catalog for several different stamp issues. Explain why catalog value can vary from the corresponding purchase price.
2. Explain the meaning of the term condition as used to describe a stamp. Show examples that illustrate the different factors that affect a stamp’s value.
5. Demonstrate the use of at least THREE of the following stamp collector’s tools:
1. Stamp tongs
2. Water and tray
3. Magnifiers
4. Hinges and stamp mounts
5. Perforation gauge
6. Glassine envelopes and cover sleeves
7. Watermark fluid
6. Do the following:
1. Show a stamp album and how to mount stamps with or without hinges. Show at least ONE page that displays several stamps.
2. Discuss at least THREE ways you can help to preserve stamps, covers, and albums in first-class condition.
7. Do at least TWO of the following:
1. Design a stamp, cancellation, or cachet.
2. Visit a post office, stamp club, or stamp show with an experienced collector. Explain what you saw and learned.
3. Write a review of an interesting article from a stamp newspaper, magazine, book, or Web site (with your parent’s permission).
4. Research and report on a famous stamp-related personality or the history behind a particular stamp.
5. Describe the steps taken to produce a stamp. Include the methods of printing, types of paper, perforation styles, and how they are gummed.
6. Prepare a two- to three-page display involving stamps. Using ingenuity, as well as clippings, drawings, etc., tell a story about the stamps and how they relate to history, geography, or a favorite topic of yours.
8. Mount and show, in a purchased or homemade album, ONE of the following:
1. A collection of 250 or more different stamps from at least 15 countries.
2. A collection of a stamp from each of 50 different countries, mounted on maps to show the location of each.
3. A collection of 100 or more different stamps from either one country or a group of closely related countries.
4. A collection of 75 or more different stamps on a single topic. (Some interesting topics are Scouting, birds, insects, the Olympics, sports, flowers, animals, ships, holidays, trains, famous people, space, and medicine.) Stamps may be from different countries.
5. A collection of postal items discovered in your mail by monitoring it over a period of 30 days. Include at least five different types listed in requirement 3.

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This song about a dog is mentioned in Wolf Den Meeting Plan 13 – Pets, so I thought I’d post it here in case you are not familiar with it. It would be fun for any Cub Scout sing along.

This song is sung to the tune of Six Little Ducks. If you are not familiar with the tune, just do a search for it on YouTube.

Rags Song (A Kid’s Song About a Dog)

To the tune of Six Little Ducks

My little puppy’s name is Rags
He eats so much that his tummy sags
Big floppy ears and a tail that wags
And when he walks he zigs and zags
Flip, flop, wiggle, waggle, zig, zag
Flip, flop, wiggle, waggle, zig, zag

My little puppy he never obeys
He always runs the other way
He doesn’t have a pedigree
But I love him and he loves me
Flip, flop, wiggle, waggle, zig, zag
Flip, flop, wiggle, waggle, zig, zag

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BSA provides Wolf den meeting ideas for Cub Scout den leader. Today, I’ll go through  the thirteenth Wolf Cub Scout den meeting plan. This plan covers Wolf Elective 14 – Pets.

If you don’t already have the BSA den meeting plans, download BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 13 to follow along with this article.

Wolf Den Meeting Ideas: BSA Meeting Plan 13 – Pets

Preparation and Before the Meeting

If you can arrange for a veterinarian or dog trainer to help out at this meeting, it would make it more interesting for your Wolves, especially if they can bring a dog with them.

Instruct your Wolf Cub Scouts to read a book about pets beforehand. You can find some suggestions on my page about Animals and Nature Books.

Gathering

See my gathering activities page for some ideas.

Opening

Do a simple opening flag ceremony. If any of your Wolf Cub Scouts have not completed Wolf Achievement 2 – Your Flag  yet, this will help them with their requirements.

Business

Keep announcements short and sweet.

Activities

Start with Elective 14b and Elective 14d. If you have a dog trainer or veterinarian visiting, they can lead this part of the meeting.

14b: Know what to do when you meet a strange dog

14d: Tell what is meant by rabid. Name some animals that can have rabies. Tell what you should do if you see a dog or wild animal that is behaving strangely. Tell what you should do if you find a dead animal.

Next, do Elective 14c. Hopefully all of your Cub Scouts read the book ahead of time. If not, follow the suggestions in the meeting plan.

14c: Read a book about a pet and tell about it at a den meeting.

The meeting plan suggests singing the song Rags, which is a well known Scouting song about a dog which goes to the tune of 6 Little Ducks.  You can see the lyrics here. It can also be found in the Cub Scout Songbook which you can get from your local council shop.

Closing

Do a simple closing like the Law of the Pack or the Cub Scout Promise.

After the Meeting

Have them all clean up the meeting area. Talk to the other parents to line up some help for the next meeting.

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BSA provides a set of Tiger den meeting plans for Cub Scout den leaders. There are 16 basic meeting plan ideas and then some additional supplemental Tiger den meeting ideas. This is the first of the supplemental tiger den meeting plans. It covers Tiger Elective 16 – Collecting and Other Hobbies.

There is not a lot to this meeting plan. You could also try to complete the requirements for the Collecting Belt Loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program.  By bringing a collection of 10 or more items to the den meeting they have already fulfilled requirements 1 and 2. If any of them have visited a museum or other collection, they can tell about it for requirement 3. Or you can really jazz up this meeting and take a field trip to a local museum.

You can download the complete meeting plan from the BSA website: Printable copy of BSA Tiger Den Meeting Supplemental Plan A – Collecting and Other Hobbies

BSA Tiger Den Meeting Plans: Supplemental Plan A – Collecting and Other Hobbies

Preparation and Before the Meeting

Communicate with the adult partners beforehand that each Tiger Cub should bring a collection or something related to a hobby to the meeting. It doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. Even “Things I found in my backyard” can be a collection.

Gathering

See my gathering activities page for ideas for gathering activities. Or play a  game during gathering time.

Opening

Start with a simple flag ceremony and Cub Scout Promise.

Business

Hand out any recognitions. Keep the rest of the business to a minimum.

Activities

Let each Tiger Cub Scout show off what he brought to fulfill elective 16:

With your den, show or tell about something you like to collect, OR tell your den about a favorite hobby or activity.

Closing

Keep it simple. Say the Law of the Pack.

After the Meeting

Everyone should help clean up. This is a good time to line up some help for the next meeting.

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BSA provides Wolf den meeting plans for Cub Scout den leaders on the Scouting.org website. This week we’ll look at the twelfth Wolf Cub Scout den meeting plan. This plan includes Wolf Elective 6 – Books, Books, Books and Wolf Elective 12 – Be an Artist.

If you don’t already have the BSA den meeting plans, download BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 12 to follow along with this article.

BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plans #12 – Visit a Library or Bookstore

Preparation and Before the Meeting

This meeting is a field trip, so most of your preparation will involve making arrangements with the location you want to visit, gathering permission slips, arranging drivers, etc. You will also need to gather some supplies.

Gathering

See my gathering activities page for some ideas. Alternatively, you could make the book covers (see below) as a gathering activity.

Opening

You might want to do your opening before you leave on your field trip, or you can do it at the location if a US flag is available.

Business

Be organized beforehand so you can take care of business quickly.

Activities

Just by going on the field trip you are completing 6a:

Visit a bookstore or go to a public library with an adult. Find out how to get your own library card. Name four kinds of books that interest you (for example, history, science fiction, how-to books).

Give them a few minutes to discuss books they have read lately to complete 6b:

Choose a book on a subject you like and read it. With an adult, discuss what you read and what you think about it.

Then let a librarian talk to the Wolves about caring for books and have them make paper bag book covers for 6c:

Books are important. Show that you know how to take care of them. Open a new book the right way. Make a paper or plastic cover for it or another book.

(Instructions for making the cover are in the printable meeting plan.)

Finally, let them decorate their book covers for 12a:

Make a freehand sketch of a person, place, or thing

Closing

Do a simple closing like the Law of the Pack or the Cub Scout Promise.

After the Meeting

Have them all clean up the meeting area. Talk to the other parents to line up some help for the next meeting.

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BSA provides a set of Tiger den meeting plans for Cub Scout den leaders. This is a review of the 14th den meeting plan in the series. This den meeting is a Go See It which covers two of the Tiger Cub Scout electives:

• Tiger Elective 43 – Pet Care
• Tiger Elective 31 – Learn about Animals

You can download the complete meeting plan from the BSA website: Printable copy of BSA Tiger Den Meeting Plan 14

BSA Tiger Den Meeting Plan 14 – Go See It: Pet Care and Learn About Animals

Preparation and Before the Meeting

For this meeting, you need to arrange to visit a veterinarian, pet groomer, or some other person who works with animals.

Gathering

Check my gathering activities page for some appropriate activities for your gathering time. Or play a simple game.

Opening

If you are away from your regular location, you might not have a flag. Start with the Cub Scout Promise.

Business

Keep business to a minimum. The Tigers will want to move on to the “fun”!

Activities

The activities are learning about what goes on at the location you are visiting. These are the electives you are working on:

Elective 43  - “Take a field trip to a veterinarian’s or animal groomer’s office.”
Elective 31  - “Learn about an animal.”

Request some time for questions and answers at the end. Tiger Cub Scouts are very inquisitive.

Closing

Just do a simple closing – like the Law of the Pack.

After the Meeting

Make sure the Tiger Cub Scouts thank the people at the location you visited. And start organizing for the next den meeting.

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Boy Scouts who enjoy building models from kits can challenge themselves further when they earn the Model Design and Building merit badge. For this badge they must build one model without starting from a kit.

Model making, the art of creating copies of objects that are either smaller or larger than the objects they represent, is not only an enjoyable and educational hobby: it is widely used in the professional world for such things as creating special effects for movies, developing plans for buildings, and designing automobiles and airplanes.

Model Design and Building Merit Badge Requirements

1. Study and understand the requirements for personal safety when using such model-maker hand tools as knives, handsaws, vises, files, hammers, screw- drivers, hand drills and drill bits,pliers, and portable power tools, and when to use proper protective equipment such as goggles when grinding or drilling. Know what precautions to take when using flammable or hazardous products such as glue, epoxy, paint, and thinners. Discuss these with your counselor before you begin your model-making project and tell why they are important.
2. Explain the uses for each of the following types of models: architectural, structural, process, mechanical, and industrial. Do research into the different types of materials that could be used in making these models.
3. With your counselor’s advice, select a subject from requirement 4 for your model project (no kits). Prepare the necessary plans to the proper scale. Make a list of materials and a list of the required tools. This model should be your own original work. Tell why you selected this subject.
4. Do ONE of the following:
1. Make an architectural model. Build a model of a house to a scale of 1/4″ = 1’0″ (50:1 metric). Discuss with your counselor the materials you intend to use, the amount of detail required, outside treatment (finish, shrubbery, walks, etc.), and color selections. After completing the model, present it to your counselor for approval.
2. Build a structural model. Construct a model showing corner construction of a woodframe building to a scale of 11/2″ = 1’0″ (8:1 metric). All structures shown must be to scale. Cardboard or flat sheet wood stock may be used for sheeting or flooring on the model. Review with your counselor the problems you encountered in gathering the materials and supporting the structure. Be able to name the parts of the floor and wall frames, such as intermediate girder, joist, bridging, subfloor, sill, sole plate, stud, and rafter.
3. Make a process model. Build a model showing the plumbing system in your house. Show hot and cold water supply, all waste returns, and venting to a scale of 3/4″ = 1’0″ (15:1 metric). Talk to your counselor about how to begin this model, and present the scale and the materials you will use. After completion, present the model to your counselor, and be prepared to discuss any problems you had building this model.
4. Complete a mechanical model. Build a model of a mechanical device that uses at least two of the six simple machines. After completing the model, present it to your counselor. Be prepared to discuss materials used, the machine’s function, and any particular difficulty you might have encountered.
5. Make an industrial model. Build a model of an actual passenger-carrying vehicle to a scale of 1″ = 1’0″ or 1/2″ = 1’0″ (10:1 or 25:1 metric). Take the dimensions of the vehicle and record the important dimensions. Draw the top, front, rear, and sides of the vehicle to scale. From your plans, build a model of the vehicle and finish it in a craftsmanlike manner. Discuss with your counselor the most difficult part of completing the model.
5. Build a special-effects model of a fantasy spacecraft that might appear in a Hollywood science fiction movie. Determine an appropriate scale for your design–one that makes practical sense. Include a cockpit or control area, living space, storage unit, engineering spaces, and propulsion systems. As you plan and build your model, do the following:
1. Study aircraft, submarines, and naval ships for design ideas.
2. Arrange and assemble the parts.
3. Sketch your completed model.
4. Write a short essay in which you discuss your design, scale, and materials choices. Describe how you engineered your model and discuss any difficulties you encountered and what you learned.
6. List at least six occupations in which model-making is used and discuss with your counselor some career opportunities in this field.

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BSA provides den meeting plans for den leader on the Scouting.org website. Today, I am going to go through the eighth Wolf Cub Scout plan. If you don’t already have the BSA den meeting plans, download BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 8 to follow along with this article.

The BSA meeting plans are designed to be done in order, so do the others before this one. This plan covers part of Wolf Achievement 8 – Cooking and Eating and part of Wolf Achievement 6 – Start a Collection.

Get BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 8 from the Scouting.org website

BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 8: Cooking and Eating and Start a Collection

Preparation and Before the Meeting

The preparation for this meeting is pretty straightforward. Just gather your materials and have them ready. The requirements for Wolf Achievement 6 line up nicely with the requirements for the Collecting belt loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program. With a little advance planning, you might be able to complete the belt loop also.

Gathering

Let your Wolf Cub Scouts play the Food Pyramid Go Fish Game

Opening

Do a simple opening flag ceremony. Or, for an outdoor ceremony with a flag pole, see Raising and Lowering the US Flag.

Business Items

Keep this part brief.

Activities

For Achievment 8a (“Study the food pyramid”) check out this Build Your Own Food Pyramid activity.

This Printable Menu Planner will help with Achievement 8b (“Plan the meals you and your family should have for one day.“)

Next, you will be moving on to Achievement 6 – Start a Collection. The Character Connection for Positive Attitude will take about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size and talkativeness of your den.

You Cub Scouts will probably enjoy showing off their collections. When I did this achievement with my den, the Den Chiefs also brought in collections. The Wolf Cub Scouts liked to see that the older Scouts also enjoyed collecting things.

Closing

Do a simple closing. You could say the Cub Scout Promise or the Law of the Pack.

After the Meeting

All of the Cub Scouts should help clean up. Take this opportunity to talk to any parents who will be helping you at the next meeting.

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BSA provides den meeting plans for den leader on the Scouting.org website. In this article, I’ll take a look at the fifth Bear den meeting plan and comment with some tips and links.  If you don’t already have the BSA den meeting plans, download BSA Bear Den Meeting Plan 5 to follow along with this article.

The BSA meeting plans are designed to be done in order. This plan covers part of Bear Achievement 1 – Ways We Worship and Bear Achievement 20 – Sawdust and Nails. You will also check that your Cub Scouts have completed the home assignments for  Bear Achievement 7 – Law Enforcement Is a Big Job. Follow the links for additional resources for those achievements.

You will be starting on Achievement 20 in this meeting and completing it in the next. So you don’t have to complete all of the work in one sitting. Also, the program helps suggest that if you are not comfortable doing woodworking with your Cub Scouts, that you substitute one of the other Bear achievements for this one. Just remember that it has to be one from the “Self” group.

Also, remember that Cub Scouts can use hand tools. The note in the program helps states:

Note: Power tools are not appropriate for use by Cub Scouts. (See Age-Appropriate Guidelines for Scouting activities at http://www.scouting.org/HealthandSafety/Resources/ AgeAppropriateGuidelines .)

That page contains a link to a chart indicating what Cub Scouts are allowed to do. As you can see, Cub Scouts are allowed to use hand tools. There is no mention of power tools, but at all of the training sessions I’ve been to, I’ve been told that Cub Scouts are not allowed to use them. And the note in the BSA den meeting plan seems to confirm that.

BSA Bear Den Meeting Plan 5: Ways We Worship and Sawdust and Nails

Before the Meeting and Preparation

Most of the preparation for this meeting involves getting your tools together and arranging an appropriate place to meet. You will also want plenty of adult supervision for this meeting, so recruit some parents to help.

Gathering

This Hand Tools Puzzle would work well as a gathering activity, or check my other puzzles.

Opening

You can just do a simple indoor opening flag ceremony.

Business Items

Keep this brief and to the point.

Activities

As suggested, start with Achievement 1a: Complete the Character Connection for Faith. I always did the character connections early in the meeting. It always seemed more difficult to get them to sit for a discussion later on. Also move right into Achievement 1b  - Make a list of things you can do this week to practice your religion as you are taught in your home, church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious community. Check them off your list as you complete them.

Next, you will move on to the tools. For Achievement 20a : Show how to use and take care of four of these tools. (Hammer, hand saw, hand drill, C-clamp, wood plane, pliers, crescent wrench, screwdriver, bench vise, coping saw, drill bit) Have the tools there and demonstrate their use.

Next you will work on Achievement 20b: Build your own tool box  and Achievement 20c : Use at least two tools listed in requirement a to fix something. These will both take a lot of time, especially with Cub Scouts who are not used to using hand tools. But remember, you have two meetings to work on this.

Closing

Have a brief closing – maybe the Cub Scout Promise or a prayer, since you are working on Achievement 1. The Cub Scouts should thank all of the parents who came to help at the meeting.

 After the Meeting

Make sure everyone helps to clean up the mess. And pat yourself on the back for completing another meeting.

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If you know a Boy Scout with a coin collection, have him look at the requirements for the Coin Collecting merit badge.

Coin collecting is one of the oldest of all hobbies. Hoards of ancient coins found in excavations indicate that coins were one of the first collectibles. From earliest times, people valued coins not only as a means of trading and storing wealth, but also as miniature works of art.

Coin Collecting Merit Badge Requirements

1. Understand how coins are made and where the active U.S. Mint facilities are located.
2. Explain these collecting terms:
1. Obverse
2. Reverse
3. Reeding
4. Clad
5. Type set
6. Date set
3. Explain the grading terms Uncirculated, Extremely Fine, Very Fine, Very Good, Good, Poor. Show five different grade examples of the same coin type. Explain the term proof and why it is not a grade. Tell what encapsulated coins are.
4. Know three different ways to store a collection, and describe the benefits, drawbacks, and expense of each method. Pick one to use when completing requirements.
5. Do the following:
1. Demonstrate to your counselor that you know how to use two U.S. or world coin reference catalogs.
2. Read a numismatic magazine or newspaper and tell your counselor about what you learned.
6. Describe the 1999–2008 50 State Quarters® Program. Collect and show your counselor five different state quarters you have acquired from circulation.
7. Collect from circulation a set of current U.S. coins. Include one coin of each denomination (cent, nickel, dime, quarter, half dollar, dollar). For each coin, locate the mint marks, if any, and the designer’s initials, if any.
8. Do the following:
1. Identify the people depicted on the following denominations of current U.S. paper money: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100.
2. Explain “legal tender.”
3. Describe the role the Federal Reserve System plays in the distribution of currency.
9. Do ONE of the following:
1. Collect and identify 50 foreign coins from at least 10 different countries.
2. Collect and identify 20 bank notes from at least five different countries.
3. Collect and identify 15 different tokens or medals.
4. For each year since the year of your birth, collect a date set of a single type of coin.
10. Do ONE of the following:
1. Tour a U.S. Mint facility, a Bureau of Engraving and Printing facility, a Federal Reserve bank, or a numismatic museum or exhibit, and describe what you learned to your counselor.
2. With your parent’s permission, attend a coin show or coin club meeting, or view the Web site of the U.S. Mint or a coin dealer, and report what you learned.
3. Give a talk about coin collecting to a group such as your troop, a Cub Scout pack, or your class at school.
4. Do drawings of five Colonial-era U.S. coins.

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As part of the Hobbies Troop Program Feature for Boy Scouts, the Scouts will conduct a hobby fair to show of each Scout’s particular hobby. Here are some things Scouts might want to consider when organzing and setting up the fair.

Secure a Location Well in Advance

Do this as soon as you start planning the fair. Check with your chartered organization to see if they have a suitable space for you. You could also try a local community center, school, or church. You might have to be a little flexible with your dates also.

You can also consider doing your fair in conjunction with another event. For example, I used be our science fair coordinator for our school. Even though we usually had about 10 participants, there was not a good space in the school to set up the fair. So we did it in the spring during one of the parish fish fries. This had several purposes. First, it let us have a good area in the gym. Second, it gave it more of an “event” feel than just setting it up in the gym some day when it wasn’t in use. And third, it gave the kids a chance to show off their work to a larger community, which was good. They deserved it after all of the work they put into their projects.

Send Out Some Guidelines

Make sure everyone is on the same page beforehand. How much space will be allotted for each display? Set up one of the tables you will be using beforehand and decide how many displays will go on each table. Then measure off the space which will be available to each person. Set some ground rules. Will liquids be allowed? What about batteries and electronic devices? And check with the location you are using. Do they have any rules you need to pass along.

Set Up Some Tables

Have some tables set up before people start bringing in their displays. If there will be multiple displays on a table, mark off each person’s “territory” with masking tape. Put a label in each space with a name or number to indicate who will be using that specific space.

Judging

If you will be having a contest with some sort of judging, have scoring sheets with the criteria ready. Contact your judges in advance and give them the scoring sheets. You might also provide sample scoring sheets to the participants well beforehand. Sometimes knowing what the criteria are will result in better displays. What criteria should you use? That is up to you. Things like attractiveness of the display, originality, and presentation (if you are letting them give a brief talk to the judges) are often used. You can also have different categories – like best collection, most unusual hobby, outdoor hobbies, etc. On the day of the event, tell everyone involved a specific time when judging will begin so they are all ready.

Awards

Definitely recognize those who did an outstanding job, but try to recognize the efforts of all at the same time. Everyone worked hard on their display so it might be nice to hand out certificates to all of the participants. Or you could do something similar to a science fair, where everyone gets a ribbon, but the color is based on how well the met the judging criteria.

Clean Up

Make sure you have a clean up plan beforehand. Have enough people lined up to take down tables and put the space back the way it was before you started.

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There are several Scouting achievements related to collecting. For example:

• Wolf Achievement 6 – Start a Collection
• Collecting Belt Loop and Pin from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program
• Coin Collecting Merit Badge
• Collections Merit Badge
• Stamp Collecting Merit Badge
• Venturing  Arts and Hobbies Bronze Award

So how do you start a collection? Here are some tips to get started.

1. Decide what interests you. This might seem obvious, but sometimes it is the hardest step. You might be drawn to items which are frequently collected such as stamps, coins, or trading cards. On the other hand, maybe those don’t interest you. Look around your room. Is there something you have  a few of? Maybe you can find more. Your collection doesn’t have to be all the same type of object. It could be different types of objects which share a common theme, such as a group of items related to your favorite sports team or movie.
2. Don’t decide to collect things which are expensive or difficult to obtain. Sure, I’d like to have a diamond collection also, but it doesn’t seem practical. That doesn’t mean you have to choose something which you can make a collection of with ease, but it should be something which you can reasonable add to every month.
3. Check with your parents. You might want to make sure that they are willing to provide you space to keep your collection. And they will have other considerations about the wisdom of what you are considering collecting. Maybe your mom isn’t so wild about you keeping a live bug collection in your room. And she might remind you that the bugs are better off in their natural environment anyway.
4. Consider collecting something unique. If you want to stand out and get some attention, collect something really strange. Sometimes these are the most inexpensive things to collect also. I once saw a collection of gum wrappers which was nicely categorized and displayed.
5. Make a nice display. As mentioned in #4, a nice display really makes a big difference when viewing a collection. Label the items and give a little history or extra explanation if possible. What makes a single item in the collection special. Your collection will hold the viewer’s interest longer if the display is organized, informative, and easy to view.
6. Know how to store your collection. Do some research and find out how to store your collection so it is preserved over time. This is especially important with delicate items, like stamps or pressed flowers.
7. Keep collecting. It is OK to start with just a few items if you continue to add to it over time. It might be good to set a goal for yourself like “I will add at least one new item every month.”
8. Network with other collectors. If you can find other people who collect similar objects, then you might be able to swap items and increase your collection. Local hobby clubs might have fairs you can attend. Remember safety though and never contact another individual without your parents’ permission and knowledge.

Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Scouting

BSA provides  troop program feature guides as a resource for Boy Scout troops. A PLC can use these guides to plan a series of meetings and outings around a single theme. My post Troop Program Features for Meetings and Outings has  more information about these guides.

The Boy Scout Roundtable Planning Guide suggests a Hobbies feature for December 2011. So this month we’ll take a look at this feature in more depth. Some of the ideas in this program feature will also be useful to Cub Scouts and Venturers who are working on hobbies related programs. The Hobbies program feature can be found in Volume 2 of the Troop Program Features.

Remember to let the youth leadership use these as a starting point for planning their troop program. If they want to use the program guides, the don’t have to follow them to the letter. Instead they should create a plan which fits their unit.

The Hobbies program feature provides 4 troop meeting plans and an outdoor program plan. At the meetings, younger Scouts can work on their early rank requirements. It suggests that older Scouts investigate the Collections merit badge, although there are other hobby related merit badges which could be worked into the troop program. The meetings culminate in a hobby show where Scouts can display all of their hobbies. The outdoor program plan is a campout with interpatrol games. There is really no hobbies focus to the outdoor activity. As the program plan states:

Here’s a chance for your Scouts to show off their hobbies and for those who don’t have a hobby to find one. The merit badge program offers a wide variety of hobby interests, and the Scouts in your troop could have an opportunity to explore some of these programs at a hobby show or with an individual hobbyist.

Even though the feature this month deals with hobbies, the patrol leaders’ council will want to plan an overnight outing for the troop. Scouts working on Tenderfoot through First Class ranks still need the opportunity to be outdoors.

I will look at some of the ideas and activities for this program feature in more depth in a few more posts this month.

Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Scouting