The Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure offers Wolf Cub Scouts a valuable opportunity to learn about disabilities and the challenges faced by those who live with them. This adventure is not just about awareness; it’s a profound journey into empathy, kindness, and community support. Through a series of thoughtful activities, Scouts explore different types of disabilities, gaining insights into the daily lives of individuals who experience these challenges.
Scouts begin by exploring physical disabilities, learning how these can affect a person’s mobility and daily activities. This understanding is crucial for developing empathy and recognizing the importance of accessibility in community spaces. As they learn, Scouts are encouraged to think about ways they can help improve inclusivity in their surroundings, whether at school, in public places, or within scouting events.
The Cubs Who Care adventure also covers visual and hearing impairments, giving Scouts a glimpse into the world of those who navigate life without full use of these senses. Activities might include simulating these conditions to provide firsthand experience, which helps deepen Scouts’ appreciation for the tools and techniques used by those with sensory impairments to communicate and interact with the world.
Additionally, the Cubs Who Care adventure addresses hidden disabilities, which are not immediately apparent but can significantly impact a person’s life. This segment aims to teach Scouts that not all challenges are visible and that understanding and support should be extended to everyone, regardless of their condition.
Through the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure, Wolf Scouts learn about the different types of disabilities and also the barriers that individuals with disabilities often face. This educational journey fosters a sense of personal responsibility and civic duty, encouraging Scouts to be proactive in supporting and advocating for inclusivity in every aspect of community life. It’s a powerful reminder that compassion and action can make a significant difference in making the world a more accessible place for everyone.
Requirements for the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure
Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure Requirements
- Explore what it is to have a physical disability.
- Explore what it is to have a visual disability.
- Explore what it is to have a hearing loss.
- Explore barriers to getting around.
Printable requirements for the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure
Check off sheet to keep track of your den’s progress on the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure
Resources for the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure
Understanding Physical Disabilities
Explore what it is to have a physical disability.
Requirement 1 of the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure invites Wolf Cub Scouts to explore and understand what it means to live with a physical disability. This experience aims to foster empathy and awareness among Scouts about the challenges faced by individuals with physical limitations.
- Discussion Session: Begin with a discussion about what physical disabilities are and how they might affect someone’s daily life. Discuss common physical disabilities such as mobility issues, paralysis, or the absence of limbs, and how these conditions impact routine activities.
- Activity Simulation: Engage Scouts in activities that simulate physical disabilities. For example, navigating a set course using a wheelchair, or performing tasks with one arm tied behind their back. This helps Scouts personally experience some of the challenges faced by those with physical disabilities.
- Guest Speaker: Invite a guest speaker who lives with a physical disability to share their experiences. Hearing firsthand about their challenges, strategies for adaptation, and their achievements despite obstacles can be incredibly impactful for Scouts.
- Adaptive Tools and Technology: Show Scouts various tools and technologies that assist individuals with physical disabilities. Items like prosthetic limbs, adaptive utensils, and specialized computers can be explored to understand how they help in daily tasks.
- Inclusive Activity Planning: Task Scouts with planning an inclusive activity that children with and without physical disabilities can enjoy together. This encourages Scouts to think creatively about inclusivity and fun.
Here are some options for fulfilling Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure requirement 1:
- Chair Ball
- Cub Scouts shoot baskets from a sitting position.
- Supplies: chairs, rubber ball, large basket
- indoor, high energy, 1 to 3 days prep
- Draw a Picture
- Cub Scouts will use tongs to draw a picture of their family.
- Supplies: kitchen tongs, crayons or markers, paper
- indoor, low energy, 1 to 3 days prep
- Mitten Hands
- Cub Scouts wear oversized gloves to complete simple tasks.
- Supplies: large gloves or mittens, coins, crayons, paper, paracord or string
- indoor, low energy, 3 to 5 days prep
By exploring what it is to have a physical disability, Wolf Scouts not only gain a deeper understanding of the challenges but also develop compassion and advocacy skills to support inclusivity. This requirement for the Cubs Who Care adventure lays the foundation for lifelong respect and consideration for people with diverse abilities.
Learning About Visual Impairments
Explore what it is to have a visual disability.
Requirement 2 of the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure guides Wolf Cub Scouts through understanding what it means to have a visual impairment. This exploration is designed to deepen empathy and knowledge about the challenges and adaptations associated with visual disabilities.
- Blindfold Activities: Provide Scouts with blindfolds to wear during specific activities, such as navigating a simple obstacle course or performing easy tasks like tying shoelaces or sorting objects by shape. These activities help Scouts experience some of the daily challenges faced by those with visual impairments.
- Use of Assistive Devices: Introduce Scouts to tools that people with visual impairments use to navigate and perform tasks, such as canes, Braille, and audio books. Allow Scouts to try using a Braille alphabet sheet to write simple messages.
- Guest Speaker: Invite a person who is visually impaired to speak to the den about their experiences, how they adapt to challenges, and what tools they find most helpful. This personal interaction can provide invaluable insights and foster greater understanding.
- Discussion on Accessibility: Discuss how public places can be made more accessible for people with visual impairments. Topics can include the importance of clear pathways, audio signals at crosswalks, and the use of tactile paving.
- Sensory Walk: Organize a sensory walk where Scouts must rely on senses other than sight, such as hearing, touch, and smell, to navigate or identify objects. This can be an enlightening experience about how much we rely on our vision and how other senses can be enhanced.
Here are some options for fulfilling Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure requirement 2:
- Masked Artist
- Cub Scouts draw a picture then try to draw it again with their eyes covered.
- Supplies: crayons, paper, blindfolds
- indoor, low energy, 1 to 3 days prep
- Service Dog Visit
- Cub Scouts learn about service dogs.
- Supplies: none
- outdoor, low energy, a week or more prep
- Where Is the Ball?
- Cub Scouts toss a Nerf ball back and forth learning depth perception.
- Supplies: Nerf balls, eye patches
- indoor, high energy, 3 to 5 days prep
By exploring what it is to have a visual impairment, Wolf Scouts develop a profound respect for the abilities and resourcefulness of those who navigate the world without full use of sight. These activities for the Cubs Who Care adventure build empathy and encourage Scouts to think about inclusivity in their own communities.
Exploring Hearing Issues
Explore what it is to have a hearing loss.
Requirement 3 of the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure encourages Wolf Cub Scouts to learn about hearing loss and the ways it affects communication and daily life. This activity aims to increase awareness and empathy, helping Scouts recognize the challenges and adaptations associated with hearing impairments.
- Simulated Hearing Loss: Provide Scouts with earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones to simulate different degrees of hearing loss. Have them attempt to carry out normal conversations or listen to instructions with their hearing reduced, helping them understand the communication barriers faced by those with hearing impairments.
- Sign Language Introduction: Teach Scouts basic sign language signs or the alphabet. This activity not only gives them a new skill but also shows an effective way to communicate without sound. Hand Speak provides an American Sign Language Translator. Just type in a word and you will see a video of the sign for the word.
- Guest Speaker: Invite someone who is deaf or hard of hearing to share their experiences with the Scouts. Topics might include daily challenges, the use of assistive technologies like hearing aids and cochlear implants, and how they communicate with others.
- Communication Games: Organize games that require Scouts to communicate without using their voices, such as charades or a sign language game, to emphasize the importance of visual cues and body language in communication.
- Sensitivity Training: Conduct a sensitivity training session where Scouts learn proper etiquette, such as how to get the attention of someone with hearing loss or the importance of facing someone when speaking to assist with lip reading.
Here are some options for fulfilling Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure requirement 3:
- “Hello, my name is”
- Use American Sign Language to communicate a simple sentence that includes your name.
- Supplies: American Sign Language Alphabet worksheet
- indoor, low energy, 1 to 3 days prep
- Scout Law
- Cub Scouts try to speak to their buddy with a mouthful of marshmallows.
- Supplies: large marshmallows, large bowl, Scout Law cards
- indoor, low energy, 3 to 5 days prep
- Tele-What?
- Cub Scouts play “telephone” while ears are covered.
- Supplies: ear coverings
- indoor, low energy, 3 to 5 days prep
By exploring what it means to have hearing loss, Wolf Scouts gain a better understanding of the diverse ways people perceive the world. These activities for the Cubs Who Care adventure help build compassion and teach Scouts how to interact respectfully and effectively with individuals who have hearing impairments.
Navigating Challenges
Explore barriers to getting around.
Requirement 4 of the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure focuses on helping Wolf Cub Scouts recognize and understand the physical and environmental barriers that can make getting around difficult for people with disabilities. This exploration is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of accessibility in all aspects of community life.
Steps to Explore Mobility Barriers:
- Accessibility Walk: Take the Scouts on a walk around their meeting place, neighborhood, or a public area like a park or shopping center. Ask them to look for obstacles that might make movement difficult for someone with a physical disability, such as stairs without ramps, narrow doorways, or uneven surfaces.
- Barrier Discussion: After identifying these obstacles, discuss why they are barriers and how they could be redesigned to improve accessibility. This discussion can help Scouts understand the concept of universal design, which is about creating environments that are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical abilities.
- Role-Playing: Have Scouts use wheelchairs, crutches, or blindfolds to navigate a simple course you set up. This firsthand experience can give Scouts a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by those with mobility impairments.
- Problem-Solving Activity: Challenge Scouts to come up with ideas or inventions that could help overcome some of the barriers they observed. They could sketch their ideas or describe them in a group discussion.
- Accessibility Audit: Conduct a formal accessibility audit of a local public building or facility. Document findings and propose improvements. This activity could also involve Scouts presenting their findings to a community leader or organization.
Here are some options for fulfilling Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure requirement 4:
- Accessibility Walk Around
- Cub Scouts will take a walk around your meeting space to identify accommodations and lack of accommodations for people with disabilities.
- Supplies: none
- indoor, moderate energy, minimal prep
- Out of Reach
- Cub Scouts sit on chairs to explore barriers to getting around.
- Supplies: chairs, pencils, scissors, Wolf handbook
- indoor, low energy, minimal prep
By exploring barriers to getting around, Wolf Scouts not only develop empathy and understanding but also become advocates for change in their communities. This requirement for the Cubs Who Care adventure teaches them that everyone has a role to play in making the world more inclusive and accessible.
Before any activity, check the SAFE Checklist to make sure everyone is safe. Everyone involved in Scouting America activities should know the Guide to Safe Scouting and other relevant guides or books. Also follow any state or local rules that are more strict than Scouting America rules and guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions for the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure
What is a physical disability?
A physical disability affects a person’s ability to move or complete physical tasks. It might include difficulty walking, using stairs, or holding objects.
What does it mean to have a visual impairment?
Having a visual impairment means a person’s ability to see is reduced and can’t be completely fixed by glasses. This can range from not seeing clearly to being totally blind.
What is hearing loss?
Hearing loss means a person has partial or total inability to hear. People with hearing loss might use hearing aids, cochlear implants, or sign language to help with communication.
What are barriers to getting around?
Barriers to getting around can be anything in the environment that makes it difficult for people with disabilities to move freely. This could be stairs without a ramp, narrow doorways, or uneven paths.
What is a hidden disability?
A hidden disability is a condition that isn’t visible to others, such as mental health disorders, learning difficulties, diabetes, or chronic pain. People with hidden disabilities face challenges that may not be immediately obvious.
Compassion in Action
The Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure is designed to foster empathy and understanding among Wolf Cub Scouts towards people with disabilities. Through this adventure, Scouts explore various types of disabilities, including physical, visual, hearing, and hidden disabilities, which broadens their perspective on the challenges others face and promotes inclusivity.
Scouts begin by learning what it means to live with a physical disability, engaging in activities that simulate mobility challenges. This firsthand experience is eye-opening and teaches them about the importance of accessibility and inclusive design in public spaces.
Next, the Cubs Who Care adventure delves into visual and hearing impairments. Scouts explore these sensory disabilities by participating in simulations that alter their ability to see or hear. These activities help Scouts understand the daily realities of those with sensory impairments and the tools and techniques used to navigate the world.
Additionally, the program covers hidden disabilities, which are not immediately apparent but can impact a person’s life significantly. Scouts learn that just because a disability isn’t visible doesn’t mean it isn’t real, fostering a deeper level of empathy and understanding.
By participating in the Wolf Cubs Who Care Adventure, Scouts gain a better understanding of what it’s like to live with a disability and learn how they can be supportive and kind to everyone, regardless of their abilities. This adventure encourages Scouts to be proactive in making their communities more accessible and inclusive for all.
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