Scouting programs spark an interest in culture, history, and art. Scouts learn about music, design, family history, other cultures, and American history. Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA (Boy Scouts), and Venturers learn to appreciate beauty, learn from the past, and discover new paths to creativity. See some examples below.
Looking Back Looking Forward is one of the Webelos/Arrow of Light elective adventures. For the Looking Back, Looking Forward adventure, Webelos learn about the past and create a time capsule.
Build It is one of the Webelos/Arrow of Light elective adventures. For the Build It adventure, Webelos learn about using tools safely and carpentry. Then they use what they have learned to build a project.
Tiger Tales is one of the Tiger elective adventures. For this adventure, Tigers and their adult partners learn about folk history through tall tales. They also visit a historical museum or site.
Tigers learn about some creative ways to communicate for the Tiger Theater Adventure. The Cub Scouts learn about puppet shows, reader’s theater, and pantomime. They also put on a little show of their own and watch a play or attend a story time at a library.
The Passport to Other Lands meeting plan features ideas for the core value of respect- games, group activities, songs, and more. These focus on the value of respect.
Family Stories is one of the Tiger elective adventures. For this adventure, Tiger Cubs and their adult partners learn about their family heritage and make a family tree.
Stories in Shapes is one of the Tiger elective adventures. For this adventure, Tiger Cubs and their adult partners learn about art and explore their own creativity.
Maestro! is one of the Webelos/Arrow of Light elective adventures. For the Maestro! adventure, Webelos learn about music from singing songs to musical instruments.
Art Explosion is one of the Webelos/Arrow of Light elective adventures. For the Art Explosion adventure, Webelos learn about all types of art - drawing, painting, sculpture, origami, digital art, graphic design, photography, comics, and more.
A supplemental meeting plan theme called Turn Back the Clock was provided by BSA a few years ago. "When you look back in time, it is easy to find many examples of resourcefulness, using human and other resources to their fullest. Whether it is the Ice Age, the Wild West, the Space Age, or the 1950s, each time period had people with goals who used the resources available to them to make their lives better."
The Living History feature lets Scouts experience different cultures, times, and places in an interactive and hands on manner. They witness reenactments and learn about historical events and different ways of life.
January 4 is National Trivia Day. It celebrates all of those little bits of knowledge. This can be a fun one to celebrate with Scouts of all ages. Here are some ideas.
International Strange Music Day is a day to listen to new types of music. We all have our favorite music, but this day encourages us to listen to a new genre and appreciate different types of music. Here are some ways to celebrate this day with your Scouting program.
Introducing Native American themes to Cub Scouts can be a way to teach our younger Scouts how to appreciate different cultures. It should be done in a respectful way which honors the traditions of the First Americans.
Fearful Symmetry is the Cub Scout Nova Award for investigating the properties of symmetry. To earn this award, Scouts must complete one of their adventure related to patterns and symmetry. They explore how symmetry is found in art and nature.
A mbira is a "thumb piano" of African origin. Music is made by plucking metal tines. Almost Unschoolers shows how to make a mbira from bobby pins, craft sticks, and thumbtacks.
On New Year's Day we remember the past year and look to the future. You probably aren't meeting on New Year's Day, but if you are meeting near this date you can add some time related activities for fun with these ideas.
This award recognizes young men and women in Scouts BSA and Venturing who have planned and executed a historic outdoor activity in cooperation with a local society.
How do you do Cub Scout genealogy requirements when you have children from non-traditional families who may not know who their grandparents or even parents are?
Helping Scouts look back at their family heritage fits in with the Turn Back the Time program theme. Scouts can download this family tree template to write in their family back to their great grandparents.
January 2 is Science Fiction Day. This day encourages everyone to pick up a science fiction book and immerse themselves in a new reality. Science fiction encourages us to consider that the world can be different than it is now - better or worse - and our actions will make an impact on the future. So read a book, sing a song or play a game saluting Star Wars or Star Trek. Some books, songs, and games are suggested in this article.
To complete the Outdoor Living History elective for the Venturing Ranger award, Venturers must research a culture and time period, learn to participate in that history, and teach others about what they have learned.
Here is some information about Pecos Bill written at a Cub Scout reading level. After they read the story, talk about how tall tales incorporated real ideas.
Crafts can be used to complete rank advancement requirements or just for fun. Crafts are especially important as a way for boys and girls in the Cub Scout program to express themselves and develop creativity.
Do you have a craft that you’d like to share? Contact me and I’ll share it here with a picture of your creation.
Tall Tales was one of the activities my den enjoyed doing this past year. The only problem I had was finding versions of the tales which were appropriate for their age and reading levels.
Kix cereal has an article which gives step-by-step instructions to make a rainstick from common household materials. A rainstick is an instrument which sounds like rain when you turn it.
The Faith and Our Ancestors Game is an icebreaker activity with a genealogy twist. Players ask each other questions about how they think their ancestors lived.
Songs are a fun way to add some fun to a meeting or to get everyone involved in a campfire program.
What’s your favorite song? Do you have the lyrics or a video of it? Contact me and I’ll share it here.
Bear Cub Scouts learn about musical instruments from around the world while working on the A World of Sound adventure. They make a mbira, a sistrum, and a rain stick .
The My Story Mystery Game is a great way to get to know some "history" about a group of individuals. It makes a great icebreaker. It can also serve as an introduction to a discussion about oral history and storytelling.
Moviemaking is one of the Webelos/Arrow of Light elective adventures. For the Webelos Movie making adventure, Webelos learn write a story and make a movie.
Project Family is one of the Webelos/Arrow of Light elective adventures. For the Project Family adventure, Webelos learn about family history and discover different ways they can participate as a family member.
This an audience participation story about the cold winter when Paul Bunyan found Babe the Blue Ox. A few words and names are repeated throughout the story. Your audience will be divided into groups and assigned a word or name. Whenever they hear it, they must say something - loudly and with enthusiasm - and do an action. Cub Scouts usually enjoy these "action stories".
Scout Life magazine has some tips and tricks for new coin collectors. These tips will help you get started and become a collector in no time. And they will help you appreciate and understand your coins.
This circle art project uses circles to create a mosaic based on circular shapes. All you need is card stock, cardboard, scissors, and contact paper. And maybe some circular items for tracing.
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