This Wolf den meeting plan covers two of the seven requirements for the Call of the Wild Wolf adventure. The other requirements will be covered in another meeting and a den outing.
At this meeting, Wolves prepare to go camping by learning about safety related to weather, natural disasters, strangers, and health.
Wolf Den Meeting Plan – Call of the Wild: Safety
Do items in any order which works best for your group and your meeting place.
Gathering
Let them assemble small personal first aid kits to take on their campout with them. Even younger Cub Scouts are ready to learn how to “Be Prepared”. These can be as simple as small ziploc bags with a few bandaids, alcohol wipes, mini hand sanitizes, etc. Your local drugstrore will often sell packs of small items which you can divide among the den. Small soap cases also make good holders for the kits and they can spend some time decorating them.
Snack
Depending on your meeting time, you might want to serve a snack. We usually had a snack when we met immediately after school, but not when we had evening meetings after dinner.
Activities
Adventure requirement 4: With your family or den, make a list of possible weather changes that might happen on your campout according to the time of year you are camping. Tell how you will be prepared for each one.
Talk about weather hazards which are common in you area. We are in the midwest, so we talk about things like tornadoes, thunderstorms, and flooding, but we would not discuss hurricanes.
For requirement 5, they have to discuss three different aspects of safety.
Adventure requirement 5a: A stranger approaches you, your family, or your belongings.
This is a good opportunity to discuss the 3 Rs of personal safety and the buddy system.
Adventure requirement 5b. A natural disaster such as an earthquake or flood happens.
You can combine this with your discussion of weather hazards for requirement 4.
Adventure requirement 5c. Demonstrate how to keep yourself safe by washing your hands properly before eating.
This one is pretty self explanatory.
Song
Next, decide what you will be doing for your part of the campfire on the outing and practice it. (Requirement 6) You can check my songs and skits pages for ideas. Here are a few suggestions for this age group:
- We Don’t Have a Skit
- Banana Bandana (have the parents be the ones with the bananas if you can get them to – the Scouts will love it!)
- I Have to Go Wee
- Take Me Out to the Forest
- My Turtle Swims Sideways (if it isn’t too controversial for your group)
Game
If you have time for a game, the Hailstorm Relay would fit with the lessons of this den meeting. This could also be used as a gathering activity.
Character Compass
Remember to tie in your activities with the Scout Law.
A Scout is Clean. Sometimes following the Scout Law is as simple as washing your hands.
A Scout is Brave. Scouts who find themselves in an emergency situation need to remember to be brave and stay calm.
