Arrow of Light Personal Fitness Adventure

Physically Fit

Examine what it is to be  physically fit and how you incorporate this in your life.  Track the number of times you are active for 30 minutes or longer over a 14-day period. Share with your patrol or family what you enjoyed and if you feel you are living up to the Scout Oath of being physically strong.

Here are some ideas for Arrow of Light Scouts to work on requirement 2 of the Personal Fitness adventure:

• Activity Tracking: Use a simple chart such as this to mark each day the Scout is active for 30 minutes or more. They could include activities like walking, biking, swimming, or playing a sport.
• Variety of Activities: Encourage Scouts to try different activities over the two weeks. This could include team sports, individual exercises, and even fun games that require physical movement. Trying different activities will help them find what they enjoy the most.
• Family Involvement: Scouts can involve their family members in their activities. This could be a family bike ride, a hike, or playing a game of soccer together. It makes the activity more enjoyable and promotes fitness as a family value.
• Discussion: At the end of the 14 days, Scouts should talk about their experiences with their patrol or family. They should discuss what activities they enjoyed, what they found challenging, and how they feel about their physical fitness. This discussion can help them understand the importance of being active and how it relates to the Scout Oath.
• Reflection: Scouts should reflect on their physical activity and think about whether they are living up to being physically fit as mentioned in the Scout Oath. This reflection helps them set personal goals for continuing to stay active.

Here is an option for fulfilling Arrow of Light Personal Fitness Adventure requirement 2:

• Tracking Your Fitness
  • Cub Scouts  track their physical fitness for 14 days.
  • Supplies: Personal Fitness Activity Log, pencils
  • indoor, high energy, minimal prep

Be Active

Be active for 30 minutes with your patrol, a younger den, or at least one other person in a way that includes both stretching and moving.

Here are some creative ideas for Arrow of Light Scouts to meet requirement 3 of the Personal Fitness adventure:

• Scout-led Fitness Class: Have the Scouts plan and lead a 30-minute fitness session. They can include a warm-up with stretches, some simple exercises like jumping jacks or running in place, and a cool-down with more stretches. This teaches leadership and keeps everyone active.
• Nature Hike: Organize a hike in a local park or nature area. Use the first few minutes to stretch before starting the hike. This activity combines walking or hiking with enjoying the outdoors, and it’s a great way for Scouts to stay active together.
• Obstacle Course: Set up a simple obstacle course at a meeting or in a backyard. Include activities like crawling under a rope, jumping over items, and balancing on a beam. Start with some stretches to get everyone ready. This is a fun and engaging way for Scouts to be active.
• Yoga in the Park: Organize a short yoga session in a local park. Include basic yoga moves that are suitable for kids, focusing on both stretching and maintaining balance. This is a calming and physical activity that can be done with peers or family members.
• Dance Party: Have a dance session where Scouts can follow along to dance moves or freely dance to their favorite songs. Start with stretching exercises to prevent any injuries. Dancing is a fun way to be active and helps Scouts enjoy their fitness time.

Each of these activities encourages physical fitness and teamwork, making them perfect for fulfilling the adventure requirement.

Here are some more options for fulfilling Arrow of Light Personal Fitness Adventure requirement 3:

• Cycling Fun
  • Cub Scouts go on a bike ride. 
  • Supplies: helmets, closed toed shoes, bikes, Activity Consent Form, Cycling Stretching printout
  • outdoor, high energy, 1 to 3 days prep
• Exploring Sports
  • Cub Scouts participate in a school or extracurricular sport.
  • Supplies: none
  • indoor, high energy, more than one week prep
• Kickball Madness
  • Cub Scouts play kickball. 
  • Supplies: kickball, bases
  • outdoor, high energy, 1 to 3 days prep

BSA Medical Record

Review your BSA Annual Health and Medical Record with your parent or legal guardian. Discuss your ability to participate in Arrow of Light patrol and pack activities.

Here is some guidance for Arrow of Light Scouts to complete requirement 4 of the Personal Fitness adventure:

• Find Your Medical Record: Start by locating your BSA Annual Health and Medical Record. If you don’t have the a current copy, get a new copy and have your parents help fill it out.
• Review Together: Sit down with a parent or guardian to go through the record together. Look at each section to understand what information it has about your health.
• Understand Your Health: As you review, talk about any allergies, medications, or health conditions you have that might affect your activities in the pack or den. It’s important to know these so you can stay safe during activities.
• Discuss Activity Participation: Talk about the types of activities you do in Scouts, like hiking, camping, or playing sports. Discuss whether there are any activities you should be careful with or might need special preparation for because of your health.
• Make a Plan: If there are any concerns about your participation, make a plan with your parent or guardian. This might include having specific medications ready, adjusting activities when needed, or communicating with your leaders about your health needs.
• Keep Records Updated: Make sure your health record is always up to date. Update it with any new health information or changes. This helps you and your leaders keep you safe and healthy in your scouting activities.

Here are some more options for fulfilling Arrow of Light Personal Fitness Adventure requirement 4:

• BSA Annual Health and Medical Record AOL
  • Cub Scouts review their BSA Annual Health and Medical Records with their parent or legal guardian. 
  • Supplies: Annual Health and Medical Record, pens
  • indoor, very low energy, 1 to 3 days prep

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.

Before starting this Adventure:

• Review the Food Allergies safety moment.
• Check each Cub Scout’s BSA Annual Health and Medical Record for food allergies or restrictions.
• Ask if any den members, youth or adults, have religious or cultural dietary concerns.
• If someone carries an EpiPen for severe allergies, ensure at least one other adult knows how to use it. Review the Safety Moment on anaphylaxis to learn more.
• Review the Keep Your Food Safe guide to properly store and prepare food.
• Complete the Knife Safety Adventure before cooking and using a knife.
• For requirement 3, if choosing to go cycling, review the Bicycle Safety guidelines on the BSA Sports and Activities page.

During the Adventure:

• Perform an “ABC Quick Check” on the bicycles before riding. Use the checklist from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center for air, brakes, cranks, chain, and cogs.
• If the bike ride is away from your regular meeting location, ensure everyone completes an Activity Consent form.

More information

The Arrow of Light Personal Fitness adventure helps Scouts learn about staying active and eating right. It is designed for Scouts to understand why being healthy is important. The adventure has several activities that make learning about health and fitness fun and practical.

First, Scouts get to plan and prepare a balanced meal. They use real camping gear to cook their meal, just like they would on a campout. This part of the adventure helps Scouts learn about nutrition. They find out which foods are good for giving them energy and keeping them healthy.

The adventure also encourages Scouts to be physically active. They track how often they exercise for at least 30 minutes over two weeks. Scouts also get to be active with others, which can be more fun than exercising alone. They can do this with their patrol, a younger den, or just one other person. Activities include anything that gets them moving and stretching.

Scouts also review their health records with a parent or guardian. This is important because it helps Scouts understand their physical abilities and any limits they might have. It’s a good way for Scouts to learn about their own health needs.

The Fitness adventure teaches Arrow of Light Scouts valuable lessons about health and fitness. It shows them how to be responsible for their own health, which is a key part of being a Scout. Plus, it’s a great way to have fun with their fellow Scouts while getting fit.