Webelos My Family Den Meeting Plan

Helping Webelos understand faith and family traditions can be a fun and meaningful experience. This My Family den meeting plan gives Scouts a chance to learn about their own traditions and explore those of others. They will also practice kindness and reflect on what it means to be reverent. The activities are hands-on and encourage discussion, creativity, and teamwork.

Scouts will create a collage, make kindness cards, and compare faith traditions. They will also have a chance to share a special snack from their own family’s traditions. These activities help Webelos appreciate the role of faith in daily life while keeping the den meeting engaging and interactive.

This My Family den meeting is designed to be simple to run, with clear activities and a good mix of learning and fun. Webelos will leave with a greater understanding of their own beliefs, respect for others, and a sense of kindness and reverence. This is a great way to build character while bringing families and Scouts together.

Overall Timeline (60 Minutes)

Gathering Activity – Faith Traditions Collage (10 minutes)

As Scouts arrive, have magazines, newspapers, glue sticks, and poster board available. Scouts will cut out pictures representing different religious holidays or traditions and add them to a group collage. This gets them thinking about faith traditions while waiting for everyone.

Opening (5 minutes)

Start with the Pledge of Allegiance, Scout Oath, and Scout Law. Briefly explain that today’s den meeting is about family traditions, kindness, learning about different faiths, and being reverent.

Acts of Kindness in Action – Kindness Card-Making Activity (10 minutes)

Scouts will create cards with positive messages for a local nursing home, hospital, or community helpers. Provide blank cards, markers, stickers, and colored pencils. Encourage Scouts to write kind messages and decorate their cards. This meets the kindness requirement in a simple and meaningful way.

Learning About Another Faith – Faith Comparison Chart (10 minutes)

Scouts, with help from leaders, will choose a different faith and use the provided chart to compare key aspects, such as major holidays, places of worship, and sacred texts. The chart highlights similarities between different religions, like shared values and traditions.

Understanding Reverence – Reverence Reflection Discussion (10 minutes)

Discuss what it means to be reverent. Ask questions like: “How do you show respect for your own beliefs?” “How can you be respectful of others’ beliefs?” “What are some examples of reverence in daily life?” Encourage Scouts to share their thoughts.

Snack – Sharing a Snack from a Faith Tradition (10 minutes)

Offer a simple snack that ties into faith traditions. If possible, have each Scout bring something to the den meeting to share from their own tradition. While eating, ask Scouts how food plays a role in their family’s traditions.

Closing – Scout Law Connection and Announcements (5 minutes)

Discuss how today’s activities connect to the Scout Law, especially kind, reverent, and friendly. Remind Scouts to continue showing kindness and respect in daily life. End with a simple reflection and any announcements.

Materials Needed for the Den Meeting

• Magazines, newspapers, glue sticks, scissors, and poster board for the Faith Traditions Collage
• Blank cards, markers, stickers, and colored pencils for the Kindness Card-Making Activity
• Copies of the Faith Comparison Chart for the Exploring Faith Activity
• A simple snack that ties into faith traditions (if the leader is providing it)
• Plates, napkins, and any necessary utensils for the snack

Leader Preparation Before the Den Meeting

• Review the Faith Comparison Chart and be ready to guide discussion
• Gather all materials for crafts and activities
• Decide where to donate the kindness cards and arrange for delivery
• Choose a simple snack or coordinate with parents to have Scouts bring something
• Make sure there is space for all activities, including a table for making cards and a place for the snack

Things to Ask Parents to Provide or Help With

• A snack from their family’s faith tradition (if asking Scouts to bring something)
• Scissors, glue sticks, magazines, or newspapers for the collage
• Any special materials for a faith-based craft or food item their Scout wants to share
• Help with setting up and cleaning up after the meeting
• Encouraging their Scout to talk about family traditions before the den meeting so they are ready to share

This gathering activity will take about 10 minutes. It is a simple way to get Scouts thinking about different faith traditions while they wait for everyone to arrive. It also gives them something fun to do with their hands.

Set out magazines, newspapers, glue sticks, scissors, and a large piece of poster board. As Scouts arrive, invite them to look through the magazines and cut out pictures that show religious holidays, special traditions, or acts of kindness. These can be images of celebrations, places of worship, family gatherings, or symbols of faith. If they see something that reminds them of their own traditions, that’s even better.

Once they have some pictures, they can glue them onto the poster board. Encourage them to place their pictures wherever they like. There is no right or wrong way to make the collage. If some Scouts finish early, they can help others find pictures or add decorations like drawings or words.

When the collage is finished, you can take a moment to point out the different images. Ask the Scouts if they see any similarities between traditions. This does not need to be a long discussion—just a quick way to get them thinking. Then move on to the opening of the den meeting.

Starting Strong: The Opening Ceremony

This part of the den meeting should take about five minutes. It helps set the tone and remind Scouts of the values they follow. Keep it simple and focused.

Begin by leading the Scouts in the Pledge of Allegiance. Have them stand, face the flag, and place their right hand over their heart. If you have a flag available, make sure it is in a central spot where everyone can see it.

Next, say the Scout Oath and Scout Law together. Encourage the Scouts to speak clearly and think about the words they are saying. If they need help remembering, you can say a line first and have them repeat it. This is a good way to make sure everyone participates.

After that, take a moment to introduce the theme of the meeting. Let them know they will be talking about family traditions, learning about different faiths, and practicing kindness. Explain that being reverent means showing respect for other people’s beliefs as well as their own. Keep it short and simple so they are ready to move on to the next activity.

Spread Some Smiles: Kindness Card-Making

This activity should take about 10 minutes. It is a simple way for Scouts to practice kindness and make someone’s day a little brighter.

Set out blank cards, markers, stickers, and colored pencils. Tell the Scouts they will be making cards for people who could use some encouragement. These could be residents of a nursing home, hospital patients, or community helpers like firefighters or police officers. Let them know their kind words will bring joy to others.

Encourage the Scouts to write short, positive messages inside their cards. They can write things like “Have a great day!” or “You are appreciated!” If they are making cards for a specific group, they can write a message that fits, like “Thank you for keeping us safe” for firefighters. If a Scout struggles with writing, they can draw a happy picture instead.

Once they finish writing, they can decorate their cards with drawings, stickers, or colorful designs. Remind them that small acts of kindness can make a big difference. When they are done, collect the cards so they can be delivered later. Then move on to the next activity.

Finding Common Ground: Exploring Faith

This activity should take about 10 minutes. It helps Scouts learn about different faiths while seeing what they have in common with their own beliefs. It also teaches respect and understanding.

Give each Scout a copy of the faith comparison chart. Explain that they will choose a different faith from the chart and look at things like holidays, places of worship, and sacred texts. They will then find at least two things this faith has in common with their own.

Encourage Scouts to take their time and think for themselves. If they need help, guide them by asking questions. For example, “Do both faiths have special holidays?” or “Do they both believe in treating others with kindness?” The chart provides good information, but the goal is for Scouts to make their own connections.

Once they have found two similarities, have them share with the group. This can be a quick discussion where each Scout explains what they learned. Remind them that even though people may have different beliefs, they also have many things in common. This helps build respect and understanding.

Showing Respect: A Reverence Discussion

This activity should take about 10 minutes. It helps Scouts understand what it means to be reverent and how they can show respect for different beliefs. This is an important part of the Scout Law.

Start by asking the Scouts, “What does it mean to be reverent?” Let them share their ideas. If they are unsure, explain that reverence means showing deep respect for something important. This can be a belief, a place, a person, or a tradition.

Ask questions to guide the discussion. “How do you show respect for your own beliefs?” “How can you be respectful of others’ beliefs?” “What are some examples of reverence in daily life?” Encourage Scouts to think about times when they have been reverent. Maybe they were quiet in a place of worship or listened respectfully when someone talked about their faith.

Remind them that being reverent is not just about their own beliefs. It also means respecting others. Even if someone believes something different, they still deserve kindness and understanding. This helps Scouts learn to be thoughtful and respectful in all parts of life.

This activity should take about 10 minutes. It gives Scouts a chance to share food from their family’s traditions and learn how food connects to faith and culture.

If possible, ask each Scout to bring a small snack that is special to their family’s beliefs or traditions. It does not have to be homemade. Store-bought treats work too. If Scouts did not bring something, provide a simple snack that ties into a faith tradition, like matzo, pita bread, or dried fruit.

As Scouts eat, start a casual conversation. Ask, “Does your family have special foods for holidays?” “Are there foods you eat for celebrations or religious events?” Let Scouts share their experiences. They may talk about meals for Christmas, Eid, Passover, or other special times.

Remind them that food is an important part of many traditions. It brings people together and helps celebrate important events. Encourage them to listen to each other’s stories and see how different traditions have things in common. This is a fun and relaxed way to learn about each other.

This closing should take about five minutes. It is a good way to bring the den meeting together and help Scouts remember what they learned. Keep it simple and focused.

Gather the Scouts and ask them to think about how today’s activities connect to the Scout Law. Focus on kind, reverent, and friendly. Ask, “How did we show kindness today?” They might mention the kindness cards or the way they listened to each other.

Next, talk about reverence. Ask, “How did we show reverence today?” Scouts might say they learned about different faiths, shared their own traditions, or showed respect for others’ beliefs. Remind them that being reverent is about both their own beliefs and respecting others.

End with a short reflection. Encourage them to keep showing kindness and respect in daily life. Give any announcements for the next meeting, then close with a simple “See you next time!” or a Scout sign and quiet moment.

Webelos My Family Adventure

The My Family adventure helps Webelos learn about their family’s faith traditions. They talk with their parents or guardians about special holidays and celebrations. They also create something that represents their faith, like a craft, artwork, or food. This helps them understand and appreciate their family’s beliefs.

Webelos also practice kindness and learn about reverence. They do a kind act to help someone and talk about what it means to be respectful of different beliefs. They also explore a faith that is different from their own and find things it has in common with their own beliefs. This adventure helps them grow in respect and understanding.

See more resources for the Webelos My Family adventure here.

What if a Scout does not follow a specific faith tradition?

That is okay. Encourage them to talk about any family traditions that are important to them.

What if a Scout does not want to share about their family’s beliefs?

Do not force them to share. They can listen to others and participate in the activities in a way that feels comfortable.

How can I make sure the discussion stays respectful?

Remind Scouts that everyone’s beliefs are important. Encourage them to listen and be kind. Guide the conversation if needed.

What if a Scout has trouble thinking of an act of kindness?

Give them some ideas, like helping a family member, saying something nice to a friend, or doing a small chore at home.

Do all Scouts need to bring a snack from their family’s tradition?

No. If some Scouts bring a snack, great. If not, the leader can provide something simple.

What if Scouts pick the same faith for the comparison activity?

That is fine. They can still look at the chart and find interesting things to share.

What if we run out of time at the My Family den meeting?

Try to keep each activity moving. If needed, send something home for Scouts to finish later.

This My Family den meeting gives Webelos a chance to learn about their own traditions and explore others. It helps them see what different faiths have in common. It also teaches kindness and respect. These are important lessons that will help them grow into good Scouts and good people.

The activities are simple but meaningful. Scouts will make a collage, create kindness cards, compare faiths, and talk about reverence. They will also enjoy a snack that connects to traditions. These hands-on experiences make learning fun.

As a den leader, you can help by keeping the discussion respectful and encouraging Scouts to share. Some may be shy, and that is okay. Let them listen and learn at their own pace. The goal is for everyone to feel included and respected.

By the end of the My Family den meeting, Scouts will have a better understanding of their own beliefs and the beliefs of others. They will also see how small acts of kindness and respect can make a big difference. This is a great way to build character while having fun as a den.