Venture patrol ideas

How about some free or cheap activities for Venture patrols. Thanks

Well, define cheap.....

Anyway, you can try indoor climbing, this has the benefit of already trained people so you dont have to teach the boys, let the profssionals. The cost generally isnt too high and the kids will "buzz" over it for weeks.

You can take a "night hike" prefferably over a known trail. Our Venture Crew has hiked to an Overlook on the AT, watched the sun set while cooking and eating dinner and waited for the moon to rise before comming back. if the Boys arent up for that, just walking in the "dark" in the middle of the night is exciting. If the moon is out and the trail clear, have them put out their flashlights and see how much they can see. It can be a real eye opener to realize how much light there is at night.

If its winter where you are, your troop might have a winter cabins event. Have the Venture patrol sleep in tents rather than the cabin. They can see the "little" guys sleep in the cabin while the "real" campers sleep outside. Hint:

Be sure the tents are up before dark and keep their sleeping bags in the cabin until they are ready to turn in.

Plan an elaborate camp dinner that the boys cook and serve to the troop at your next campout. With salad, soup, entree, dessert. Have them make bread (bisquick) and a dutch oven treat later that night. They may have to "practice" this a few times before doing it for the troop and now you have a few Venture only outings.

Then when they cook for the troop, the younger scouts will be impressed.

Do any of the Dads work in a place that would be cool to tour, but you wouldnt take 11-12 year olds in? Try that as well

Something my troop did for about five years in a row was a day trip in canoes at our local river. The Scouts had to be 14 to go (no little kids) and the adults who led the trip had to be under 30 (no parents). It was much more fun and relaxed than a normal trip, as we didn't have as many "restrictions". However, I still didn't allow swearing and other things that they shouldn't be doing. However, a water fight or two (or seventy-seven) was known to happen within three minutes of our departure. We'd usually spend about 5-6 hours out there chasing and trying to drown each other. I was an absolute blast that the guys who went (who are all now 20-25 in age) still laugh about. By the way, our record is 36 for the most times a single canoe was flipped in a day.

Chippewa has the framework of a Venture Crew perfect Leaders under 30 and no youth under 14. I've been trying to find a Venture Crew in our district that actually functions and goes on venture outings. I've found 5 crews that exist on paper, but do absolutely nothing. The biggest reason I've found is the leaders, they're too old!

Our troop tried the Venture Patrol idea and it was a disaster. I as a leader will accept the blame for the failure as we had no leadership to handle this patrol. It created a patrol that was older and did nothing. All the younger boys wanted to join it so they could do nothing too.

If the scouts are over 14 and the adults under 30, unless unique circumstances occur, you wont have many parents along. Not allowing parents on a trip is hardly BSA policy. Besides, I am ever so much more than 30 and wouldnt let my son go along on such a neat trip if I couldnt come.

Now, as a compromise, keep the same trip plan, allow adults over 30 to come, but set prerequisites for the adults as well as the scouts. Perhaps all adults would have to "earn" the swimming, lifesaving, camping and canoeing merit badge or some such thing. Rather than use age to prevent adults from comming along, let them know what is expected and see who measures up. At this point I believe I can swim, hike, canoe and camp with the best adults in my troop (which may not be saying much for my troop). I dont like seeing limits placed because of age, limit by experience and training and I think you will be better off.

But thats just my opinion

Speaking out of both sides of my mouth I would support the age limit of 14 for the scouts, I didnt say I was consistent, I just wanna go too and would prove myself an asset if need be(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

Our troop's Venture patrol (informal as it is) does not run many "high adventure" trips by itself. While they do climb and sea-kayak and whatnot, they also have regular outings separated from the younger Scouts. Just going and canoeing around for a weekend. Sometimes a local SCUBA shop has a SCUBA training session, and we'll get trained in SCUBA. Just getting separated from the others is sometimes the purpose of a Venture patrol.