SeattlePioneer

Hmmm... I'm thinking of a man sized piñata that boys could raise, lower and pull in different directions using ropes. Another boy would "fight" the opponent and the opponent would be dropped to the ground when a good blow was struck. I'll have to think about that some more....

<<Forgot to add that we had a knight's obstacle challenge course set up also. Had to ride stick horse, lance thru moving hoop.>> I built a "quintain" for jousting practice at our last Tiger Den meeting. a 4x4 post buried uin the ground provided an upright post. A rod was driven into the center of a post, a a 2x4 36" long had a hole drilled in it to pass the rod from the post. So you had the 2x4 rotating on top of the post. Attach a couple of plywood "shields" as targets and one or two boys could "ride" towards the quintain with a lance to see if they could

I recently had boys make catapults for our Tiger Den. We used paint stirring sticks. Boys cut a 3" piece of half inch PVC pipe to put under and perpendicular to the paint stirring stick, and used a rubber band to hold the pipe in place. A half inch piece of the PVC pipe was cut off and hot melt glued to the end of the paint stirring stick. Boys put miniature marshmallows in the short piece of pipe and then hiot the other end to launch the marshmallow towardes various targets. Simple and cheap. For a subsequent pack meeting, the Cubmaster provided pieces of 1/2" PVC pipe

Personally I started as an AS with a Troop in 1981. I have no children. I've served in many positions since then, including SM and CM. My present registered position is Chartered Organization Rep, and I'm serving as Cub Scout Day Camp Program Director along with another person. Why? Well, the Scout oath and Cub Scout Promise talk about HELPING OTHER PEOPLE. And it's an important social outlet for me. I would expect that people scrutinize my motives, and everyone seems pretty satisfied when they do so, apparently.

Anyone have ideas for a map reading or making project for Cub Scout Day Camp? I'm thinking about a map making project that would give dens a "map" with two objects on it, and asking them to locate additional locations on the map based on the map those two original objects define. Boys might then swap maps they have made and identify the newly mapped objects. Other ideas would be welcome.

We had a Cub Scout Day Camp planning meeting last night that went very well. I brought my example of a shield for boys to make as a craft project, and then to use for things like defending their den from being cannonaded with tennis balls or whatever. A jousting event using a "quintain" seems to have received approval, and I'm looking for designs for a sword that can be safely used in mock combat with the shield boys will be making.

Our Daycamp Director has taken this training, but those who will be doing the Program Director role are not taking it. We had the first very good day camp planning meeting last night and I think we are getting the show on the road. In any case --- in Cub Scouts, we "do our best."

Our council encourages recruiting among Kindergarteners in the Spring. That means we will have boys who will be in first grade in the fall who would like to have some kind of summer day camp experience. Some districts in our council have those new tigers do the full day day camp experience. Others do a shorter version of day camp, often doing an evening program. I've run our District's Tiger Twilight Camp for three years. We do an evening program Wednesday and hursday evening from 6:30-8:30 when only the Tigers and their partners are in camp ---after the regular day camp is

Another Den Leader and I are considering sharing the Program Director job. Unfortunately, the Camp Director has done pretty much nothing so far, and volunteer resources from previous years are minimal. So we are aiming at salvaging a weak program. Fortunately, new and vigorous District leadership offers some support. My philosophy: In Cub Scouts, we Do Our Best. The Day Camp School is scheduled for April 10-12 ---this weekend. I wont be able to attend and whether the other Den Leadwer will be able to do so I don't know. We may wind up with no trained Program Direc

<< And, DO NOT take on any other Scout responsibility until Camp is over. Believe me in this. >> I guess I should resign before starting, then.

I figure using paint stirring sticks as swords should be safe. They are very easily broken. But I'd welcome other opinions ---and I'm sure I'll get opinions from district volunteers. I was going to look for beanbags to connonade the shield wall and tortoise formation, but now I'm thinking a collection of balls of various sizes from tennis balls to basketballs might be good. My first try at a quintain wasn't especially good when I tested it at a den meeting last night. A simpler design would be easier and stronger. I'm digging a hole for a 4x4 post for the upright, and am now

Looks like I may wind up being a Cub Scout Day Camp Program Director. I'm told you must take the National Day Camp training to fill the Camp Director or Program Director position, and need to retake it after five years. I'm told that takes three days! Which seems like a huge time commitment to expect from volunteers. April 10th-12 at a camp outside of Olympia, Wa around here. I'd be interested in the experiences anyone has had with this training.

Excellent comments so far. I'm Chartered Organization Rep and Treasurer for the pack I volunteer with. Also Tiger Den Leader, Membership Chair and what have you. I take expense reports from everyone else and pay expenses. When I have expenses, I give them to the Committee Chair who reviews them and writes a check I give him for whatever amount he deems to be appropriate. I also give the Committee Chair the monthly checking account statement which includes images of all checks written. When the CC reviews the checking account statement, the only check made out to my name he s

Looks like I'll be assisting planning the day camp program for this July for the district. I've put together a length list of possible activities which we can add to and choose among. I built a shield that boys could build. Not only build as a woodworking activity, but decorate and use to display their name, den and stickers for activities they and their den have been winners at doing. I'm think of practicing "shield walls" and also the Roman "tortoise formation" for protection against incoming missiles, arrows ----and Cub Scout beanbag assaults. I'm thinking of dens hav

My district holds a "Tiger Twilight Camp" in conjunction with Cub Scout Day Camp. This is aimed at boys whop joined Cub Scouts as Kindergarteners during spring recruiting and will be Tigers in the Fall. The program consists of two 6:30-8:30 "den meetings" and participation in the Friday afternoon Cub Scout Day Camp beginning at noon. On Friday boys shoot BB guns, bows and arrows and do other day camp activities. The aim is to show new boys and parents what a quality Tiger program should look like and feel like.

The upshot of this campaign to have a Nominating Committee appointed----- Last November a Nominating Committee of district volunteers was appointed. They found an excellent new District Commissioner who has been doing outstanding work for several months, and a new District Chair who is just getting started at that position. He conducted the best District monthly meeting we've had in ten years. And the Nominating Committee has been combing unit leadership and other sources of leadership to fill vacant positions. This replaced the previous District Chair and Commissioner who

< >> Thirty years ago the Troop Committee I was part of got the same advice from a lawyer who was on the committee. The lawyer then drew up a CONTRACT in which the troop agreed to take the youth on a specific outing IN EXCHANGE FOR the parents, child and family waiving liability should an injury or death occur. The family was notified that the outing might result in death or serious injury by drowning, falls, and a list of other hazards. So that wasn't just a permission slip. Presumably that offered a lot more protection than a simple permission slip. Ho

< >> Never noticed this myself.

<> As others have noted ----why not leave it up to the Scouts? I would also say it depends a lot on the program offered by the troop and the opportunities a boy has to complete requirements. Personally, I'd tend toward being pretty slack on interpreting this requirement!

Well, if your Committee Chair and Chartered Organization Rep sign off on the application, they can be registered Scout leaders upon paying the membership fee. Does your troop pay the adult leader membership fee, or are these people paying themselves? They don't have to be registered Scouters in order to attend campouts. Your troop can decide who to award service stars. << I know of a couple of parents strictly signed up so they may attend campouts and that is perfectly fine...but they aren't considered a leader of any sort, correct?>> Again, that's real

The pack I work with is on the edge of a neighboring school district that has two elementary schools with no nearby Cub Packs and where no Cub Pack has existed for many years, if ever. I'm thinking about extending the geographic range of our Cub Pack into this area in the fall. I'd find a place suitable for holding den and pack meetings that we could use. Then, on Mondays we'd have our regular pack recruiting and den meetings, and on Wednesday do the same activities at the additional location. See who shows up and joins. The existing pack would provide pack meetings, th

<> Unfortunately, it sounds like there was a good deal of justice in doing that...

Texas probably needs to act fast before some other state locks up cow pies. (Bump Bump Bump Bump ----Deep in the heart....of Texas!)

<<. She does not like "council" and does things her way. Which is one of the reasons she was removed as day camp director: she refused to go to the council day camp meetings when the NCAP program was being reviewed. We found folks willing to take charge of day camp, and when told about the leadership changes, she hung up on the person.>> And she is entitled to that opinion. There are plenty of nutty council policies they can try to impose on districts. I get tired of them muself, often enough. Likely as not the reason I leave Scouting will be council or district poli

Governor Scott Walker?