Its Me 10 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 We do two campouts a year. One is a council event where all activities are ~organized~ . The other campout in the spring has only our pack and its unorganized. At least last year's was. This year I am the BALOO setting and planning the event. Last year the BALOO managed to reserve a site. That's it. No campfire program, no day hikes or wilderness adventures, not even a flag ceremony. The place we are holding the campout has lots of opportunity for swimming, fishing, and even an old fort to explore. So there is plenty of things to do. What is the right balance between a highly structured event and a completely free event? I am a little affraid that the introduction of any planned events will be met with luke warm reception. Describe what you feel I must and should plan. Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Sounds like a good place for both. Organized events in am - flag ceremony, fishing derby, some games/relays, etc. Leave after lunch for hangout time - swimming and fort playing should be big hits. Finish with a semi-organized campfire, maybe have dens prep skits in afternoon too. Possibly cap with a night hike. Link to post Share on other sites
Cubmaster-Fred 10 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 On ours we usually include nature activities. The boys just enjoy nature hikes. We have also planned and done track castings, fishing, cooking, star watches and marshmallow toasting. Just remember that it should be fun and they should be able to get credit towards something with everything they do. Fred Link to post Share on other sites
EagleInKY 14 Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 I agree with the mix of planned time and down-time. Have some optional activities during the down-time for those that want to keep going. This could be some simple field games or a fishing derby. Link to post Share on other sites
JerseyJohn 10 Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 FWIW - Here is my list of details for our pack family campout this April. Friday / Event 6 to 730 check in 730 to 9 event and snack 9 to 10:30 Campfire Saturday 8 to 9 breakfast 9 to 930 clean up / Webelos 930 to 11 Check In 9:30 to 11:30 Rank Events - belt loops / activities by rank Tigers Wolves Bears Webelos 11:30 to noon Free time Noon Opening flag ceremony 12:10 to 1 Lunch 1:00 to 1:30 Clean Up / Wolves 1:30 to 4:00 Pack Events - The Amazing Race - 4 teams Using primarily landmarks and a few compass directions Four different courses 4:00 to 5:00 Tug of War Rope line - Knots Free unstructured time 4:30 to 5:00 Ready for dinner Ready the campfire 5:00 to 6:30 Dinner Clean up / Bears and Tigers 6:30 to 8:00 Pack meeting 8:00 to 9:30 Family Event / Snack 10:00 Lights out and a Head count Sunday 8 to 9 Breakfast 9 to 9:30 Clean up / everyone 9:30 to 11 Depart Link to post Share on other sites
JerseyJohn 10 Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 FWIW - Here is my list of details for our pack family campout this April. Friday / Event 6 to 730 check in 730 to 9 event and snack 9 to 10:30 Campfire Saturday 8 to 9 breakfast 9 to 930 clean up / Webelos 930 to 11 Check In 9:30 to 11:30 Rank Events - belt loops / activities by rank Tigers Wolves Bears Webelos 11:30 to noon Free time Noon Opening flag ceremony 12:10 to 1 Lunch 1:00 to 1:30 Clean Up / Wolves 1:30 to 4:00 Pack Events - The Amazing Race - 4 teams Using primarily landmarks and a few compass directions Four different courses 4:00 to 5:00 Tug of War Rope line - Knots Free unstructured time 4:30 to 5:00 Ready for dinner Ready the campfire 5:00 to 6:30 Dinner Clean up / Bears and Tigers 6:30 to 8:00 Pack meeting 8:00 to 9:30 Family Event / Snack 10:00 Lights out and a Head count Sunday 8 to 9 Breakfast 9 to 9:30 Clean up / everyone 9:30 to 11 Depart Link to post Share on other sites
fotoscout 15 Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Plan everything you mentioned, and then be flexible. Remember that there are only so many hours in a day, and groups like this dont transition from one activity to the next very well. Some activities may be a bust and youll have to do something else. For instance, the fish may have all gone on vacation. You cant give the kids fishing poles and keep them at the lake it the fish are not biting. This would be a recipe for disaster. Some things youll have to decide on.. - Swimming is there a lifeguard, dont forget about BSA Safe Swim Defense - How will meals be prepared and served as a Pack or by Den - Marshmallows Every in this forum knows my thoughts about marshmallow youll have to make your own decisions. Safety First !!! - Hiking how much time do you want to assign to this activity, the boys wont go as far as you think, and theyll useless for a some time after a longer hike. - Leadership, will each den have a den leader present, if not who will be responsible for the den. How about you own Den. You will be stretched very thin to manage your Den and manage the Pack. Will the den leaders get on board an prepare for their dens? - Expectations, make sure that everyone knows what the expectation are of them for the trip. Link to post Share on other sites
fotoscout 15 Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 After rereading your post I had a rhetorical question Is the intent to have a Cub Scout Program based Pack Camping Trip, OR, is the intent to set up an opportunity for the pack families to all go camping together?? You seem to be fearful that a structured campout may not be received very well, that thought leads me to believe that the pack has not been doing a Pack Camping Trip but rather a Family and Friends of Pack XXX Camping Trip. I am sure you realize that there is a big difference. Link to post Share on other sites
Eagledad 2779 Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Hi All Wow, great responses. Our pack camped every year and I think it was the key contributor to adult recruitment. I have a couple questions though. Nobodys planning a Sunday service? Its can only 15 minutes long and if you can get that guitar playing parent, it adds a little skip in your step for the rest of the day. Fotoscout, Great reply, but I guess I dont understand the marshmallows thing. Our families always ended the evening with smores. Does it get anymore outdoorsy than that? A few things we did are; have a theme, cowboys, Native American, Pirates, or whatever. Have everyone dress in costume and give your activities a name under the theme. Its gives the den some things to do a meetings before the campout. Most of the families are not campers, so its best to plan menus and even buy the food in balk for all the dens. That way you know that they will eat well. I personally like to cook as a pack. Make sure you have plenty of coffee and hot chocolate in case its still a little cool in the morning. Have a plan B for weather. Boy Scouts will camp in anything, but families are a little different. We gave the rescuers of the Oklahoma City bombing a whole weekends worth of food because the eleven inches of rain over Friday night forced us to leave the camp early Saturday morning. We had a great campfire next week though. I recommend camping with pavilions that will hold the whole pack. This is a wonderful subject. Barry Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 fotoscout, Being relatively new, I have no idea what your ideas are regarding the safety hazards of marshmallows (and I am too lazy to read your 707 posts to find out). Please enlighten me. Thanks in advance. Link to post Share on other sites
fotoscout 15 Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Ok, here it comes again, Foto on Foto and marshmallows.. Nothing scares me more than kids, lots of kids and marshmallows and sticks around a flaming campfire. Dozens of little flame throwers, parents that dont and wont take control of their kids, and kids who are obsessed with fire. Each one wound up tighter than an eight day clock, and having consumed copious quantities of soda and candy, plus lord knows how many marshmallows before ever making their way to the campfire. Then there are the leaders who sit back and enjoy the campfire without showing leadership. If youre going to roast marshmallows around a campfire on a Pack camping trip, make sure you have leaders with the stones to keep it safe. And if it gets out of hand, have the strength to cancel the marshmallows. Sure marshmallows and somoras are a ritualistic part of a campfire. But if you allow it, this must be done with utmost care. Nothing we do with Cub Scouts compares to the very real and immediate potential for VERY SERIOUS INJURY to the boys and younger family members, than does the roasted marshmallow routine at a pack camping trip. Always remember, this is not your family camping trip. Link to post Share on other sites
fotoscout 15 Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Eagledad's right about a Scouts Own. Here is a resouce for the material you will need. http://www.dacbsa.org/CC_RR/forms-RR/ScoutWorshipServices1999-PeteMetzloff.pdf Caution this is a big file, it falls under the heading of everything you ever wanted to know! The service does not have to be on Sunday morning, you can have it on Saturday night or even on Saturday morning. Link to post Share on other sites
anarchist 10 Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Foto- Our pack had the same reservations about fire sharp sticks and 'nutzo' kids (and Parents). We found that we can hold the pack campfire with skits and songs but without smores and sticks if we hold it early enough after dinner so the kids can then retire to den campfires... Then we can have their own DLs and parents watch over their own. We find that the smaller den fires have less of the 'hyper-kids feeding on hyper-kids' and it seems to work...just make the Pack camp fire a little earlier and a little shorter. Try it, you might like it...and after the little monst...er kids are safe in bed, the adults can gather around the camp fire and vote on whose kid was the most nutzo...(usually one of mine won) Link to post Share on other sites
fotoscout 15 Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 Yes youre right, that is one way to control it. My point here is that the danger here must be recognized from the very beginning. If possible set the tone before the campout ever happens. Mention this in your paperwork, and talk about it in Den Meeting and Pack Meetings. You are going to be in trouble if you neglect this, and then try to bring it under control after its already gotten out of control. Make the marshmallow thing part of your planning discussions. Link to post Share on other sites
Holaka 10 Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 Our pack camps every spring, for our crossover/campout. Here is our tentative schedule (always subject to change) Friday 5:30 or after arrive and set up campsite 9:00 pm Crackerbarrel and adult/parent meeting 10:30 or before lights out Saturday 8:00am breakfast followed by clean up 9:00am service project for camp We camp at our council camp and always do some sort of work project for the camp. 12 noon Lunch/Quiet time 2:00pm Some kind of activity (crafts, games, belt loops) is provided for those who are interested. Otherwise, free time for den/familiy activities. 5:30 Dinner/Clean up 6:30 Prepare for Pack meeting/crossover ceremonies 7:00pm Pack Meeting 8:45ish Crackerbarrell for all who are there, not just those who camped for the weekend. 10:30 or before...lights out Sunday 8:00am breakfast/clean up 9:00 ish Scouts Own Service 10:00am Clean up pack up and go home We invite a couple of local Boy Scout troops to camp with us, and help with meals and such. Adults in the pack take turns with cooking and cleaning, so the Scouts can have as much fun as they like. Last year, we had wicked weather to contend with, but we still had fun. Cheryl O Link to post Share on other sites
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