cub scout day camp program ideas

[lynncc 10]

My husband has volunteered us(read ME) to be the new district activities chair. I am responsible for the program at cub day camp. My son enjoyed the first year. The next year he said it was boring the same old stuff so I want it to be different this year. Have no idea what other day camps do.

 

We seem to do every year

 

BB's

 

Archery

 

some kind of water activity. the pool has been broken the last 2 years

 

Nature

 

crafts

 

games- which was hotter then....out on the basketball court in full sun doing basketball, four square, marbles etc...One day we did do space shuttle races and on friday we did a pinewood derby race.

 

and another class cant remember what it was the first year but last year it was health, safety and disability awareness. Now I found it interesting. One man who is an eagle scout came and showed us his robotic leg. Pretty cool. He has diff legs for dif activities. One cub scouts mom came with her seeing eye dog. We had talks on what to do in an emergency etc...did meet some requirements but not what I am looking for at camp. I'm thinking fun active things.

 

We are moving to a new location this year. STill waiting to hear if they will be opening their pool for us. There pool was closed last year for repairs. I am looking for what others do at day camp and any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

I am scheduled to go to camp school in Febuary so am sure I will get good ideas there. However I need to turn in ideas at the next council cub camp meeting this month.

 

The council is using a jungle theme.

 

lynncc

multi tasking

3 rivers district of ETAC

[Cubmaster Jerry 10]

Well, lynncc, I would first ask you if you and I attend the same camp because that is our program as well . As a first year Day Camp program director I am very interested in the ideas that will be posted here. Our camp even goes so far (at least last year) to NOT follow the theme.

 

One thing we did do that you didn't mention was to have a closing campfire. Not sure if your facility would allow for that but ours did and the boys enjoyed it. We put on a Summer Camp type campfire program to close out the day camp program.

 

My school is in two weeks. I, too, am anxious to see what they have to tell/teach me.

 

CMJ

[mbscoutmom 10]

Our district is very lucky to have a location for day camp that has great facilities, and we have wonderful volunteers who run it every year.

 

Each day, we start with a flag ceremony. Then the dens split up to go to different activities, which are divided into Cubs and Webelos. The Cubs go to these activities:

 

Exploring--they bring in snakes, spiders, rescue dogs, a man who takes them on a nature hike, and other interesting guests.

 

Arts & Crafts

 

Activities--mostly sports. These are done inside a large covered gym.

 

Archery

 

BBs

 

Nature--they learn about animals, weather, etc.

 

Swimming & Trading Post

 

I have only spent a couple of days with a Webelos den. They do swimming, trading post and exploring with the Cubs, and work on activity badges the rest of the time. I think they can earn 3-4 activity badges at day camp, which is a big help to our Webelos leaders.

 

 

 

 

[Sniffles157 10]

We held our districts first Day Camp last year and the boys loved it. We did most of the activities that have been listed, but at our closing campfire we had a gentleman, who was a former Boy Scout, come in and do a flag burning ceremony. It was great and the boys enjoyed it. He had them come up and help him with different parts of the program instead of just sitting there.

[Lisabob 13]

How about water rockets or catapults? Added benefit if you assign a "fun" set of leaders to that station and they're willing to get everybody wet.

 

Other fun things we've done: fishing (if facilities permit); "belly bumper tag" (sort of like huge inner tubes the kids get into. They'll fall over but they can hardly hurt themselves, as long as you set some guidelines); knot tying (in the shade - a good cool down activity); teach magic tricks; do some geology or wildlife stuff...

 

I'd take the rank books, pull some fun things out of the requirements and/or arrow point electives, maybe pick out a couple of fun beltloops, and start thinking of daycamp kind of like one big den meeting.

 

have fun! I loved working day camp when my son was in cubs.

 

Lisa'bob

[clydesdale115 10]

I know what you mean about "same old thing" - my son has already said he's not really interested in Day Camp this year. It'll be his 3rd year and it's a matter of "been there, done that."

I love the idea of "disabilities" and combining that with emergency first aid. Theme could be something like "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" - and have a one-mile hike each day to go along with it!

I volunteer each year at Girl Scout Camp the week before Cub Scout camp. They have theirs each year in an elementary school. We have access to classrooms for den time, music room (which I teach), art room for crafts, gym, playground, lunchroom. It's amazing. And they even "bus" the kids to a large community pool each day, reserved just for our group.

But since we do archery and BBs at Cub camp, we can't use school property. I've wondered why we couldn't have an archery and BB day in the fall and spring (when it's MUCH cooler), and not have to offer it at summer day camp. That would free up time to do many more things with the boys in a more "pleasant" environment - at least, more pleasant for the adult volunteers :-)

 

[mbscoutmom 10]

My sons have been to day camp every year, and it never got boring. For two years, they go as Cubs, and then two years as Webelos, who go to a completely separate area for most of their activities. The leaders repeat some activities every other year, but the same boys don't do the same things twice.

 

Clydesdale, a boy returning for the 3rd year at our day camp would not be doing the same old things again. In the two years of Webelos they earn their Aquanaut, Readyman, Artist, Traveler, Geologist, Craftsman, Forester, and Naturalist activity badges. We always encourage our Webelos to attend day camp to earn these badges.

[Lisabob 13]

I really like the idea of sending the webelos off on their own daycamp program. My son went to daycamp for 4 years and had a good time, yes, but it did get a little repetitious by the final year. As a volunteer all 4 years (You can call me "Range Leader Lisa'bob") I noticed that the boys who had just finished 4th grade and were moving on to wII seemed to have crossed some kind of serious developmental line in comparison to the younger scouts too. Not that there weren't differences between the other ages too, but this is where I saw it most prominently displayed. So a separate webelos program would've been welcome.

 

However, doing so would've required a lot more staff, which might have been difficult to pull off.

 

Lisa'bob

[John-in-KC 311]

Lisa'Bob, you're soon going to be our Cub Guru!!! That's the best description of the concept of Cub day camp I've ever heard:

 

"I'd take the rank books, pull some fun things out of the requirements and/or arrow point electives, maybe pick out a couple of fun beltloops, and start thinking of daycamp kind of like one big den meeting."

 

 

From my experience...

 

FIRST AID compass/orienteering course. We made posters of basic Cub 1st Aid tasks, under plastic. Put them on signs, and surveyed in the course (accurate directions and distance). Some of the stations had materials for a hands-on 1st aid task. Whole course was not more than a 1/2 mile, and could be done pretty easily in a program hour.

 

CUB GRUB always goes over well. Do things Cubs can easily do, and some things parents can do for Cubs:

- Camp (hobo) stew.

- Biscuits on a stick (mix in baggies) (coat in cinnamon sugar after baking).

- Foil dinners.

- S'mores.

- For the adults, show how to make dutch oven cobblers. 2 ovens feed 40 kids/leaders.

 

Wood Craft: We use a 5 year rotation: Bench/stool, toolbox, windvane are the 3 that come off my head.

 

BBs and Archery are so popular we schedule kids through them twice in a week.

 

Water baloon tosses always go over well on hot summer days.

 

Rope making and knot tying.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[Sir_Scoutalot 10]

I think there are certain activities (like BB's and archery) that you'd be run off if you didn't offer them every year.

 

I'd encourage you to consider embracing whatever your theme is. Several years ago I served as a day camp director with a space exploration theme (To Infinity and Beyond). We divided the boys into groups named after Star Wars and Star Trek groups (ie Ewoks, Vulcans, Klingons, etc) and tailored many of the activities to our theme. There's no rule that says you have to shoot your bbs or arrows at a round target when you can shoot at space invaders instead.

 

Appreciate you all stepping up in service.

 

[johndaigler 10]

Actually I think some reg. police would remind you that the BBgun/Archery targets are not supposed to be animate objects -- deer, people, etc. I'm not sure where Zurg or Droids would fit . . .

 

But seeing as how I'm definitely NOT one of those dastardly reg. sherrifs, I'll get on with what I wanted to offer...

 

Our Day Camp is fun and well attended. We're lucky with a great site that includes a fishing hole and plenty of green space for all the activities, including a swim day at a nearby waterin' hole. Last year the theme was Day Camp Knights and themed to knights in shining armor, etc. -- the catapults were the big hit, especially the trebuchet that launched water bottles >100 yds!. The boys used table top sized mangolins to launch wooden balls at painted targets of dragons and castles, etc. -- note that the target regs are not as strict for siege machines!!! This coming year the theme is "Pirates" and somehow connected to the release of "Pirates of the Caribbean 2".

 

Each year the boys get a couple hours each of BB Guns, Archery, slingshots and fishing. There's one knife safety/whittling class - almost enough to earn Whittlin Chip and Bear Achievement. Several classes on nature skills - tracking, LNT, plant/animal identification, poison/healing plants, etc. A trip or two to the ropes course - monkey bridge, swinging log bridge, lashed climbing structures, etc. We sprinkle in some sports and a horizontal climbing wall. And lastly there are some themed arts and crafts. Last year the boys made knightly helmets out of fried chicken buckets, and silk screened tunics with their crests and colors. I'm guessing we'll see some eye patches this year!

 

I'd suggest sticking with the core of sure fire winners - BB Guns, Archery, Fishing and Swimming if they're available, and a good ropes adventure course. After that include some sports and crafts that everyone can succeed at and enjoy. The sprinkle in some serious learning -- first aid, safety, nature, LNT, etc. Just don't keep them sitting too long - ever.

 

We end the week with an optional (read that "costs extra"!) family BBQ and a staff led campfire program.

 

This costs each scout $100 and they get a patch and t-shirt. Cubs bring their own lunches and Packs supply 2 deep leadership, though leaders don't have to lead classes or activities.

 

We don't seem to sweat the amount of Achievements we meet or belt loops we earn. The camp director supplies a list of completed requirements to each unit at the end of the week. I might wish that we focus a bit more on Achievements, but it's hard to argue with all the smiling faces!

 

jd

[Lisabob 13]

jd did I read that correctly, your cub day camp costs $100 and the BBQ dinner is extra?

 

Wow...ours is typically in the $30 range, including T shirt and a family "festival" (no meal though) on the last of three days. On the other hand we have done ours at a council camp in the past which means we don't have to pay to use the facilities.

 

Lisa'bob

[lynncc 10]

oh my $100. Our families grouse about anything over 40. We usually run anywhere from $35-$45 Depending on the crafts. Everything else we do is free or almost free. BB targets are pretty cheap as well as the bb's. We recycle the archery targets. We get ice for the ice chests donated. We do give t-shirts and patches to all the boys and volunteers. The forest service sends people out to do something with nature. I don't guess we have to stick with the theme but the council holds design contests for the patch and t-shirts. Thus by ordering in large quantities we get better prices. So think we always will.

This year may be more expensive cause they include my day camp school in the cost of running the day camp.

 

We also do BB's and Archery everyday. mon-fri.

Friday is family day so we always have a fireless campfire program. We may never get to have a real campfire even on campouts. Major burn bans all over the area.

 

I like the idea of woodcrafts doing dif projects for each level or doing a rotation schedule will have to get with others to see what they like.

 

I think in the future I may try to seperate out the weebelos but not this year. Want to get my feet wet before jumping off in the deep end.

 

great ideas all. Thanks. Keep them coming

 

lynncc

Pack 403

Jacksonville, TX

[Sniffles157 10]

I want to know how ya'll managed to get the price of your day camps at $30 - $45? When we held our first one last year, we had no one show up for sign-ups so we dropped the price. It started at $60 then we actually requested camp scholarships for all the boys and they only had to pay $15. None of the parents would pay the $60, they said it was too high. (we are in a low-come area) This year we were told by our DE that we had to charge $60. We had almost everything donated last year so there was really no cost and I know that the girls who are working on it this year have much of it already donated. I just want to know why we were told it had to be $60 and no less.

[mbscoutmom 10]

Ours is $50, and boys get a t-shirt and patch. We use a council camp, and bring our own lunch. Some den leaders have to buy their t-shirt. (Each den gets 2 free.) I'm not one of the organizers, so I don't know where all the money goes, but I assume it pays for the crafts and other supplies, and some of the guest speakers. They have a trading post that is very popular with the kids, but I don't know how much they make off that.