Troop sponsoring Webelos Campout - Ideas?

[gwd-scouter 11]

Our Troop is having a Webelos campout at the end of March. We have invited the Webelos Dens from two packs to join us and have asked them for information on what they'd like to do during the campout - i.e., particular pins or other advancement opportunities.

 

Since we have so many experienced Cub Scouters on the forum, thought I'd ask: if a Troop in your area invited your Webelos Den to a campout, what kind of activities would you like? What would you expect to see and learn from the Scouts? From the adults?

[Cubmaster Mike 10]

Games. Make them fun and if they teach a skill great. Example would be to show them how to throw a rope over a limb and then tie a timberline hitch around a log and lift it to the top pulley style. Time them on it. four way tug of war is good if you split them with Scouts who encourage them. Radioactive isotope games are fun and make them think. Be patient and make sure they all participate. Have a hip pocket activity for the shy ones who may hesitate to participate

 

Fire building demonstration with string burning is good.

 

Nature hikes are fun, but don't go overboard on the plant identification.

 

Campfire program with songs- teach them funny Boy Scout songs. 'repeat after me' songs are good to get them started.

 

Above all tell your scouts to show enthusiasm! We did a B&G last night and sent nine boys over to three troops. One of the troop's boys stood there slumped with his hands in his pockets until he had to take them out to put a scarf on a boy. Make sure the Scouts know they are role models- not tough guys looking cool.

 

CMM

[gwd-scouter 11]

Thanks Cubmaster Mike. Your suggestions were the kind of things I was looking for. I really was hoping for more input from others on the forum.

[ScoutNut 147]

Ask the Webelos Den Leaders.

 

They might be working on something they could use your help with. They would also know what their boys interests are.

 

Demo a rope bridge.

 

Patrol cooking. Get the Webelos involved.

 

Use the resources available at your camping site.

 

Remember to use all Youth Protection & Guide to Safe Scouting rules for CUB SCOUTS.

[Lisabob 13]

Hi gwd, I didn't answer previously because it's been 2 years since I was a webelos leader - thought maybe other people with more recent experience would want to jump in. But here are a few activities I thought of:

 

a) compass games dressed up as a mystery hike can be a lot of fun and not too hard to put together (from one clue to the next with something fun at the end). We've done more and less elaborate versions of this, sometimes as a glorified "capture the flag" game and sometimes with skill activities to be completed at each station.

 

b) Hands-on first aid opportunities (think "readyman" activity pin)

 

c) Team building games are fun. I saw one at a camporee one time that I thought webelos would enjoy and that might fit into the webelos "communicator" pin #5 in a fun way. One member of a team was blindfolded and given a bag. He was then placed in a circle and surrounded by tennis balls of various colors. His team mates were instructed to guide him to pick up as many balls of a certain color as possible within a limited time. The trick was, they couldn't use words to communicate and they couldn't touch him - only he could be in the circle. Watching was fun - the teams who worked together managed pretty well, those where everyone wanted to be "leader" had a tough time agreeing on a form of communication, and many didn't seem to have listened to the instructions and ended up picking up ALL the balls rather than those of a specific color. A few spent the whole time arguing about who would be blind folded to start with. Maybe someone else has done this game and has a better description?

 

d) If you have any scouts who like astronomy and weather permits - do a real basic astronomy segment. Kids love being able to locate constellations, knowing they're seeing Mars or Venus, etc.. And doing something "cool" in the dark might help some get past their fear of leaving their tent at night!

 

If you set up teams for the day's events, make sure that any webelos who are mixed into a boy scout team get to DO things - not just watch while your boy scouts have fun, and definitely not bossed around as the boy scouts' lackey. That happened to some of our guys on their first boy scout camp out (not far removed from being webelos) and they were miserable. There's a fine line here for your boys between leading/making sure the webelos are safe, and taking all the fun out of it for these younger guys.

 

Adults - keep em busy! They'll be less likely to hover over little Johnny that way. If you have stations or activities set up, ask them to work with your adult leaders to help staff the stations or activities (if your other adults are taking that role anyway). Teach them how to use your cooking equipment. Make sure they have a log or chair to pull up to the fire and an extra coffee cup for them too. I know as a former WDL one of the times I felt most useless was when we went camping with a troop. There was absolutely nothing for me to do - and I was trying real hard to give the boys some space but you know, webelos leaders are so used to being in the thick of things. And the natural tendency then is to go see what the boys are doing... (one which I bit back, by the way, but it was a struggle)

 

 

 

 

[local1400 10]

gwd- I hope all goes well as I know how disappointed you sound in some of your recent posts! Check out a post by resqman in the "Note to Boy Scouts: Your Meetings Are Boring To Cubs" thread. He described two units he visited recently and what the troops did WITH the Webelos. He even P.M.'d me and let me know more about it. As for what Lisabob says, yes, comfy chair, blanket, lots of cocoa, tea, and coffee. Cookies too (well I would want cookies!). As the boys are out leading, teaching, interacting( No demos, demos are like school. Active participation!) you sit with Mom and Pop and tell them about boy-run, tell them about your troop, answer any questions they have. Let them know what is expected from them and Johnny and try to have FUN! I wish you the very best gwd because I know where your heart is!

[Its Me 10]

 

I will suggest that you encourage your senior patrol leader and all patrol leaders to address the webelos directly and as equals and as often as possible. The troop youth leadership should want them to join. The words, expressions and interactions your senior patrol leader will have with the boys will out weigh your interaction by four-fold.

 

The troop that did a skills day, taught by the boys to our boys was "way cool" according my son. Any activity that gets your boys and the new webelos to rub shoulders will be a good activity.

 

 

 

 

 

[gwd-scouter 11]

ScoutNut: Have asked the Webelos leaders and still waiting for their replies. The campout is set for the end of March so I hope they answer soon so our guys can start planning.

 

LisaBob: as always you have such great answers. I've already thought about a lot of them and our Scouts have come up with similar ideas themselves. I too was a Webelos Den Leader, but have been away for quite a while so that's why I posted here in the Cub Forum. I especially like your reminder to keep the adults busy - it's something I actually hadn't considered. As a former Cubber, I know exactly what you're talking about.

 

Local: thanks for the kind words. Yes, we've have some disappointments recently with Webelos Dens coming to visit and camp with us, but ultimately chosing to go somewhere else. Our boys have planned a great program this year as they did last year and we've followed through on all their plans. At least we had folks visiting this year which we've never had before, so word is getting out there. I just have to learn a little more patience, a little less taking things personally.

 

The campout we're planning for March is for the 4th grade 1st year Webelos in two different packs. I've established a very good relationship with the Cubmasters of these packs and our troop has a Den Chief in each one (don't you know that diminishes our numbers considerably on meeting nights since we only have 9 boys and those 2 Den Chiefs go to Den meetings the same night we have Troop meetings). Both of these packs only have one 5th grade Webelos Scout each - one of whom has already crossed over to our troop and the other coming in April.

 

So, we are inviting the 4th grade Webelos in the hopes of planting the seed that will lead to them coming again to meetings and outings during their 2nd year of Webelos and ultimately crossing over to our pack.

 

 

[resqman 108]

If you have 1st year Webelos, they will all need Outdoorsman Activity pin. If the boys go on a campout, cook their own food, set up their own tent, hike 3 miles, etc. they have completed the pin. That sounds like a typical boy scout campout to me.

 

Food. Everyone loves food. Have the boys make a box oven and bake some cookies. You can use the frozen cookies. 15 minutes to build an oven. 15 minutes to cook, 2 minutes to eat. You can add time to this project by making the dough from scratch or box mix. OR divide the boys into dough makers and box makers. My Webelos 1 den did this as a den meeting one evening.

 

The following campout they took it one step further and made pizzas for lunch. Small torilla with 2 spoons of pizza sause, sprinkle of oregano, few slices of pepperoni, and a handful of cheese. Place pizza on a cookie sprayed with Pam, and bake in box oven for 5-10 minutes until cheese melts and sause warms. We opened a can of olives and mushrooms and let the boys make their own.

 

How about dutch oven cooking. You can bake frozen biscuits in 15 minutes. Use the lid of a dutch oven upside down as a griddle and fry some sausage patties. You just made sausage bisquits.

[WDL Mom 10]

Hi,

 

Whatever you plan, keep them moving. They won't sit still for long. My guys like food, fire, building things, tearing things apart, any form of tag, capture the flag, or dodgeball.

 

At our last den campout we made marshmellow catapults for the engineer badge. Though we didn't make them like in the Webelos book. We used a mouse trap, big pink erasers, a plastic spoon and a whole lot of duct tape. It was amazing how long they shot marshmellows around the cabin.

 

Do a hike with a purpose, an astronomy hike, or a Geocache type hike, night hike to identify as many critters as possible.

 

I would agree that it would be best to keep the adults out of it as much as possible... What do you do with the Webelos Den Leaders??

 

Having things tie in with the Webelos Pins is nice, but, I would focus more on it being FUN!

[Scouter&mom 10]

Does your district sponsor a Webelo-ree? Ask the people who planned it what games went really well.

 

The ones our guys liked and that we did at a big campout for all the Boy Scouts and cub scouts and families sponsored by our CO were active ones. We had a brief nature walk- scavenger hunt. 10-15 minute walk and each group lists as many signs of animals as they find.. everything from deer scat to hearing the woodpecker and the mosquitos. We had a bean bag type toss. We even had them do stretcher relay races. Wanna see excitement? Get four Web I's to carry a leader on a stretcher in a race without dropping.

 

Have any of your Boy Scouts been to NYLT? Get them to get out their book and come up with some games.

 

We even had the Webelos lead a sing along, for showman activity pin.

 

It was a great weekend.

[gwd-scouter 11]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

 

Our District does not do Webelos-ree. In fact, most troops in our District really don't want the Webelos along on anything they do. That's one of the reasons our Troop is reaching out to a couple of Packs to try to help their program and (hopefully) ours in the long run.

 

We have two Scouts going to NYLT this summer, the first in many years. The Troop does have a binder with the MacScouter Big Book of Games and last night our PL and APL were looking through it since they were making plans for the Webelos campout.

 

Cubmaster from one of the Packs dropped by last night to get some info on the Campout and he is so excited that our Troop is willing to help his Pack - we have a Den Chief there with their Webelos Den.

 

The guys in our Troop are looking forward to this trip, especially our newer Scouts, since at least for this trip they won't be the "little" guys and will have an opportunity to show off their skills.

[packsaddle 753]

We do this every year and have since I was Cubmaster eons ago. I started it by inviting the troop to join our pack's family campout. I knew the troop was in trouble and thought that letting the little guys have fun with the big guys would help. It did. We camped up in the mountains at a lake and surrounded by forest, streams, and trails. The troop had their own camping site and everything was primitive (except for the cub moms and dads who brought boom boxes and TVs, LOL).

But the cubs got to participate in some of the troop activities and everyone went canoeing and swimming. During the day we built fires, went for hikes, learned about knife and axe safety, and subsequently learned about first aid .

At night they went hunting for frogs and water snakes. And then we scared the moms and little sisters with them. The big guys ran relay races with the little guys on their backs. We all played frisbee golf, did a trail maintenance project and we engaged in highly illicit activities like eating bacon and sausage. The troop competed with the cubs for skits at the campfire. It is one of the best memories of my life and, I think, for some of the boys too. I really miss the cubs.

[theysawyoucomin' 10]

Webelos love dump cake

 

Do a google search on:

Maple apple dumplings hague

 

 

Make that in a dutch oven

 

Have an older Scout do the Charcoal he can keep the boys from burning themselves

[gwd-scouter 11]

We had to cancel the trip. My son has the flu which meant I needed to stay home with him. Since my husband was the only other leader available to go, we had to cancel. Very sad that no one would step up to go, but it was at the last minute.

 

What's worse? We invited two Webelos dens for the trip. Nine Webelos between them. Asked them all to show up the Monday before the trip for final planning. None showed up. No phone calls/emails either. Two days before we were to leave, one parent with a Webelos son said they would like to go.

 

Our guys were very disappointed as they had planned the weekend with the Webelos especially in mind.

 

Do we try again for the fall or next spring? I'm not sure our guys will be all that willing to do that.