BALOO - What Do You Wish You Were Told

[AnnLaurelB 10]

That's beautiful. But there's one thing I find missing from your list.

 

You forgot the mimosas!!

[Basementdweller 608]

I am a woodford reserve kinda guy......or a nice jack single barrel.

 

 

[fred8033 1593]

(I try to avoid posting because I probably have more opinions and thoughts than I have knowledge and experience. LOL...)

 

The one thing that took me years to understand is something that's pretty obvious. Don't forget the fun. Games. Songs. Skits. Jokes. Teach the adults to plan in lots and lots of fun.

 

If I were teaching BALOO, I'd add

 

- plan in the fun to every event

- include games to burn energy

- include the parents (for cub scouts) in the games and the songs

- (if the parents are playing too) take the parents aside before games to warn them...

 

--- #1 Don't get too competitive. We're trying to raise the pride, self-confidence the spirit of our kids.

--- #2 Help the kids in small subtal ways.

--- #3 Don't get too physical. These kids weigh 100 to 200 pounds less than us.

--- #4 Don't make it obvious ... but we want the kids to win.

 

If I were teaching BALOO, I'd teach like Woodbadge in that I'd run the BALOO class like a cub scout event. Start the class with a 10 minute game of kickball as a gathering game and to get to know each other. As people arrive, don't stop the game but put them in the game immediately. It breaks the ice to let them know it's okay to spend scouting time playing games. Laughing and having fun. When the majority of the formal class objectives are done, do another game. Burn some energy. Then resume with the remaining class elements.

 

My 4th grade son started protesting den meetings. His den leader and I discussed this and now we're working in at least one game into each meeting. The last meeting had a twenty minute parents-vs-kids kickball game. We've done mushroom ball and others too. It made a huge difference. Kids want to go to their den meetings. Plus friendships are built by doing fun things together.

 

[5yearscouter 52]

That would be an interesting take on Baloo

 

have the participants come in,

fill out a permission slip, collect driver's info, med forms,

then work together in small groups to fill out a tour permit.

 

then take them outside and show them how to do an outdoor flag ceremony. you could cheat and do an up/down and fold so you don't have to take it down later.

 

unpack a trailer/truck of what you'd probably take on a cub scout campout, you could have everyone bring a packed bag with their camping gear but you'll probably end up with too much stuff to deal with.

 

set up tents, dining area/kitchen, talk about a couple of different kinds of tents/sleeping bags and where to borrow equipment in your area. Have boy scouts along to act as the parents and teach any of them that need help setting up a tent they've never seen before and take over setting up the campsite when the kids get tired of that and want to play a game.

 

play kickball or maybe capture the flag, have a list of other kinds of activities you'd do on a pack campout.

 

maybe do a cub scout outdoor craft thing with a list of other ideas.

 

then collect over at the kitchen to go over some of the cooking rules, how to light the stoves and lanterns, make some food rotate so everyone sees how to make something in a dutch oven, on top of a gas camping stove, foil meals and directly over the campfire itself(coals) pass out some cub scout grub handouts to give them ideas on thigns you dont' have time to cook.

 

eat and show proper cleaning up,and any other food related safety issues.

 

break into groups and have each group practice a skit, song, run on, etc.

 

start a cool campfire and gather everyone for a short campfire program doing the skits and songs.

 

 

as the fire dies down, talk about a scout's own service,

hit on any youth protection rules, safty rules that you didn't cover

 

and open it up for questions and answers round robin style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

then have everyone gather for

[deaker 10]

Over the weekend, I was told by someone who is generally quite knowledgeable that somewhere (gss perhaps but the source couldn't be cited) there is a prohibition on packs camping as a unit more than twice per year. Having previously taught BALOO and just knowing what I know of BSA this seems insane. Anyone know anything about such? I'd always heard and been taught to ensure we camped a minimum of twice a year as a pack.

 

If anyone has information feel free to email me directly as I would hate to miss such a rule if it exist.

 

David

David@eakerlawfirm.com

 

I used to be a bear......

 

Cubmaster pack 386

[83Eagle 11]

I call shenanigans! Show me the rule!