Hiking Staff - Useful Den Doodles

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I'm ADL for my son's Den. We'll be the Bear Den next year.

The DL & I are trying to think of ideas to better encourage the boys' participation in recording their advancement.

 

Our original DL didn't really utilize the instant recognition bead thing well at all, and this has continued this year as well. We just haven't made it a big part of the meeting. I've tried encourage our leaders to use it and I think it could work if we pushed it more, but I don't really think the boys care about getting a bead..... since many don't wear their uniforms enough, & frankly it is kind of boring.... Honestly, I hate the look of them on the uniform anyway....

We've tried to use the wall chart thing, asking verbally, and sending emails, but the parents aren't really participating in letting us know their boys progress.

 

I think the key is the boys and getting them to drive it.

 

We are looking for something a bit more visual at the den meetings and hands on. I thought of the Den Doodle, but our DL suggested Indian spears with feathers, or hiking sticks. I think the spear thing is, well, cool and the boys would love it of course!..... but it's a bit too 'aggressive' and not really the 'image' of scouting I think.

 

I'm pushing to make the beads, doodle, or whatever we do to be more of a formal part of the meeting. Take a few minutes after the prayer, pledge, and promise to have each boy report and record their progress since the last meeting and hang a feather or whatever. I think we could also use this time to encourage uniform wear, coach for incorrect patch placement, etc.... and maybe be more of an encouragement overall for attendance.

 

Anyway, I like the hiking stick idea instead of a doodle....

it's useful

it fits the scouting image

we could carry it over to WEBELOS

its a good keep sake

relatively cheap and easy to make

 

but problems I see;

stick 'fights' and boys doing what they do when they have sticks

forgetting to bring it

.... so the DL or I would almost need to keep them and bring them. 10 hiking sticks aren't really the easiest to transport and display at the meetings (we can't leave them there)

 

So my questions:

Anyone ever done this or similar?

Any ideas for what to hang on the stick to show the progress toward ranks, etc..... that wouldn't fall off the first time it's used for a hike?

Any ideas on how we could display our "useful Doodle" at den and pack meetings?