Ideas for Patrol Activities at Meetings

[Justin307]

I am the SPL of my troop and my troop has a bit of time every meeting where we don’t have a planned activity.  Usually we’ve just let scouts go outside and run around but this is less than ideal to learning and practicing scout skills.  My Scoutmaster has provided me with a type of folder called a BattleBoard. It has a plastic space on the outside to put a map in and plenty of space inside to store papers or other tools.  He’s suggested we put a map, compass, rope, other essential items inside along with envelopes labeled with a number.  I’d be able to tell scouts to get the BattleBoard and envelope number 5, this envelope could have an activity related to some scout skill(maybe a compass course).  It’d make a good system to give scouts a task on the fly.  I’m having trouble coming up with potential ideas for activities I could assign these scouts to do.  Does anyone have any good activities or advice to solve this problem? Thanks so much.

[RememberSchiff]

@Justin307  Welcome to scouter.com.

Your multiple concurrent logins before joining were unusual and temporarily classified you as a spambot. Hope you are not.

[Justin307]

@RememberSchiffWhat do you mean?

Edited October 31 by Justin307

[RememberSchiff]

Tell us more about your leadership training prior to becoming SPL. Did you attend NYLT?

[Justin307]

Yes. I’ve been to NYLT, NLS with OA, and years of experience in my troop as ASPL and attending and helping to plan events prior to becoming SPL.

[RememberSchiff]

Your SM has given you some meeting fallback ideas. Tell us about your PLC meetings.

[Justin307]

My PLC meetings usually consist of me, my ASPL, my Troop Guide/ASPL, and Patrol Leaders.  We do invite the full troop though. Along with 2-3 scoutmasters.  We meet every month after our Campouts.  We plan our program for meetings for the next month or two.  And we plan our Campouts as well. Lately we’ve been working on planning a High Adventure, mostly it consists of anything that needs to get done.

[RememberSchiff]

2 minutes ago, Justin307 said:

My PLC meetings usually consist of me, my ASPL, my Troop Guide/ASPL, and Patrol Leaders.  We do invite the full troop though. Along with 2-3 scoutmasters.  We meet every month after our Campouts.  We plan our program for meetings for the next month or two.  And we plan our Campouts as well. Lately we’ve been working on planning a High Adventure, mostly it consists of anything that needs to get done.

I think you answered your own question I’m having trouble coming up with potential ideas for activities I could assign these scouts to do.  Does anyone have any good activities or advice to solve this problem?

I would add,  your PL's should be assigning their respective scouts tasks as planned at PLC meeting. You as SPL should ensure your PL's are leading their scouts. 

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Other members here will add theirs.

[qwazse]

Welcome to the forums!

Try picking a few things from Troop Leader Resources , Program Features:

https://troopleader.scouting.org/program-features/
 

You and your PL’s should familiarize yourself with this site and navigate to the “meeting suggestions” for each feature.

[InquisitiveScouter]

Welcome!

The site mentioned above by @qwazse is an outstanding resource.  There is another page in that site at https://troopleader.scouting.org/activities/scout-skill-challenges/ which will help you pick some activities to populate your "BattleBoard."  And another for Patrol Activities: https://troopleader.scouting.org/activities/patrol-activities/

I really like your idea, and there are literally hundreds of different things you could do.

Here's a few spitballs:

- Have the patrol perform a skit  (a good patrol knows three or four skits)

- Have the patrol lead a song (a good patrol knows three or four songs)

- Have the patrols do their yells (a patrol must have a yell)

- Using the checklist in the Scout Handbook First Aid section, Inventory the Troop First Aid kit and create a list of items missing.  Present the list to the Troop Quartermaster or other person responsible for upkeep..  (When done with a MB Counselor, this fulfills a requirement for First Aid Merit Badge.)  (This one ought to be done after every outing.)

- Whip a rope using the method in the Scout Handbook.

- Use a smartphone or computer and identify what is at the following locations:  (this one has lots of potential)

  -- 40.6892° N, 74.0445° W

  --  38.6251° N, 90.1868° W

  --  36.0998° N, 112.1125° W

  --  43.8803° N, 103.4538° W

Have fun!