Webelos/Troop campout ideas

[Twocubdad]

Tell me how you guys organize your Webelos campouts. When it comes down to it, I suppose I'm looking for a suggested physical layout of the campsite. Do you let the Webelos camp together as their own "patrol" or do you try to integrate them into the other patrols for the weekend?

 

I'm working from the assumption that all the Webelos aren't ready for a campout on their own, but still need the support of the troop. After all, they've been given a feel for camping skills in the Outdoorsman WAP, but don't necessarily have the necessary skills.

 

Another question is what you do with the dads. The Webelos haven't tented with their parents for years, but buddy up and tent with other boys.

 

I'm thinking that we could have the dads camp and eat with the troop leaders with the Webelos immediately adjacent to us. The Webelos could take turns eating meals with the other patrols. My goal is to integrate the Webelos with the Boy Scouts as much as is safely possible while still preserving the patrol method within the troop.

 

This will be the first time in a number of years that the troop has run a proper Webelos campout. The past few have fallen through to the point that the pack invited the troop to the pack's campout just so the Webelos could complete that requirement.

 

I feel that we have a good handle on appropriate activities for the Webelos, basing most of it on Webelos/Tenderfoot requirements.

[ScoutNut]

I am kind of confused when you said - "The Webelos haven't tented with their parents for years". Why is that? According to the G2SS, Webelos are supposed to camp with a parent, or a parent approved adult, at all times. Before Webelos, the only time they were allowed to camp with out parents was at Council Resident Camp.

 

So, if the Webelos have been bunking together in tents "for years", & you have been following BSA G2SS guidelines, where have the parents been sleeping up until now? Why should it suddenly be a problem?

[EagleInKY]

We have an annual overnighter after our Scouting For Food drive in November. We camp nearby, at a very accessible private facility. It has a bathroom, water, large firepit and all the firewood you can dream of. So, in other words, it's a "simple" campout.

 

We invite the Webelos to come along. It's a great opportunity for them to get exposure to camping with the troop. It's not too scary for those who aren't very experienced at camping, and we can generate a lot of enthusiasm about Boy Scouts.

 

The patrols camp on their own and the Webelos and parents camp with the troop leaders. We give them the choice of tenting with their buddies or with their parent - all within G2SS guidelines. We feed them with the troop leader's meal, so the patrols don't have to worry about the increased number.

 

As for activities, we will do some teambuilding games. We will also do some orienteering practice to get the guys prepped for Klondike in January. Last year we did a disaster drill, using the Webelos as "victims". They had fun doing some basic moullage stuff to simulate injuries.

[Troop185]

Do not be afraid to invite the Webelos on some of your more exciting campouts. In the Spring, our troop is taking camping trips to Hocking Hills in Ohio, and the Bruce Penisula in Ontario. Now both places are about 300 miles from here, and we will not get many Webelos and their parents to join us. However, over the years I have had the parents tell me, that is what sold my son on joining Boy Scouts.

 

 

[Trevorum]

We're having a Webelos Invitational campout in December and have been discussing some of these same questions.

 

First, ScoutNut is correct - Webelos should tent with their parent, not with other youth. We plan on setting up a designated tenting area for all the Webelos and their parents, just like they were a patrol.

 

However, they may mess (eat) with the patrols. Once we know how many guests will be attending, we plan on having our patrols supply food for X more people and rotating the Webelos between patrols for each meal. That way, each Webelos will have the experience of eating and K.P. with four different patrols. The parents will mess with the adult leaders for all meals. By the end of the campout, we hope to have each Webelos help cook at least one meal and know how to clean up using the 3-basin method.

[Oak Tree]

Where does it say that Webelos should tent with their parents? We pair up the Webelos in tents, and have them act like they're part of a patrol. The parents get to tent in the parents' area and interact with the Boy Scout parents. We try to distract the Webelos parents with some activities for them (e.g. hikes) so that they won't hover over the boys the whole time.

 

Oak Tree

[Twocubdad]

Thanks for the input, I've spoken with a few other SMs locally and you guys seem to confirm what I've heard here.

 

Scoutnut -- The boys are camping with a parent. They're just sleeping in separate tents. I see no YP violation in allowing the Webelos or other Cubs to tent with their buddies. If fact, that is required in the case where a Scout is attending the campout under the supervision of a parent other than his own.

[lilthunder]

Ok, so I had to post a reply...first of all, I've read recently that as of 2001, over 60 percent of all families are headed by a female. That's huge when we consider the numbers. For the future of scouting, please make sure you're considering all the moms in this equation and providing for them on the campouts as well. Yes, it adds more complications even above the privacy considerations, because you'll be having more moms than dads who've never camped, and you'll be having more moms than dads with no interest in camping at all, just there for their sons. The payoff in numbers will be great. Don't overlook the fact that many moms will be willing to go just to help out their boys in scouting.

 

Just to let you know a bit about our troop: We have one mom divorced with dad out of state, mom is an ASM, dad is never involved. We have four moms divorced with dads nearby, dad is never involved, three of the moms are either are or have been committee members or active volunteers, the other is the sole contact and always supports scouting. We have a divorced dad who is an ASM, and the mom is not involved. I know another troop where the grandparents do all the scouting. As they teach in Family Life merit badge book, families can take all sizes and shapes...and we need to recognize this.

 

As to what to do with the dads? Not a good question to ask!!

[ScoutNut]

2Cubdad - I never said tenting with boy buddies was a YP issue. What I was wondering was why it was such a big issue to have parents at your Webelos/Troop campout.

 

"Another question is what you do with the dads."

 

If the dads/moms have been camping with their sons for the past 5 years, & the boys have been sleeping separately from their parents, what have you been doing with the parents up until now? Why is it suddenly such a problem because you will have parents along? The parents should have been camping with their sons all along (IF you have been folowing the G2SS Guidelines).

 

Remember, you are selling your Troop to the parents just as much as to the Webelos. All things being equal, and even though it SHOULD be the boy who makes the decision, the parents are usually the ones with the final say. If they are uncomfortable with your Troop, odds are they will convince their son to look elsewhere.

 

 

 

[lilthunder]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we have a Scouter perspective looking at how to transition Webelos. He might not know what has been happening with the parents all along. I'd like some ideas on what others are doing.

 

We're facing many of the same issues. I also believe G2SS specifies that cubs should be under the supervision of their parents or guardians at all times and that there should be a one to two ratio of adults to cubs. There's some interpretation room.

 

We're looking at how we going to integrate parents and webelos into the patrols, or are we going to make then another patrol. Should the parents eat with us and the boys with the scouts. Are we going to put a few webelos and parents with each patrol. Are we going to provide an advancement opportunity for the webelos or general activities for the troop. There are so many possibilities! I'd love to hear what works well in other troops rather than a specific discussion of guidelines.

 

We usually don't have a 1-1 ratio of adult/child like we do at our Webelos camp out, and it swells the numbers.

[ASM59]

Answering the question about how other Troops organize a WEBELOS/Troop campout:

The Webelos should already be set up as a patrol (at least in name) and so we have them work as a patrol side-by-side with our Boy Scout patrols. We do assign a "guide" to the Webelos to help them (usually a volunteer that works well with younger boys). We also will talk to the Webelos Den leader to find an appropriate Activity Pin or two that the Webelos need to earn. Typically, some of our Boy Scouts will teach those activity pins to the Webelos. The sleeping arrangements have varied over the years, but the most common situation is that the Webelos adults sleep in tents near the Boy Scout leaders while the Webelos camp as a patrol with the other boys. Most times we have the Webelos come to our Boy Scout meeting prior to the actual outing to be involved in the planning.

 

ASM59

[watercub]

We just had our Troop/Webelos campout. The Webelos had plenty of camping experience, so it was no trouble setting them up as a patrol. The parents that came along enjoyed the Troop camping. I'll have to admit, it was one of the better Troop (Scouts and Leaders) turnouts at an outing. We were also blessed with the participation of some of our senior scouts, including the SPL, ASPL and two PL's.

 

The reason it was an attractive outing was that it was a shooting sports outing. My lesson learned is to find something to do that is enjoyable for the Scouts and the Webelos, and includes all of them. The Webelos couldn't shoot, so we had alternative activities near the gun range so the Scouts could come out and join them in shifts. Still, it wasn't the same.