Scouts in Limbo

[scotiacat]

I hope this is being posted in the right category.

 

What do you do with Scouts who have earned their badges and are ready to move up in rank?

 

Our Scouts have earned their Tiger and Bobcat ranks, but are unable to advance to Wolf and begin working in the book until June 1st. What do we do to keep them interested for the next month? Electives are out as they have already reached their rank.

 

I scratch my head on this because I read where some Packs have Scouts make rank in February in time for the Blue & Gold. What do they do for the next four months?

 

Any help and/or ideas would be appreciated.(This message has been edited by scotiacat)

[OneHour]

That's where belt loops and the various electives at the end of the handbook comes in. What do you mean "Electives are out as they have already reached their rank?" Electives, if I'm not mistaken, can be earned at any time after the cub has earned his tiger badge. A boy earns one Tiger Track bead for every 10 electives he completes. Since they have not finished 1st grade nor are they 8 years old, Tiger's electives are still fair game!

 

Now, they can't really start on the Wolf achievements until they have completed the first grade or they are 8 years old. So that means that you will have to have fun at the den meetings! Games, sing silly songs, more games, skits, a lot of games, crafts, did I mention games?

 

At their age, you want to have lots of fun! Next year, try to pace them and spread the requirements out and mix in a lot of fun stuffs!

 

Look at the Cub Scout Leader guides for ideas or any of these websites:

 

http://wtsmith.com/rt/games.html

http://www.macscouter.com/Games/

http://www.netwoods.com/d-games.html

 

and then ... graduation party ... graduating to the next rank!

 

1Hour

 

ps: relax and have fun with them ... that's how you keep them interested! Also, don't forget to award them their Bob Cat badge! (I'm assuming that their Tiger badge are already sewn on their blue uniform!) (This message has been edited by OneHour)

[scotiacat]

>>>>>What do you mean "Electives are out as they have already reached their rank?" Electives, if I'm not mistaken, can be earned at any time after the cub has earned his tiger badge. A boy earns one Tiger Track bead for every 10 electives he completes. Since they have not finished 1st grade nor are they 8 years old, Tiger's electives are still fair game!

 

I should have been more clear in this statement, sorry. The boys have earned a minimum of 7 yellow beads (lowest of bead numbers in the group). They would like to do something new.

 

>>>>>That's where belt loops and the various electives at the end of the handbook comes in.

 

Alas, a number of Packs don't participate in this as the cost of the belt loops are expensive. I was at the Council Office and they confirmed there are a number of Packs who don't participate for that very reason. So what are we to do?

 

I know uniforms are a HOT topic, that Scouts follow the rules and wear the correct uniform etc, etc.. But how about the Packs and Councils offering the program fully to the Scouts.

 

 

 

[OneHour]

Back to square one ... have fun at the den meetings! games, songs, crafts, skits, etc. Cub scouting is not all about rank advancement, especially at their age (Tigers). At their age, they want fun. When i was the CM for our Pack, one of our Dens was in the same situation as you are, thanks to a great den leader who whiz them through the requirements. He approached me with the same problem of how to keep them interested and attending den meetings until the end of the school year (he had 2 months to spare). I suggested the same thing as I have suggested to you. Use the den meeting to let the boys have fun. Toss in some field trips (visit the local police station, fire station, library, etc). Play games such as steal the bacon, relays, stop signs, even the simple "Simon says" will cause laughter. Add some simple crafts ... make and fly paper airplane, go fly a kite, make snack for den meeting, etc. There are loads of fun to let the kids do. Needless to say, the den leader came back at the end of the year to tell me that all of his boys couldn't hardly wait until next year!

 

You can do one belt loop for each month. By the way, each belt loop costs about $1.50. Ask the parent to pay for it if needs to be.

 

I don't understand your question "But how about the Packs and Councils offering the program fully to the Scouts." Why? Is your Pack restricting something and I can't relate it to your uniform comment? The cubscout program is fairly straight forward and everything is written in the cubscout handbook. It must have been the late night thing, but I am at a lost of your question. Are you referring to the ability to buy belt loop? That's where Pack dues and/or den dues come in, to provide these awards for the boys. If the pack dues and/or den dues do not cover for the awards, then it's up to the parents. The Council's dues cover the membership fee, the insurance, and Boys Life if the boy elected to subscribe to it.

 

Here is another question. How can the Council tell whether or not the Pack participate in belt loop program or not? I guess by the sell of them. If your local scout shop won't carry them, then order them online.

 

http://www.scoutstuff.org/

 

 

Cheers,

1Hour

(This message has been edited by OneHour)

[johndaigler]

Even if the boys/Pack/families can't find a way to pay for the belt loops, those are still great activities! The offer a wide range of fun topics to explore. Also, try any of the "Other" awards (not for the patch, but for the fun and adventure!) like, World Conservation, Leave no Trace, Religious Awards, etc. Does your state offer a "state" badge?

 

Take day trips to local museums, take a tour of the "big kids" school, if you've been to the fire dept. and police dept, try a doctor's office, local politicians, supermarkets, teachers, libraries and restaurants, etc. You just CAN'T run out of opportunities - it's just not possible!! Highway dept., water, waste mgmt., power, etc. In may cases these things are free and will often come to you.

 

Go find nature - take a one inch hike in your back yard, a bird watch, plant some seeds, stay up late some night and see the stars or the moon, GO FISHING, have a cook out, learn some campfire songs and have an indoor campout in the school gym, investigate each other's pets, go visit a farm, find someone who has an exotic pet like a tarantula or boa, etc.

 

Try Native American Lore, BSA Lore, go to a hobby shop and investigate models and table top strategy games, spend a day playing board games, invent your own! Electrical tape whip both ends of a 16 inch piece of rope then duct tape the two ends together making rings and stick a stick in the back yard and play ring toss, go, man, go.

 

get a Wolf handbook and start practicing!

 

Have FUN!!

 

Search, Discover, Share!!!!!!

 

jd

[ScoutNut]

Are you using your Adult Partners? Give each one of your Tiger Teams a week and have THEM come up with a fun activity for the den.

 

Scouting is NOT about earning an award every time you turn around. It is about learning & having FUN.

 

Some ideas -

 

Den kite fly with home made kites

Visit a Nature Center

Take a Clean-Up walk around the neighborhood

Do a park clean-up

Make a Mom's Day gift

Make a Dad's Day gift

Take a hike in the woods

Game Day

Have a picnic

Take a tour of someplace

Visit your local animal shelter (May's Pet Pals)

Participate in Scouting for Food

Attend a program at local State/County park

Do a Bike Hike

Have a themed den party

Make end-of-school gifts for teachers

Visit with Senior's (maybe put on a few skits)

Prepare for upcoming Pack meetings

 

More than enough to take you to the end of the school year.

 

All of my Tigers, but 2, have earned their Tiger rank. Last month we worked on making props and learning 2 skits for the Pack meeting. This month we have been making our den's Cardboard Box Boat for our Pack's Derby. The BSA TIGERJAWS is just about finished! Next month we will visit the fire station & a local Wildlife Center. We are also having a "Scout & Me" Pack campout which I hope some of my Tigers will be able to attend.