Baltimore Area Council

Everyone loves a show and most all boys have a generous chunk of ham in them and want nothing better than a chance to let it out. If you don't give them a chance under controlled conditions, they will take it when you least expect they want it.

The Showman activity badge gives them a chance to let out the hidden barely Shakespeare, Jerry Lewis, Leonard the Great or what ever happens to be their style. It allows them to express themselves musically be it kazoo or Steinway. Providing the entertainment for the pack meeting will be a challenge gladly met by Webelos Scout boys and the sillier the better!

The badge covers most of the field of entertainment and acquaints the boys with ways of putting on various shows or skits. Making the props also can be used as part of the Craftsman badge. Skits and Songs are covered elsewhere in the Bugle.

Every conscientious leader of boys is working to further develop the whole boy- physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally so he will be prepared to take his place as a well-adjusted member of his social group. The Showman badge offers the opportunity for a boy to develop his creativity and broaden his base of aptitudes.

Den Activities
Baltimore Area Council

• Have a story-telling session. Have each boy come prepared to tell the best true-life story he knows about something that happened to himself or a friend or family member. This is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of good listening and the value of sharing ideas.
• Tell a funny or silly story and just as you get into the plot, ask the boy next to you to continue the story for a while. Let him carry it for a while and pass it to the next boy. It will be wacky for sure. It is fun to see the plot jump around, change and bounce back again.
• Do a series of pantomimes or charades. Divide into teams. Have prepared basic and crazy categories to act out like US Presidents, current song titles, and pop music titles, sports figures and names of schoolteachers or principals. The kids will have fun!
• Try to find a very simple but easy to do 'old melodrama' with the villain in black and sweet heroines etc., and see if the boys can do it pantomime using signs as language and exaggerated facial expressions to communicate the ideas. It could be real crazy and fun.
• The den could produce a video, one with a story or not, demonstrating an activity or skill or just about anything. It could be narrated and could be good entertainment for a pack meeting.
• Scouts like silly or gross songs. (Songs about eating worms, etc. are great.)

Soda Straw Harmonica
Baltimore Area Council

Cut a strip of corrugated cardboard with large corrugations, 8" long and 1 1/2" wide.

Cut 8 straws into the following lengths:

8 1/2", 7 3/4", 6 3/4", 6" 5 1/4", 4 1/2" 4 1/4"

Push the straws between the sections of the cardboard beginning about 1/2" from one end and leaving four empty corrugations between straws. The shorter the vibrations, the higher the pitch. To play, blow over the straws.

Face Paints
Greater St. Louis Area Council

6 T's corn starch, 3 T's water, 3 T's cold cream, food coloring, 6 C muffin tin

In each cup of the muffin tin, put 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon each of cold cream and water. Add a different color food coloring to each cup.

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