November Cub Scout Roundtable Issue

Volume 7, Issue 3

Turn On the Power (Webelos Craftsman & Scientist)

LEADER IDEAS

The following are ideas from a Scouting newsqroup faq.

19 Apr 1995
From: (Peter Van Houten), Peter_Van_Houten@SIMULACRUM.WV.TEK.com From: davev@u.washington.edu (Dave VanEss)

Subject: Cub Immediate recognition - Den Leader Hints

I know this has not been solicited, but here are some ideas for immediate recognition for Cub Scout dens that have been working in my Pack, and others that I have come in contact with.

1) Arrowhead Necklace --

Using Dough Art dough cut out arrowheads. Use a spoon to mark texture on the face of the arrowhead. Bake until hard. Drill hole at top of arrowhead for lace. Paint arrowhead using Glossy Black spray paint (comes out looking like obsedian). Glue white/black feather to the back of the arrowhead, and thread leather lace through hole.

You now have a recognition necklace the boys can wear and display how far they are along on their Wolf or Bear trail. I had the boys make their own necklaces, but they couldn't start wearing them until they've completed the Bobcat. So the Arrowhead represents they've earned their Arrowhead. As they progress along the Wolf trail they receive a White Wolf's tooth (also made from Dough Art) for each of the 12 Wolf requirements. This can also be used with Bear Claws for the Bear trail. To help separate the teeth, the boy can earn beads to go on his necklace. A white bead for attending the den meeting or pack meeting, a black bead for attending in uniform. When done you'll have a very impressive necklace (as well as, by having the boys make them you are doing one of the arrow point achievements for making something with a feather).

2) Another tip for rewarding behavior, attendance, uniforming, etc. is to have a grab box or treasure chest. In the treasure chest you accumulate all sorts of trinkets (pencils, cards, key rings, etc.) that they boys can choose from when they've met your criteria.

For example: All boys that show up in full uniform for a den meeting will get to choose from the treasure chest. Or the boys that pay their dues on time get to choose something. Maybe the boys have exemplified themselves during the den meeting (your house isn't destroyed) and you want to reward them.

So where do you get the trinkets? Make friends first with every marketing person you know (most of them are involved in scouting). Companys give away tons of stuff to promote their products, most of which is cheap and fun (things like sun glasses, small footballs, pencils/pens, key rings, stickers, buttons, hats, etc.). Ask and ye shall receive. Also, check out the discount stores for cheap items, such as pencils with different style erasers on them. Check out garage sells for old souvenirs. These can be very, very cheap.

I like to give out awards at the Court of Honor. For parents that helped with the Reststop fund raiser (Coffees and coffee), a cookie spray painted gold on a ribbon becomes "Order of the Cookie". If you have a wood worker in the Unit Plaques become real cheap. (I can make walnut 5" by 7" for about $1.50 each) Everyone likes to be appreciated.

It might seem corny put the people getting the awards really do appreciate it.

Here are some more things I have done.

Golden Hammers (plywood cutouts of hammers spray painted gold on a ribbon)

Given to Adults that helped build paper recycle boxes.

Lemon Heads on a plaque (One parent supplying transportation got stopped by the Highway Patrol and asked to have his passenger not to throw lemon heads (hard candy) out the windows of moving cars.

Committee Patch on a Plaque.

Order of the Ugly Red Forklift-For the guy that ran our newspaper recycling program. (He moved the paper box around with said forklift).

Award was a plaque with a "Matchbox" forklift glued on it.

Anyway, the ideas are endless. If their is some kind of in joke in between the participants, so much the better. (Example if on a 50 miler you find that you are running low on toilet paper, a plaque for the leaders that went along could have an empty paper roll)

Bottom line is that immediate recognition for achievement and behavior is necessary to support future achievements and success. KISMIF -- Keep it Simple, Make it Fun!

An Idea
Baloo

This past spring I painted flowerpots for our deck. My pots have sat out in the spring and full summer sun every day, and still look pretty good.

Since I am creatively challenged though, I stuck with a very simple craft, something a Leader can do with Cub Scouts. You can use terra cotta flowerpots for things, such as for flowers, Christmas ornaments or containers to held handmade items (cookies, candy!)

Materials: Terra cotta flowerpot, indoor/outdoor paints (your choice of color)

Basecoat inside and outside of pot with twice, (I used white) letting dry between each application. I then used a sea sponge, dipped that in my contrasting color (I used raspberry). After loading your sponge with paint, dab it on a dry paper towel to get off the excess paint (til it is nearly dry of paint) and dab on pot, let dry. Personally, I found dabbing of the excess paint rather boring. Another way to apply the contrasting color is by using on old toothbrush and a scrap piece of screen. Hold the screen over the pot, and rub the bristles over the screen which will cause the paint to spatter. Using a toothbrush and screen is probably more fun for those who love to watch paint spatter.

Looking through the Wolf and Bear books this particular craft doesn't have a lot of Achievement value. A Wolf might use it to fulfill 9 b-c. Odds are the boys will have fun spatter painting though.

Boys' Life has a reading contest each year. To enter the 2000 contest write a one-page report titled "The Best Book I Read This Year": and enter it in the Boys' Life 2000 "Say Yes to Reading!" Contest.

The book can be fiction or non-fiction. But the report has to be in your own words. Enter in one of the three age categories:

•8 years old and younger, •9 and 10 years old, •11 years and older.

When Pedro receives your report, you'll get a free patch.

(And yes, the patch is a temporary insignia, so it can be worn on the Boy Scout, or Cub Scout uniform shirt, on the right pocket. Proudly display it there!)

The top three winners from each age group will also get a Leatherman multi-tool, copies of Codemaster books 1 and 2, the limited edition Codemaster pin-and-patch set--plus their names will be announced in Boys' Life!

The contest is open to all Boys' Life readers. Be sure to include your name, address, age and grade in school on the entry.

Send your report, along with a business-size addressed, stamped envelope, to:

BSA, Boy's Life Reading Contest,

S204, P.O. Box 152079,

Irving, TX 75015-2079

Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2000

Materials found in Baloo's Bugle may be used by Scouters for Scouting activities provided that Baloo's Bugle and the original contributors are cited as the source of the material.