GATHERING ACTIVITIES

SPREAD THE NEWS

Circle Ten Council

This is a pretty simple, but fun activity that you can use for any theme or meeting.  Using the letters from “Cub Scouts Spread the News” have people go around to everyone else trying to find names that begin with the letters.  You can always offer a “prize” for the person or have a special ribbon for the den that gets the most names.  Preprinted forms and pencils will help.

Find people in the Pack whose names begin with the letters below.  Note: You can use two people with the same name, but do not use the same person for more than one line.

S __________________________________

P __________________________________

R__________________________________

E__________________________________

A _________________________________

D _________________________________

T __________________________________

H _________________________________

E __________________________________

N _________________________________

E __________________________________

W _________________________________

S __________________________________

Comics

Baltimore Area Council

Find these in the Puzzle -

BABY BLUES               HEATHCLIFF                                  BC

KUDZU                       BEETLE BAILEY           LOCKHORNS

BLONDIE                           LUANN                              CATHY

MARMADUKE          CRANKSHAFT                    MARVIN

CROCK                          MISS PEACH                         CURTIS

MOMMA                          DILBERT                      MR BOFFO

DOONESBURY               PEANUTS                       DRABBLE

PHANTOM                        DUFFY                 REX MORGAN

ERNIE                             ROBOTMAN                    FOXTROT

SHOE                                GARFIELD            SNUFFY SMITH

GEECH                                 ZIGGY                               HAGAR

Noodlegrams

Simon Kenton Council

In a saucer place a tablespoonful or more of uncooked noodles.  Each person must try to compose a ten word message out of the alphabet noodles.  This could be done in couples or singly as gathering time activity.

Jigsaw Puzzle Ads

National Capital Area Council

Cut up full page color pictures from magazines. Have at least one puzzle per scout. As each scout arrives, hand him one to put together. If time permits, let the scouts exchange puzzles.

Who Am I?

National Capital Area Council

Make up a "Who Am I" card for each scout. This card has the name of someone who is famous or well-known in some field of communication -- past presidents, politicians, actors, radio personalities, etc. Tape one card on the back of each scout as they arrive (be sure the scout does not see the name). The scouts are allowed to ask each scout two questions which can only be answered with "Yes" or "No" as they try to guess "Who" they are.

Find the Clues in the Newsletter

Circle Ten Council

This is an activity that keeps Cub Scouts busy and attentive at the start of the Pack meeting.  Hand out a monthly newsletter with articles of interest – usually about the previous month’s events – and upcoming event announcements and award recognition.  Peppered throughout the newsletter are clues to a puzzle that the readers try to solve – usually related to the theme or to Scouting.  There is also an instruction hidden in the news that tells the boys who to “go see” with the answer to get “the prize”/ the prize can be access to the Pack Grab Bag that contains freebees or inexpensive items, like penlights, patches, collapsible cups, etc.

This gets the boys reading the newsletter and gets the parents of the non-readers reading too!  It keeps them busy instead of just running all over the place, and sometimes even teaches them something!  That is considered a success!  Give it a try!

Comic Strip Jumble

Baltimore Area Council

Save one week of comics from the local paper. Cut up each comic strip, panel by panel and mix them up. Give each person a panel as they arrive. Each participant must find the other panels and place them in the correct order. Have the comic strip panels ready for inspection, or place the panels at a designated place before the meeting. The order of each comic strip may be peculiar. Lots of surprises await you.

What Is It?

Baltimore Area Council

Randomly hand out different colored 3 by 5 cards as “Press cards” to the boys and parents. Separate the players into color groups for the “What Is It?” Put a common household item on the table where each group will gather. (mop head, odd shaped cleaning brushes, novelty kitchen tools, etc.)  Have each group of participants write down all the different uses they can think up for their item. (Example, use the mop head as a wig.) Then have each group pick a spokesman with a contract worth millions of dollars.

Special note to Cubmaster and Committee Chairpersons: This will put the spotlight on some very talented, enthusiastic and fun people. RECRUIT!!

How Many Words?

York Adams Area Council

See how many words each person can find in the phrase “Cub Scouts Spread the News”

Who Is It?

Southern NJ Council

Give everyone a 3x5 card. Have them all write down 4 things about themselves that no one else in the room should know.  Have them put their name on the top of the card for future reference.  Collect the cards. Then pass out a piece of paper to each person. Read the cards one at a time and have everyone write down who they think the person on the card is. Then read off the correct results (the names from the top of the cards) while they check their lists. The person who gets the most right is the winner.

Who Am I?

Southern NJ Council

Take a pile of 3x5 cards and write down a name of a person or character on each card. These names can be seasonal (Winter: Cupid, Jack Frost, New Year’s Baby, Old Man Time, etc.) or follow a theme (Presidents, George W. Bush, Kennedy, Jefferson etc.). Then tape a card to the back of every person in the room. They must now try to guess who they are by going around the room asking other people questions about the name on their back. These questions must be yes-no questions (ex. Q. "Am I green?" A. "Yes") and only one question can be asked to each person in the room (to get everyone talking to everyone else). The first person to guess the name on their back is the winner.