WEBELOS
A Webelos – ree !?!?!
What is that??
A district or council Webelos-ree enhances the outdoor program of Webelos dens. It is a guided experience emphasizing outdoor skills for Webelos Scouts and their parents.
There is a web version of a new BIN item about this event at http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/resources/13-238/index.html
Click on the links on the bottom of the page for each successive section.
A new planning guide (to replace the long dead Webelos Woods guide) will be available this spring.
HANDYMAN
TECHNOLOGY GROUP
Circle Ten Council
This is one of the easiest and most flexible activities in the Webelos program. There are fourteen requirements from which the den can choose a minimum of six and these can be selected on the basis of aptitude and availability. Also, the activity can be worked for the month allocated in the Webelos calendar, or it can be done in fewer meetings, if the den meetings are prepared and organized. Some of the requirements can be used for den meeting fillers, if you exhaust a topic early or some of the resources you need for another activity are unavailable.
However, though Handyman is an easy topic, the den leader should handle it with care and thoroughness. Handyman allows the Scout to learn new skills and gain self-reliance and confidence in helping with activities around the house. There are also several safety and environmental issues inherent to several of the requirements.
When preparing to do Handyman, review the requirements and assess what activities you are the most comfortable with or what would be of most interest. Review them with the assistant den leader or den chief and determine which activities should be tackled and what should be rehearsed. For several activities, it may be best to divide the den into groups and work on separate requirements simultaneously. For example, while you’re working on bike air pressure with three Scouts, the den chief may be covering lawn mover safety with three others – make sure the den chief is familiar with lawn mover used beforehand. Get additional help from the other den parents if needed and available.
Look over the resources you will use on the requirements. If you have two cars available, pick the one with the most accessible oil dipstick or tail light assembly. The value of the requirements is having the boys do the intended exercise, not overcoming unnecessary obstacles, which they wouldn’t encounter at home.
Plan on doing more than the minimum number of requirements. The added exposure adds value, and if a Scout is shaky doing one activity, he’ll have an opportunity to do other activities more confidently and feel better about earning Handyman.
Speakers – carpenter, electrician, plumber, car mechanic, bicycle mechanic
Field Trips
§ Visit a local bicycle shop and talk with the mechanic to see if he will show you how to do a safety check upon your bike and perform minor adjustments.
§ Visit an auto dealership.
§ Arrange a visit to a service station. Have the attendant explain the use of different types of equipment (jack, torque wrench, etc.). If possible have the attendant show them how to check oil level, check fluids and belts, check tire pressure, and change light bulbs. Organize a bike rodeo.
§ Visit a lumber yard or hardware store.
Den Activities
§ At a hardware store, visit the repair shop, and acquaint the Scouts with a few specific and varied sections in the store, like electrical supplies and hand tools.
§ Arrange a presentation at a well-equipped home workshop.
§ Build a sawhorse.
§ Arrange for a local mechanic to visit your den or visit his garage, perhaps he can show your den the safe way to change a tire, light bulb and to check the oil and transmission fluid.
§ Put on a bicycle rodeo for your pack or den.
§ Check with the local fire marshal or poison control center to find out how to store household cleaners and materials that will be safe from small children.
§ Check the garage or storage shed in you house to ascertain the tools or implements and properly and safely stored.
§ Have a clinic on the care and repair of bicycles. Set it up like a shop and have each boy bring his bike and do repairs, etc.
§ Have Webelos bring tools to a den meeting and demonstrate different ways to make them.
§ Hold a nail-hammering contest. See who can hammer a nail in the fewest number of strokes.
§ Have a family can inspection.
Activities
Leaking Faucet
A leaking faucet is usually due to a defective washer and is a problem that can easily and quickly be resolves.
§ Shut off the water! If there isn’t a valve under or near the sink, turn off the main supply valve.
§ Unscrew cap nut of faucet.
§ Using a flat wrench, unscrew nut on faucet and pull out stem assembly. (Cloth or cardboard under wrench jaws prevents scratching.)
§ Remove screw on stem assembly, pry out old, worn washer, wipe out grime and put in same size new washer.
§ Replace screw and reassemble faucet. Turn water on.
Car Maintenance
§ Replace a light bulb
§ Check oil level and tire pressure
§ Where/how to add oil
§ Where/how to add air
§ Change a tire
Equipment Needed -
§ Car – 2 spare tail or turn signal bulbs
§ Tire pressure gauge
§ Rags
§ Oil spout
§ Tire pump
§ Spare tire, jack
§ Wheel blocks, tire
§ Wrench, rubber mallet
Bicycle Maintenance
Purpose – to familiarize scouts with basic bicycle maintenance and adjustments. To acquaint the scouts with the pride and satisfaction associated with being able to personally take care of one’s property; to build the can-do spirit.
§ Tighten chain, adjust saddle and handle bars
§ Lubricate chain crank
§ Check tire pressure
§ Inflate tire (empty first)
§ How to determine proper tire pressure
Equipment
§ 2 bicycles / 2 box wrenches
§ Rags
§ Oil can, rags
§ Tire gauge
§ Hand tire pump. Rags
Every Saturday
§ Give it the air!
§ Pump tires to the recommended pressure: balloon 22 to 35 lbs.; lightweight 50 lbs.; single tube 40 lbs.
Every Memorial Day and Labor Day
§ Is your chain a daisy?
§ It won’t be unless you dunk it in oil, let it drain overnight, blot and apply graphite. Skip the dunk, if you are lazy, and squirt oil on the chain without taking it off the sprockets. If it crackles and squeaks, oil it more often than twice a year. A good chain should be seen, not heard. Clean and re-grease the crank bearings.’
§ Don’t be a pool pedaler! Squirt oil into the inner ends of the pedals. Spin them now and then.
Light Bulb Changer
This tool is easy to make and is very useful for mom and dad when changing those troublesome recessed light bulbs. This project can also be used for a craftsman activity.
Materials
1 – 3/8” x 4” wooden dowel
1 – medium sized suction cup
Super glue – one tube will complete 20 to 30 projects
1 – 3D box of nails
1 piece of string 5” long
Drill
1/16” drill bit
Hammer
1. Drill a hole 1/2” deep in the center of one end of the dowel rod. This will prevent the rod from splitting by the nail.
2. Place two small drops of super glue (jelled works best) on the drilled end of the dowel rod.
3. Place the small flat end of the suction cup on the glued dowel.
4. Locate the center of the suction cup and align it with the drilled hole, hammer in the box nail.
5. Punch a small hole in the ear of the suction cup and attach the string. This string, when pulled, will release the suction.
Instructions for using the light bulb changer – push suction cup on center of recessed light bulb (do not wet suction cup) and turn dowel rod counter clockwise. Remove the light bulb from the socket.
Release the suction and dispose of burned out light bulb in a safe manner. Push the suction cup on the new light bulb and screw the bulb into the socket clockwise. Pull the string to release the suction.
House Cleaner Storage
Cover the need to have a house cleaner’s storage area. Show the den how yours is set up, and what it contains. Put together a list of the kinds of toxic cleaners and solvents typically found in a house which require safe storage, such as brass cleaner, bleach, paint thinner, etc. You may be able to provide your den with poison warning labels through your local safety department. The den could use the labels while they work on storage areas at their own homes.
Protect Your Tools
It cannot be said too often that tools are no better than the condition in which they are kept. Assuming you have invested your hard-earned money in a collection of top quality tools, it is only good judgment to protect your investment by adequately and safely storing your tools. In this way you not only insure the life of the tools, but also when you need one, you will know exactly where it is.
Portable Tool Box
This is a handy device for transporting tools wherever and whenever you need them. It can also take the place of a permanent cabinet when available storage space is limited. A tool cabinet is more desirable than a tool box when you have the space; its weight is not a matter of consideration.
Nail, Bolt, and Screw Organizer
This organizer will make finding screws, nails, and bolts easy. The number of containers used, is not limited to 4 but can be expanded.
Materials
4 plastic jars with screw-on lids
1 pine board – 3/4” x 30”
8 roofing nails – 7/8”
2 drywall screws – 6 x 1 5/8”
3/16” bit
1. Lay out the lids to the jars on the board, leaving room at each end to drill a hole for the mounting screws.
2. Nail the lids to the board with two nails. Two nails will prevent the lids from moving when the jars are screwed on and off.
3. Drill two holes in the board, one at each end. These holes will be for the mounting screws to hold the organizer to the bottom of a shelf or bench.
4. With the help of an adult, locate a spot to attach the organizer and mount the organizer with the screws.
SAFETY NOTE – Do not use glass jars as they may break and someone may cut themselves.
The How of Power Mowers
12 safety rules for users of power lawn mowers.
1. Always disconnect the sparkplug wire before working on the underside of the motor or when refueling.
2. Remove sticks, stones, wires or other debris from the mowing area before starting to mow.
3. Never refuel indoors or when the motor is running or hot.
4. Mow only when the grass is dry. Never use a power mower barefoot. Wear heavy shoes. Thousands of toes are amputated or mangled every year when feet slip under blades.
5. Keep children out of your mowing area. Never let anyone get in line with the grass-throwing side of the mower while it’s running.
6. Never leave motor running when mower is unattended.
7. Practice so you can disengage the clutch or stop motor quickly in case of an emergency.
8. Never allow youngsters or inexperienced people operate the mower.
9. On hills and banks cut grass sideways, not up and down.
10. Stand firm behind the machine. Don’t pull it backwards towards you or run with it.
11. Don’t use an electric power mower in the rain. Be sure its frame is grounded through the cord.
12. Have your mower inspected and serviced by an experienced serviceman yearly.
Games for Handyman
Tire Inflation Game
Divide the den into two teams. Have a bicycle for each team. Each boy pumps up empty tire until he thinks it’s full as judged by his feeling the hardness of the tire. The leader checks with the tire gauge to the agreed upon full tire pressure. The team with the average pressure closest to the correct full pressure wins. You think it is too easy? Add a time factor like maximum of one minute per scout.
Match the words with the correct definition.
1. Pedestrian______________________
2. Breaking distance________________
3. Intersection_____________________
4. Hand signal____________________
5. Littering_______________________
6. Traffic_________________________
7. Stop sign______________________
8. Bicycle helmet__________________
9. 8 to 10 seconds_________________
10. Seat belt_______________________
11. Policeman______________________
12. Accident_______________________
13. Traffic signal___________________
14. Yellow light____________________
15. Hazards________________________
16. Tires, breaks, handlebars__________
17. Crosswalk______________________
18. Left___________________________
19. Laws__________________________
20. Blind Spot_____________________
Answers -
A. A place where two or more roads cross.
B. An act in which damage, injury or death may occur.
C. Time needed to walk across a two-lane street.
D. A signal that alerts you to check in all directions for traffic and proceed with caution.
E. 
Distance traveled from the time the brakes are applied until you stop.
F. Items that need periodical maintenance checks.
G. Movement of vehicles on streets, roads or highways.
H. A person who enforces laws of the road.
I. A designated place to cross streets.
J. A person on foot.
K. Places, objects or situations that could cause accidents.
L. An electrical device that controls movement of traffic.
M. The side of the road to be on when walking in traffic.
N. Scattering trash in yards, streets and on the bus
O. Regulations people live by.
P. A sign that is red in color and has eight sides.
Q. An area which normal field of vision fails to see.
R. A safety device to be used by all occupants of a vehicle.
S. Use of left arm and hand to communicate your actions to other drivers.
T. A safety device that should be used by all bicyclists.
Answer key – 1-J, 2-E, 3-A, 4-S, 5-N, 6-G, 7-P, 8-T, 9-C, 10-R, 11-H, 12-B, 13-L, 14-D, 15-K, 16-F, 17-I, 18-M, 19-O, 20-Q
Southern NJ Council
Handyman is a wonderful activity badge especially for the Webelos leader. After all, where else can you get your tires rotated and your oil check on your car for free! All kidding aside the Handyman activity badge deals with simple home and auto repairs along with safety at home as well as on the road. You won’t find 18 different designs for stool or sawhorses in this section. What you will find are some ideas and games to help you out at your den meetings.
Den Activities
· Visit an Auto repair shop or your local tire store. Make arrangements ahead of time so you can visit when the shop may not be so busy.
· Take a trip to your local home center. Check with store manager before you.
· Visit a bicycle shop.
· Have a car wash day. All the adults can come and have there car washed, afterwards have snacks.
· Have a bicycle repair day. Enlist the help of several parents, be sure to have some lubricants such as WD-40 on hand ,a tube repair kit and plenty of rags.
· Check the oil level and tire pressure of parent’s cars.
Home Safety Checklist:
Send home a checklist with the boys so they can perform a safety audit of their homes. Have them determine where their household cleaners and other hazardous materials are stored, and where tools are kept. Are these safe? Are there better or safer places these could be stored? Let the boys discuss these items with you and arrive at their own conclusions. Let them come back the next week and tell you what improvements they made to correct any problems they found.
MARK THOSE TOOLS:
Encourage your Webelos Scouts to avoid a similar problem by marking family lawn equipment. Try one of these techniques:
· Use enamel paint and a brush or a cotton tipped swab to letter the family’s name on a place on the handle that won’t set much wear.
· Wrap some colored electrician’s tape around the handle in some distinctive manner.
· If you have a wood burning tool, use it to burn the family’s name into a wooden handle.
· Use a ten-penny nail or a metal engraving tool to scribe the owners name into the metal.
Super Can Crusher
Supplies:
Two 2 x 4s 18” long 2 1/2” hole saw
2 pieces of PVC 1” in diameter 18” long
1” spade bit.
1.
With the spade bit, drill one hole in each end of the 2x4s. Drill ____ completely through one board and only 2/3rds of the way through the other. The latter will be the bottom board. The PVC pipes should slide freely through the top board, so sand the holes accordingly.
2. With the hole saw, cut holes in the inside faces of the boards (bottom of the top piece top of the bottom piece) about 2 1/ 2” across. These should not be cut all the way through the boards. these will hold the cans.
3. Assemble the crusher, putting the bottom piece on the ground and the sliding pipes into place. Put four cans into the holes on the bottom. Slide the top board in place, hold tight to the pipes and jump on the board to crush the cans.
Make A Five-Board Stool
Materials:
ü 5 boards
Cut the top piece from a 1 “x 8”, which is actually slightly thicker than 3/4” thick and 7- 5/8” wide.
Cut the two ends from a 1” X 6” board
Cut the rails are from two inch stock,
ü Jigsaw or coping saw and a cross-cut saw,
ü a drafter’s compass, a T-square, a drill, finishing nails,
ü white glue, and stain or paint.
Cut pieces using a cross-cut saw for the straight cuts, and a coping saw or jigsaw for the curves in the ends. Lay out the curved lines with a compass and lay out the beveled ends on the rails with a combination square and pencil. Use the square for marking the lines for cutting the pieces to length as well. Be sure to use a sharp pencil.
After the parts are cut, trim the ends with a wood file. Sandpaper all surfaces to remove imperfections. Assemble the stool with two 2” finishing nails and white glue at each joint. To prevent splitting the wood, first drill 1/8” holes through the rails. Then drive the nails just through the rails and into the-ends to locate their position. Next drill the same size holes for the nails in the ends, apply some glue and drive in the nails.
Use a nail set to drive the heads of the nails slightly below the surface of the wood. Give your stool a final sanding and apply a coat of stain or paint.
GAMES
Tool Box Sort Out: Use an egg carton for the tool box. Have an assortment of nuts, bolts, screws, etc., to be sorted. The first boy to sort by size in the proper places in the “tool box” wins.
Nail Driving Contest: Give each boy a hammer and five nails. On the word “go”, they are nail all five nails completely into a round log 4 inches in diameter. First one finished is the winner.
Board Sawing Contest: This is the same as the nail driving contest. Give each boy a small hand saw and a 2” x 4” board. On the word “go”, each boy is to saw his board in half. -
Have A Handyman Scavenger Hunt: Give the boys a list like the one below. Let the boys look for the items, accompanied by either a parent or leader so they don’ t hurt themselves. They do not have to actually physically gather the items listed, but rather write down the exact location of each.
Pruning shears: ____________________________
Lawn mower: _____________________________
Oil can: __________________________________
Pliers: ___________________________________
Nails: ___________________________________
Air pump: ________________________________
Window-cleaning solution: __________________
Old newspapers: ___________________________
Tire pressure gauge_________________________
Tire changing tool: _________________________
Weed eater: _______________________________
Gasoline Can: _____________________________
File: ____________________________________
Crescent wrench: ___________________________
Hammer: _________________________________
Screwdriver: ______________________________
After the locations of these items are recorded, go over the list and see if any of the items are not stored in the proper locations. Also, check the tools for cleanliness and sharpness. Discuss the importance of both these with the boys.
Name The Tools: Cut different silhouettes of tools from construction paper, such as a hammer, plane, brace, bit, wrench, screwdriver, etc. Glue these on lightweight cardboard, and use as flashcards.
Nail Game: Players work in pairs for this game. Items needed: Hammers, boards, nails. Provide each team with a nail, board, and hammer. First Cub drives nail into board. Second Cub tries to pull it out with the hammer. First team to do this wins.
Measuring Worm: Each Cub is measured from shoulder to feet. He assumes a push-up position with elbows and knees straight. He then inches his feet as close to his hands as possible, keeping knees straight. The original position is left by inching forward with his hands, thus finding out the distance from one point to another, depending on how many times he has moved forward. The Cub with the closest measurement is the winner.
Twenty Questions: Each den has five minutes to write down twenty things it takes to make a house. Not what is In a house after it is built, but what it takes to make it. The den that gets 20 things written down first is the winner.
OUTDOORSMAN
OUTDOOR GROUP
Circle Ten Council
The best way to work on the Outdoorsman Activity Badge is at a Parent-Son overnight campout like a Webelos Overnighter. Policies of the Boy Scouts of America encourage Parent-Son overnights during the Webelos years. This is not a full-fledged Boy Scout campout – only a taste of what is to come when the boy joins a troop. After a Cub Scout becomes a Boy Scout, he will become proficient in handling himself in the woods. As a Webelos Scout, he should not be expected to master any of these skills – only to have a little fun in the woods.
Your activities on the Outdoorsman badge should all point towards the Parent-Son campout. If you are working on this badge in the spring or summer, you might dispense with the regular den meetings and concentrate on outdoor activities such as cooking practice, fire building and safety and hiking.
Den Activities
ü Make a tent.
ü Make a den First Aid Kit.
ü Have a den cookout.
ü Learn aluminum foil cooking techniques.
ü Have a campout planning session with the boys. Make a list of items you will need for backyard camping and for Parent-Son overnight.
ü Practice camping in the backyard.
ü Show boys how to make an improvised sleeping bag or bed.
ü Make sure they are familiar with fire safety principles, which include no flame lights in tents or liquid fire starters.
ü Go on a Parent-Son campout.
ü Make simple tools for den outings.
Ideas for Pack Meeting
ü Exhibit – homemade tent, first aid kit, improvised sleeping bag, posters or chats on safety
ü Demonstrate – oral reports from Parent-Son overnight campout, show how to make a tent or a sleeping bag, explain the contents of a first aid kit.
What to do when lost in the woods:
ü A clear head will find itself. If everyone remembered this, there would be fewer reports of persons lost in the mountains and forests, according to the United States forest service rangers.
ü Merely being out of sight of others in a strange forest give many a man the creeps – a natural feeling but a dangerous one. Never yield to it. In the mountains the grip of panic is too often the grip of death.
ü “Finding oneself when lost is the test of a man,” says a veteran of the Forest Service who has seen men, women and even children save themselves by sheer pluck and presence of mind. Loss of mental control is more serious than the lack of food, water, or clothing or the possible proximity of wild animals. The man who keeps his head has the best chance to come through in safety.
The following helpful rules are worth remembering:
1. 
Stop, sit down, and try to figure out where you are. Use your head, not your legs.
2. If caught by night, fog, or a storm, stop at once and make a camp in a sheltered spot. Build a fire in a safe place. Gather plenty of dry fuel.
3. Don’t wander about. Travel only downhill.
4. If injured, choose a spot on a mountain and make a signal smoke.
5. Don’t yell, don’t run, don’t worry, and above all, don’t quit.
6. If caught out toward nightfall, the traveler is urged to find a shelter quickly – a ledge, a large boulder, or a fallen tree – clear a space of ground and build a fire. If without a blanket, he may build his fire in a deep hole, cover 6 inches of hot coals with 6 inches of earth and sleep on the warmed earth. Failing fire, one should use leaves and branches to shelter himself as best as he can. A boy lost on a southern California mountain peak spent three nights safely in this manner.
7. Signal fires are the quickest way to attract attention. Build them in an open spot, cleared of all flammable material so that the fire won’t spread into the forest – you don’t want to burn yourself up. In the daytime throw green branches and wet wood on the blaze to make smoke. The eagle eyes of the Forest Fire lookouts or the observers in the forest patrol planes or commercial shops may spot your smoke. It is difficult for an observer in a plane to see a lone person in the forest, so the lost person must use ingenuity, and the signal smoke is the best method of attracting attention.
Basic Knots
ü
Square Knot – for tightening and loosening a rope easily on guy lines.
ü Tautline Hitch – for tying a rope to a post or ring; it’s strong but easy to loosen.
ü Clove Hitch – for tying a rope to a tree or post.
ü Sheet Bend – used when you want a loop that will not slip or close up; used for rescue work.
ü Bowline – for tying two ropes together and for tying bandages in first aid.
ü Two Half Hitches – for tying two ropes together, especially when one is thicker that the other.
Hand Washer
Materials:
· 1 large bleach bottle or milk jug
· 1 bar of soap
· Leg of old panty hose
· String and knife
· 1 roll of paper towel
· 1 sturdy stick and small twig
Directions:
ü Punch a hole in each side of the bottom of the bleach bottle or milk jug. Run a string through one hole and out the other. Wrap each end of the string around the ends of a sturdy stick. [First slide a roll of paper towel onto the stick.]
ü Bring ends of the string together and tie. Then hand over the tree limb.
ü Slip the bar of soap into the toe of the panty hose. Tie to the handle of the bottle.
ü Punch a small hole about 1 inch from the bottom and plug with a small twig. Remove twig to use. You may wish to tie the twig to the handle with the string so as not to lose it.
Homemade Mess Kit
Staple together two aluminum foil pie plates for thickness. Staple together two more. Use more one double thickness for top of mess kit, the other for the bottom. Fasten together on opposite sides with paper clamp. Tie a leather shoelace through the hole in one paper lamp to make a strap to hang on your belt or bicycle handlebar.
Grocery Sack Bacon and Eggs
Prepare and fold the brown grocery sack as shown. Be sure the sack is clean and empty. Find a suitable “handle” and make a pan, as shown. Place the bacon in the sack first. Cook the bacon, and then place your egg in the sack. Cooking time depends on the heat of the prepared coals. Be sure to have sufficient heat without flames.
Games
Map Study
Each boy is given the same state or regional map. They are then given the names of two cities, which are located fairly far apart on the map. Using crayons, the boys try to trace as many different routes as possible that connect the two cities without duplicating a road in any of the routes. Another Study – You can use the same map to teach the boys map symbols, how to calculate mileage and other map skills.
Map Concentration
Let the boys make sets of map symbols on index cards and play a game of concentration.
Nature Trailing
Game leader clearly marks off an area no more than 20 yards in any direction from outing area. Anything beyond this area is off limits. One player sets off alone. As he walks, he scuffs up fallen leaves, bends twigs and impresses his footprints in wet or sandy spots, in order to leave a trail that others may follow. After 3 to 5 minutes, all others set out to find the trailblazer. They try to follow his trail whether individually or in groups. Meanwhile, the trailblazer hides or returns to outing area and hides. First player to spot him is the winner.
Roadside Observation
As hike begins, each player picks up ten small stones or pebbles, which he carries in one hand. During the hike, game leader points out some natural object – a kind of leaf, fern, or flower – without identifying it. He calls on one of the players to name the item. If the identification is correct the hiker can drop one of his pebbles. If not, the next hiker gets a chance to name the object. The game continues in this manner until one of the hikers has dropped all his pebbles.
Clock Hike
Each boy picks a time, then, using a compass with north as 12 o’clock, you simply hike a predetermined number of paces that the “time” dictates. Then use the next boy’s selected time for the new direction. This teaches a little of compass usage and provides some exposure of what they will get into in Scouts.
Memory Hike
Take a short hike in the area near the den meeting site. While on the hike the leader points out several things of interest. Return to the meeting room and hand out pencil and paper. Have each boy list as many of the items pointed out on the hike as he can remember. The one with the most correct items wins. In larger groups the boys can work as teams, with each team compiling a list.
Southern NJ Council
Remember that the hidden word in Scouting is outing. This activity badge is one of the most important. It is a taste of what awaits the Webelos Scout when he enters Boy Scouting. Don’t miss this opportunity to spend some time with your Webelos and their adult partners. The overnight camp-out takes some planning but is well worth it.
Den Activities
· Practice tying knots
· Plan a camp-in. Find a gymnasium that will let you hold a camp-in. Introduce the envelope bed.
· Build different kinds of fires.
· Plan and hold a cook out.
· Invite someone from a bicycle club to review safety procedures
· Have a fireman discuss the necessity of a home fire safety program.
Hug A Tree And Survive
1. Always carry a trash bag and whistle on a picnic, hike, or camping trip. By making a hole in the bag for the face and putting it on over the head, it keeps the child dry and warm. The whistle carries further than the human voice and takes less energy to use.
2. Hug a tree once you know you are lost. Hugging a tree and even talking to it calms the child down and prevents panic.
3. My parents won’t be angry at me. Children have avoided searchers because they were ashamed of getting lost and afraid of punishment. If they know a happy reunion is awaiting them they will work hard to be found.
4. Make yourself big. Find your tree to hug near a small clearing if possible. Lie down when a helicopter files over. If it is cool and you are rested, make an “S.O.S.” in rocks or shrubbery or by dragging your foot in the dirt.
5. There are no animals out there that can hurt you. If you hear a noise at night, yell at it. If it is an animal, it will run away. If it is a searcher, you will be found.
6. You have 200 friends looking for you. Many children who are lost do not realize that if they sit down and stay put, one of a few hundred people will find them. Some are afraid of strangers or men in uniform and do not respond to yells, and have actually hidden from searchers.
7. Foot printing your child is a five-minute exercise that cuts down the length of a search by several hours. Have the child step on a piece of aluminum foil on a soft surface such as carpeting or pillow. Mark the foil with the child name. With this print, trackers can separate your child’s track from others in the area and quickly determine the direction of travel.
Some Safety Rules For Outdoor Activities
ü Always have as first aid kit handy. If possible, have an adult trained in first aid and CPR attend pack functions.
ü Remember that adequate leadership and supervision help prevent accidents. Encourage boys to pair up in buddies to be aware of each other’s whereabouts at all times.
ü Have a plan for personal or natural emergencies (such as lighting storms, high winds etc.), which may occur during an outdoor activity. Know where emergency care can be obtained quickly. If possible, check out the location in advance for hazards.
ü Avoid such dangers as buildings in disrepair or under construction, fire hazards, stinging insects, poison plants, too-rough sports or games for age and size of boys. Accidents can be prevented.
ü Select a well-identified gathering place in the event the group is separated.
ü Always supervise when Cub Scouts are building fires and cooking. If the den is using a ground fire, clear a space 10 feet in diameter of all burnable materials. Stay away from low hanging branches. Use of chemical or liquid must be limited to adults.
