May 2005 Cub Scout Roundtable Issue Volume 11, Issue 10 June 2005 Theme Theme: Destination Parks Webelos: Traveler & Artist   Tiger Cub Activities GAMES Twig Matching San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils Obtain several twigs 8” to 12” long from different types of trees. Cut each twig in half (approximately). Mount one half of each twig on a board. Scatter the other halves on a table. When called a player observes closely the twig on the board being pointed to by the leader. He then runs to the twigs on the table to get the other half. If the wrong half is brought back he tries again. When he is done, the leader selects a different twig for the next player to retrieve. This game requires close observation. Leaves may be used in the same way. Vary the game by using flowers with stems cut in half or petals removed. Spot Spy San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils This game is great fun when resting on a hike or when loitering along the way. The leader says, for example, "I can see 5 white oaks." The group is given one or two minutes to spot the 5 white oaks. All those who see them may indicate it by sitting down, taking off their hat or by some other agreed signal. All those who see the object get a point. Nature Hunt San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils First, make up a list of nature objects for which your den can search. The objects should not be any live plants. They should not pick live flowers or grass or leaves etc. Here are a few ideas; you will have many more of your own: Fallen Leaf                           Seed of any type A smooth rock                          A jagged rock A colorful rock                              A pinecone Seashells                                            Twigs Dead blade of grass In this game, you name only the first item to be found. As soon as the Scout finds the first item and brings it to you, you can give him the name of the next item. The first one to find all the items is the winner. Into The Pond San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils This is a “Simon Says” type game. Mark a circle on the floor. This represents the pond around which all the Cub Scouts stand. A chosen leader gives the command, “Into the pond!” All around the pond jump inside the circle. On the command “On the bank!” they jump out of the circle. If the command “On the pond!” or “Into the bank!” is given, no one should obey. Anyone who does is out of the game. Memory Game San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils Have boys gather in a circle. This game begins with the first Cub Scout describing something that he would experience in the park or forest. I went to the park and …. I saw … or I did …. or I heard… or I noticed… or I felt…. The game continues with the person to the right, repeating the response of the first Scout and then adding: “I went to the park and ….I saw , heard, noticed, felt The next Scout repeats the first two responses and adds his own, continuing around the circle until the list becomes too long to remember. The game provides a good opportunity to reinforce values about what can be done at a park, both positive and negative, and to stimulate discussion about our responsibilities to the environment. Bird, Beast Or Fish San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils Boys sit in a circle except the one who is “IT”. “IT” throws a knotted handkerchief at a player and calls out “BEAST” or “BIRD” or “FISH” and quickly counts to ten. If the player cannot think of a name for whatever was called out in that time, he is “IT.” Once the name of a bird, beast or fish is used, it cannot be used again. Continue the game for as long as everyone decides. Keep America Beautiful San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils The players are told that a tree will be planted, and through the magic of Cub Scouting, it will grow and blossom. Make two teams of four (or whatever half of your den is OR FOR A pack Meeting game – each den is a team and the Denner is the Captain) and each team selects a captain. The captains are given signs to wear which say "sapling." Each captain stands in the middle of his team. Others on the team are handed a paper bag that contains a roll of scotch tape, 20 or 30 green construction paper pieces (leaves), a bird’s nest (grass or straw) and a few small real branches. At the signal, each team begins to make their "sapling" grow by handing him the branches to hold and taping the contents of the bag to him. The first team to finish is the winner. That's My Leaf San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils Each boy takes a leaf from the same kind of tree and looks at it carefully for one minute. Then, put all the leaves in a pile and stir them up together. Can you find your one-of-a-kind leaf? What makes it special or different from all the other leaves? Press the leaf carefully. Send pressed leaves to one of your kind friends, and tell them how they are like the leaves. Look up the Potato game in Ethics in Action or the Scoutmaster’s Junior Leader Training Kit for ideas on how to debrief this game.  This game can have an excellent reflection that is a real learning experience.  CD National Parks Traveler Greater St. Louis Area Council Boys walk along in single file (or stand in a circle).  The lead boy (or the one in the middle) is “It”  He stops and points at another player, and announces, “I am going to Meramec State Park.(Parvin State Park)” (Use the name of any federal, state, or local park). The player he pointed to must call the names of three things before “it” can count to ten. All three of these things must begin with the first letter of the announced park name of the traveler, such as “money, milk, and music” (paint, pickles, petunias). If he fails to do so, he takes the traveler’s place. Centipede Race Greater St. Louis Area Council It is best to run this race outdoors on soft ground. If you try it on a hard floor, it will be hard on hands and knees. Divide the group into two teams. The players on each team get down on their hands and knees, one behind the other. The one in back grasps both ankles of his partner in front of him, so that each team forms something resembling a centipede. On signal, the centipedes move away from the starting line, and creep toward the finish line. Snowfight at Denali National Park (Denali is the National Park in Alaska that has Mt. McKinley, the tallest peak in North America.  Denali is the native name for the area.) Greater St. Louis Area Council This one creates quite a mess, but it’s worth it. Divide into two teams and put a divider down the center of the room (like a couple of rows of chairs, back-to-back). The two teams are on opposite sides of the divider. Give each team a large stack of old newspapers, then give them five to ten minutes to prepare their “snow” by wadding the paper into balls – the more, the better. When the signal to begin is given, players start tossing their snow at the opposing team (which really does look like a snowstorm). When the whistle blows a second time, everyone must stop throwing. Judges determine the winner by deciding which team has the least amount of snow on its side of the divider. With larger groups, watch out for players who lose their eyeglasses or other personal belongings in the snow, which gets pretty deep. After the game is over, provide plastic garbage bags and have a race to see which side can stuff the snow into the bags first. Frogs, Insects, and Flowers Greater St. Louis Area Council Divide the group into three circles, one inside the next. The boys in the outer circle are flowers and stand still. The boys in the inner circle are insects and begin the game with one knee on the ground. The boys in the middle circle are frogs and begin the game standing. When the whistle sounds, the insects have ten seconds to run and tag a flower. They may avoid capture (being tagged by a frog) by ‘flying' (touching one knee to the ground). Frogs chase the insects and can 'follow' an insect by turning 360 degrees during which the insect can fly off. After each round, successful frogs or insects remain as that creature for the next game. A captured insect becomes a frog. An insect that is not captured, but does not touch a flower, becomes a flower. Each round creates changes in relationships. A balanced game can go on indefinitely, but if frogs are too successful, the insects are wiped out, which causes the frogs ultimately to die. If the frogs are not successful, they may be wiped out and large uncontrolled numbers of insects may result. Return to Top of Page - Click Here 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. Materials found at the U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. Website ©1997-2005 may be reproduced and used locally by Scouting volunteers for training purposes consistent with the programs of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) or other Scouting and Guiding Organizations. No material found here may be used or reproduced for electronic redistribution or for commercial or other non-Scouting purposes without the express permission of the U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. (USSSP) or other copyright holders. 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