Scout Mom

Welcome to Cub Scouts: Candy Bar Wrapper

Every year we do a picnic and hike at our local Metro Parks to welcome back our continuing scouts and to welcome in our new scouts. This year, as each new scout was introduced to the pack he was given a Hershey's Chocolate Bar.

 
 

The boys loved it!! This was the first time I tried something like this and was pleased with the results. The scouts were excited about the chocolate and the parents found the info on the wrapper useful.

I created a generic template in case this is something you would like to do with your den or pack.

  Click to download

 
Yours in Scouting,

Becky

Cub Scout Rosary Craft

Ugh, it has been FOREVER since my last post. We have officially gotten back into the scout routine this past weekend with our annual kickoff car wash fundraiser, so hopefully I will be back into the scouting and posting frame of mind.

For the last three years I have been den leader but I am stepping down from the role this year to be the Religious Award Coordinator . Being that we are a Catholic pack, one of the achievements we can work towards are acquiring the patches in the Rosary Series. These awards can be available to Girl Scouts and non-scouts too.

My boys are hands on learners and when I saw this idea over at Catholic Icing, I knew we had to do it! We pretty much followed her tutorial exactly so please click on the link to check out the original.

 
Supplies = $4 from Dollar Store

3 pool noodles and clothes line

 
I let my Webelo son use his Scout Pocket Knife for this project. We measured off  3/4 inch tallies which would give us a few more the the needed 53 Hail Mary Beads.

 
The Our Father Beads we cut at 2 inches. This was great for measuring accuracy and estimation.

 
Start stringing 10 Hail Mary Beads followed by 1 Our Father Bead.

 

Once you have strung 50 Hail Mary Beads and 4 Our Fathers, it is time to bring the two ends of clothes line together. We used the third color pool noodle to make the rosary center followed by one Our Father, then 3 Hail Mary, the one more Our Father beads. Cut a step (think lincoln logs) out of the 3rd color noodle to glue together into the Cross. Catholic Icing does a great job of demonstrating this pictorially.

 

The kids were so impressed with the end result. I was impressed that they already know how many of each kind of bead would be needed for the Rosary without my telling them.

 
Now this is only for an introduction to the Rosary Series and does not fill the requirements to earn the patches. It was just an activity to get the boys excited and it definitely worked!

Blog Love Wednesday #8 : Blue and Gold Banquet

One of my favorite blogs happens to have some Scouting posts every now and then, which makes me like it even more. It's called Nothing But Country and they have a great 2-part post on their Magic Themed Blue and Gold Dinner/ Cake Bake. I think it's pretty cool how they combine the two. They will even show you how to make the awards and favors.

 

The pack leaders over at Nothing But Country do a great job of walking you through their magical event from a entertainment to decorations. Their creativity is endless. Be sure to click on their site and check them out!!

 

Still being new, we have never done a themed Blue and Gold Banquet other than using the colors Blue and Gold for everything. Original I know:) But if we do choose to do a theme this year, I will definitely be resourcing the long list over at Insane Scouter. They have ideas ranging from westerns to outer-space, from Asian to Birdhouses.

I found another really great Blue and Gold Banquet at The Savvy Grandma. And let me tell you, she must be one cool grandma to be a den leader and plan this awesome Survivor themed event.

 

On Vacation

I am taking a little bloggy break this week. I have family in town and three kids starting fall sports this week. Not to mention getting ready for Back To School. I will be back August 8th. Thanks!

Becky

Blog Love Wednesday #7-Scout Ideas

Welcome to the seventh week of me searching other blogs to find cool Cub Scout ideas for you to enjoy.

This first craft comes from A Pumpkin and a Princess. She will walk you through the process of making these neat little American flags from painted popsicle sticks. You could do this craft along with Wolf Achievement 2: Your Flag or Bear Achievement 3: What Makes America Special.

 If doing this with the Wolves I would recommend printing out the meaning of the pledge on page 47 of your handbook or what not to do with your flag on page 49. This can be glued to the back of the flag as a reminder.

 The Cool Crafting Blog is just that, cool crafts that even boys would like. This one is earth friendly, combining planting and recycling.  You can do this project along with Tiger Elective 47: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Wolves could use it for Elective 15c: Grow a Plant Indoors and the Bears could do this along with Achievement 6: Take Care of Your Planet.

Recycled Sports Ball Planters. COOL! 

So, it turns out that I am not the only Scout Mom out there in blogger world. Scouter Mom has all kinds of useful detailed ideas and plans. The one I am featuring today is an outline for the entire den meeting focusing on the Marbles Belt Loop. She also has several links in her sidebar to other scouting blogs and resources.

 

That's all for today. If you like this post, sign up to be a Google Friend and you'll be kept update on my most recent posts.

 

Teaching Scouts To Give-Good Deeds Jar

My assistant den leader came up with this idea for starting off each den meeting and I think it's a great one.

We always start our den meeting around my kitchen table. We recite the Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack. Then we sit down and go around the table. Each scout brings a quarter with him. (I always have extras just in case anyone forgets) We have a container-called the Good Deeds Jar- that gets passed around. When the jar is in front of you, you tell the den one good deed you've done since the last meeting and put your quarter in the jar.

Examples of good deeds may include picking up litter, helping a sibling or parent with a chore, helping at school, etc... At the end of the year, the parents match the amount that the Scouts have collected in the jar. Then the Scouts vote on a charity they'd like the money to go to.  We have only done this for two years. The first years the scouts wanted to donate to our church's vacation Bible school which was low on funds and the second year they donated to the Humane Society.

 
I started with a large apple sauce jar, some Modge Podge, paint brush, red spray paint, Scout magazines and scissors.

I had planned on use general scout images but the I found the mini images in the magazine of 100 Boy's Life covers.

 
I first spray painted the apple sauce lid red and while that was drying I cut out all the pictures.

Paint a small section of the jar with Modge Podge and then stick on a few of your pictures. Seal it by painting over top of the image with more Modge Podge. Continue until completely covered or until it looks however you want.

 
 You can use any kind of container. I just made this one for my younger son's den so that they can start in this tradition.

 
This activity instills such pride in the boys. Whenever I ask them who wants to go first from week to week, all of their hands shoot up.

Thanks for visiting Scout Mom!