Fun with Themes

Using Themes to make Things Fun
by Chris Sears


KISMIF - Keep It Simple, Make It Fun
    *  One of the purposes of scouting: Fun And Adventure

    *  One of the methods of scouting: Activities

Themes allow you to give greater emphasis to ideas, values, and themes

Example -Perseverance - use a theme of Pioneers or Sports

Resources
     *  Old Pow Wow Books

     *  http://scouterbooks.com/search.php

     *  How To Book

                                                                 * Online ideas -- Baloo's Bugle   usscouts.org/bbugle.asp

         Perseverance:

               Talents - develop talents takes perseverance

               Hiking - hiking takes perseverance

               Trees/Forrester - trees take perseverance

Best resource - your own creative minds in your pack

Example - We wanted to do something for Blue and Gold that gave every boy recognition. We wanted to give each boy a star.  Suddenly it occurred to us to make each boy a deputy in our western town, and the cowboy theme was decided on. It was easy from there, with western gear galore!

Get Ready for Cub Leader Pow Wow

Mark your calendar: August 25, 2012, in Orem will be our Cub Leader Pow Wow! People who attend say that this is a most valuable training, and they plan to go every year they are in Cub Scouts.  Go ahead -- talk to someone who's been there, then be watching for registration and bring your whole pack leadership (which is usually much less than individual pricing).

Humpty Dumpty Derby

Titled on THIS BLOG by a mom named Heidi (click here to learn more) as The most fun ever at a Pinewood Derby! 

"The entire goal of the evening was to break as many eggs as possible, and over the course of the runs down the track, bumpers were removed and track sections dropped to encourage just that.  There were no weight requirements for the cars, and the kids were able to be as creative as they wanted with the egg conveyance device."


Expense:      No need to hire or rent an expensive track.  Total budget
                    cutter for a total blast!
Time:            It's about fun and creativity, rather than speed.  No         
                    weigh-in time.  No rule regulation check.  Only one run
                    per car means a quicker derby.
Fun Factor:  No hurt feelings.  No "unfair".  No super-competitive.
                   No one cares if the boy did it or the dad.  All that's left
                   is fun, ooh's, and laughter as the raw eggs free fall to the
                   tarp at ground level!!

Nutrition Interactive Game

This is an interactive game online that supports the ChooseMyPlate food recommendations. There's also a card game and other resources on this website.

Blast Off Game is an interactive computer game where kids can reach Planet Power by fueling their rocket with food and physical activity. “Fuel” tanks for each food group help students keep track of how their choices fit into MyPlate. Click here to get to Blast Off Game.

Food Pyramid Now My Plate

"The Food Pyramid" has been replaced by the U.S. government by "My Plate".  
For future reference, this is found at ChooseMyPlate.gov. Or, just click HERE.

What's Cookin'?

TOO MANY SHINGLES - a parable and illustration of the need to eat the right foods for your body (from Pack 152)  There is a whole den meeting plan included. Click the title for the instructions, story, and printables, including the chart shown here on the right, and the complete den meeting plan. This will pass off 9 d and e.

Summary:  A story about a contractor who has ordered all the materials to build a house, but at each phase his buyers and workers decide that they didn't want to take the time to do it right (which left him short), but to make it up each brought him shingles for the roof.  With his knowledge and skills, he tried to compensate for their failures, but it became harder as each phase fell short of it's needs. 

If you liked the above idea, Pack 152 provides more great ideas to make this den meeting fun and productive.

HERE is a list of carbohydrates made for visual people. They are listed as Poor, Fair, Good, Better Best.