Training

Sometimes it can be a little confusing to find when and where training is when looking at the Utah National Parks Council website. I have subscribed to the rss feed and I always look amazing when I know when the upcoming trainings are. (At least I do in my own mind...)

Here's a quick guide to find it:

1. Go to http://utahscouts.org/openrosters/view_homepage.asp?orgkey=2195  This is on the Utah National Parks Council website.
2. About halfway down the page is a calendar icon that allows you to view upcoming trainings in calendar form.
3. Underneath the icon are the blue links for specific trainings being held around the Council.
4. The "subscribe to this feed" link allows you to stay up to date with training session information using Google/Reader, My Yahoo or your iphone.

You, too, can appear to have it all together like I do. It's easy. Just stay up to date using these quick and easy methods.

Field Trips

It's warming up out there. Really. It is. Or at least spring is getting closer. What are we to do with these Cub Scouts who have been cooped up all winter? Our last pack meeting was full of ideas to take these boys on field trips.

Outdoor trip ideas included:

• Living Planet Aquarium
• Bingham Copper Mine
• the Bean Museum at BYU
• Paleontology Dept. at BYU
• Cabella's 
• Hutchings Museum in Lehi
• Wheeler Farm in Salt Lake
• Petroglyphs in Eagle Mountain
• Tracy Aviary
• Hogle Zoo
• Parks
• Nature Trails
• Friends in Need Animal Shelter in Eagle Mountain

When all else fails, some things can be learned from books. Imagination is the key here.

The Intermediate Den Leader class had a discussion on field trips, also. Some successful field trips suggested were:

• Camp Williams
• Home Depot
• Lowes

When attending a Saturday morning class at Home Depot or Lowe's, call well in advance to place your den or pack on the list. These classes fill quickly. Often, when a class isn't full and leftover kits are available, they have been known to donate to the cub scout troops who take the time to ask.

We also discussed some not so successful trips leaders have taken with their boys. The consensus was taking rambunctious boys to the Library. When a Library trip is needed, a willingness to leave is necessary on the leaders' part. This way the librarians and patrons are not disturbed too terribly much by boys having loud fun amongst the quiet readers.

The point to field trips is to have fun. Enjoy each other and the many activities in our area. If you have other ideas to share, please email us or leave comments and we will add them to our lists.

Updated Information on Faith In God for Boys

Here is a link to the LDS Church's Website with clarification on how to address the changes recently made to the program now that Primary quarterly activities are no longer required, based on the new Primary handbook. http://lds.org/service/serving-in-the-church/primary/for-parents-and-primary-leaders?lang=eng To summarize the impact to Cub Scouts, in the Faith in God Booklet, page 9, bullet 7 is now the knot requirement, and Page 9, bullet 8 has been omitted.

Link to District and Council Documents

Utah National Parks Council Documents - The council has all sorts of useful documents on their website. Here you can find Utah National Parks Council Documents- Cub Scouts

Den Discipline

The BRAVO board

This idea came from my son's 4th grade teacher that uses it in her class so I adapted it to use for my children for good behavior. Then got thinking this would be great for den discipline. It's easy.. just create a grid with letters on the top and numbers on the bottom. Then laminate the board and use dry erasers. Then when you observe good behavior from a scout you let them put their name on the BRAVO board. Then when all the squares are filled (this could take a few weeks or so depending on how big your BRAVO board is) the you have a Bingo drawing where you but the square number on a piece of paper (such as B4 and so forth). Then just pick out a determined amount of squares (at my house we draw out 5) and then they get to pick out of the reward box, which is filled with items the scout would like (neckerchief slides, first aid kit, candy, etc). This has really worked personally in my household to change behavior and helps me focus on good behavior instead of the negative.

The "Magic Color Changing" Ceremony

I came across this ceremony that I thought was pretty cool. I used the idea on a ceremony for a boy receiving his Bear.

The kids were amazed and LOVED IT!

Neckerchief slide holder

I can't take credit for this. I made this at Akela's council and it's a good thing with all the neckerchief slides I received. These are fairly easy to make, something that your cubs can do.

Just get a piece of wood. You should sand it and you can paint it or put a finish on it. Make sure you drill a hole at the top so that your cubscout can hang it on the wall.

Then just get a piece of peg board.

Line it up on top of your wood piece.

Buy some nails and hammer them into the wood at a slight angle.

You should alternate placement of your nails so that there is space for the neckerchiefs to hang.

Once your done with all the nails remove the peg board. You may have to tap the nails again

to make sure they are in tight and make sure they are all aligned right.

WaLa A Neckerchief Slide holder!

Roundtable Zone Assignment

To many of you who attend Roundtable you may know that we divide up in various zones that make up our District. Starting in Feb. we will be handing over some of our Roundtable assignments to the zones. They in turn will be making assignments to the packs that make up their zones.

January is our Adult Academy Awards night.

Remember we have until Monday to turn in the nominations for the awards. It was requested that at least every zone, but preferably every pack, turn one of those sheets in completed for nomination. We actually want to flood with awards and acknowledgements of merit, so it would be wonderful for every ward to turn in two or three acknowledgements of merit (which didn't have an official sheet, but we needed to know who nominated and their phone number so they could be contacted for more info, the name of the nominee within our Pony Express District, and why they are being nominated). Send the information to Judy: jwhsearch@aol.com

Each zone is assigned to make a flag which stands from the floor and has a base to hold it. The flag should be decorated in a way that represents the zone. Be sure that whatever is on the flag has meaning, as you will be asked to explain the symbolism.

Below are some examples of flags that were made at Akela's Council.

(A GREAT Leadership training!)

We will also be having a decorating contest for the sheet cake, as this is a Cub Scout tradition that we are introducing. The core value for January is Positive Attitude. The night will be as the Academy Awards night. Below is some examples of cakes Cub Scouts have made for our Blue and Gold.

Homemade CubScout Trophies

Spray paint can be a Cub Scout Leaders best friend. You can take almost anything, mount it on a piece of wood and spray paint it gold and it's an award. The boys love it!

I found this bear statue at the thrift store, mounted it to a piece of wood using either Liquid Nails or E6000 (which can be found in the craft aisle at Walmart). This award was made for a Cub Scout who was receiving his Bear advancement.

You can take a plastic cup from the thrift store, mount it and spray paint it. Add some vinyl. Then you can fill the cup with some goodies.

This award was given to each of the boys so they have a stand for their car. The Webelos designed and made it, this helps them pass off a requirement for their Craftsman Pin. The Webelos just used some scrap wood and molding. You can get a small plaque or make one using cardstock and then laminating the card and hot gluing it to the stand.

This Medal was made from canning lids sprayed painted gold. Use a sticker or die cut, add some ribbon and wha-la...a medal for your Cub Scout.

Another stand made by the Webelos. Using scraps of wood. The Cub scout's car becomes the Trophy.

I like to make sure each boy goes home with something, this makes them feel good and helps moral. Boys will want to come back because they feel important. If you want to recognize 1st, 2nd and 3rd Great but remember that you can also judge in other areas; artist, most colorful, slow poke, most stickers, etc...

The Turtle Races

Turtle Races are not well known these days in Cub Scouts but they are something that is a lot of fun for the boys. It teaches the boys that they need to be patient, work at a steady pace, and sometimes slow and steady wins the race.

You can find scraps of wood from construction sites or even going to Home Depot and looking in their scrap departments. I think I got three sheets of wood for $3.00 and I used a jigsaw and cut out 35 turtles.

After you cut out the turtle then the boys can have decorate their turtle. You can add duct tape to the feet or sometimes you can use big, thick rubber bands. This helps on a hard wood floor. Then find a 2X4 and tie your rope/twine to it. I use duct tape to tape down the board to the floor so that it doesn't move. Make a hole at the top of your turtle and then string the twine through. Then the boy needs to get at the end of the string and kneel down, using up and down movements he can then move the turtle from the starting point (which is close down to the 2X4) to the finishing line. You can make your twine as long as you want the boys to race to.