DS's Cub Scout pack campout and advancement/crossover ceremony is this weekend. Got oodles of game and skit ideas, as well as activities related to what we've done over the past scouting year. Hoping for a hike on some of the trails in the area, but the heat and humidity may be an issue for that. Fishing is of course a possibility as well. Got a telescope to bring for the night time (for those who will be camping with us). Any other ideas or suggestions for this weekend? I am sure I have either missed something obvious or omitted it. Keep in mind our "official" start time is not until 2 pm on saturday. Thanks in advance.

How about a down-time craft? Bows and arrows, sling shots or something sewn, or something for a quieter "We're pooped after that hike!" activity?

We played a crazy leader game at Cubaree last weekend and kids got to sit and watch. There was chocolate pudding eating and egg splattering contest included. They had a lot of fun with it! (And yours truly ended up covered in pudding and eggs.)

Good idea jac. Let's see, got some rope ... and some scouts ... now what?

If they all bring their kits and walking sticks, we can use some better rope to "beef up" the leather-strap-so-thin-it-broke-just-tying-an-overhand-knot handles on their walking sticks, and maybe practice using their signal mirrors. might need a better craft though. Any ideas for a last minute, easy-to-put-together-that-they-haven't-seen-before craft?

Of course they could always use the tired down time to practice their campfire skits.

Good ideas Mark! I think we might do walking sticks next weekend!

Last weekend we made snakes out of men's ties. Sew up the little end, then stuff with stuffing (old pillows work great!) and then put a straighten out coat hanger down the throat of the snake and sew up the mouth. Add some googly eyes and maybe a tounge and you've got a snake. (Our camp theme was "Jungle" so it fit perfectly and KAA really liked.)

We've done a bunch of leather craft this year too - key fobs, woggles, luggage tags and bracelets. The kids really love those!

Father's Day is next weekend. Maybe make something for the Dads (Grandpas, Uncles, Number one guy in a Cub's life?)

Cub Kars are always fun. If there's water nearby, how about Cub boats?

Knot tying?

How was camp Mark?

Late, I know but how about whipping the handgrip of their hiking sticks? Mason twine works ok if you can't get whipping thread of an appropiate color and size from a ship chandelry or boat shop.

The best,

Jerry

Thanks for all the great ideas. The campout was grrrrr-eat, except our webelo who was getting his Arrow of Light was a no-show. Found out he and his family had went to Kings Island for two days, Dad was beat up and sore from all the rides and didn't want to camp, and his son (the webelo) didn't want to come if he didn't get to camp. Disappointing to say the least.

As it turned out, we brought enough games, the kids brought more stuff of their own, and the kids had plenty to do. We started with a game called Atomic Particle Collecting. If you use this game, I'd advise NOT using M & Ms as the particles. They do have that candy shell, but eventually it breaks and the melted chocolate gets out and makes a mess. Lesson learned. Next, the boys wanted to play monkey in the middle so we played that for quite a while. After some breaks and plenty of hydration, we played SPUD. We started with a soft nerf football, then moved to using a bucket of water with a splatball shaped like a football. The boys (and girls I might add, siblings and relatives of some of the scouts) had fun getting cooled off.

By then it was time to eat, so everyone went for some hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans, etc. A nice long break and more needed hydration ended when one of the boys asked about some laundry baskets I had brought. We took advantage of the blacktopped camp access road and played Bucket Ball. That lasted for quite a while, and the kids even had fun calling out "cars" and removing the baskets from the road when a car came down the road. From there it went to dodge ball, which took us almost up to the awards ceremony. Of course not everyone was playing certain games at certain times. Sometimes, the younger boys were distracted by a blanket with lots of toy wrestlers on it. Other times some of them threw footballs back and forth. I think everyone had a good time, and only a few boo boos and minor injuries to speak of. Of course it wouldn't have been a cub scout campout without some rain. Luckily it was short lived, and only rained while we were eating.

The advancement ceremony was small and intimate, as it usually is for us. We waited til close to dark, had a nice campfire burning in the background, and the Cubmaster recognized all the boys for their accomplishments throughout the year. Afterwards we sat around the campfire til, one by one, everyone went to their tents for the night. next morning we packed up and left, tired but with happy memories of a fun campout.

Sounds like great fun Mark, except the Weebalo part. That's a shame. Kudos on a great job!

BTW - what's the difference bwteen a Weebalo, Tiger, Bear, etc.? (We don't have those!)