Hiking Belt Loop Requirements

October 26, 2009 5:41 am

hiking-belt-loop

Hiking is one of the forthcoming new Cub Scout belt loops for the Cub Scout Academics and Sports Program.

I have received from an unofficial source this set of requirements for the soon-to-be available award:

Requirements

Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts may complete requirements in a family, den, pack, school, or community environment. A Tiger Cub must work with his parent or adult partner. Parents and partners do not earn loops or pins.

Belt Loop
Complete these three requirements:
1. Explain the hiking safety rules to your den leader or adult partner. Practice these rules while on a hike.
2. Demonstrate proper hiking attire and equipment.
3. Hike at least 30 minutes with your adult partner, family, or den.

Sports Pin
Earn the Hiking belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:
1. Make a chart and record at least five hours of hiking.
2. Help plan a den, pack, or family hike.
3. Earn Cub Scouting’s Leave No Trace Awareness Award.
4. Earn the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award.
5. Learn seven trail signs and tell your den leader or adult partner what they are.
6. Be able to identify five different trees and five different birds on your hike. (These can be of the same species if multiple species are hard to find.)
7. Using pictures or photographs, identify three poisonous plants. (Examples are poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak; oleander, poinsettia, etc.). Watch for these
8. Take two different hikes for different purposes, for example, a nature hike, neighborhood hike, historical hike, city hike, stop-look-and listen hike, and so on.
9. Explain to your den leader or adult partner what a compass is and show how to use one on a hike.
10. Explain to your den leader or adult partner what a global positioning system is and demonstrate how to use one on a hike.
11. With visuals such as pictures or maps, report about one of your hikes to your den. Tell about how you prepared for your hike, who went with you, and what you saw.

[Photo updated 2009-10-29]

2 Comments | Academics and Sports Program, CUB SCOUTS, Hiking | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

2009 Hiking Emblem

July 14, 2009 9:52 am

2009-hiking-emblem

One of the coolest things about Cub Scouting is introducing boys and their families to hiking. You can recognize the boys in your pack or den who participate in Cub Scout hikes with this new 2009 hiking emblem.

It is $1.19 from BSA Supply Group.

Link

Leave a Comment » | CUB SCOUTS, Hiking, Patches | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

Outdoor Program Guidelines – 2009 Ed.

July 13, 2009 5:51 am

outdoor-guidelines-2009

The 2009 edition of Cub Scout Outdoor Program Guidelines (510-631) is now available at the BSA website.

This 8-page pamphlet provides a great overview of the full range of Cub Scout outdoor activities including camping, hiking, swimming, and field trips. It also has a summary of pertinent BSA safety rules.

All Cub Scout leaders should be familiar with this useful publication.

Link (pdf)

Leave a Comment » | Camping, CUB SCOUTS, Field Trips, Hiking, OUTDOORS | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

“Miles Hiked” Patches

April 27, 2009 5:27 am

miles-hiked

In a hiking program such as the Three Fires Council Hiking Program, each Cub Scout’s miles hiked on den or pack hikes are tracked, and recognition is presented at certain milestones.

In our pack, we have been keeping track of our Cubs’ miles hiked for about a year and a half. It has done a lot to generate interest in and participation at our pack hikes.

We have been recognizing the boys’ mileage with the “miles hiked” patches available from Advantage Emblem.  Once a boy achieves 5 miles, he receives the “miles hiked” patch and the “5” rocker patch. He receives additional patches at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50. (Unfortunately, the patches only go up to 50.)

One of our active hiking Cubs recently received his 40 patch.

Advantage Emblem patches are $2.00 each (discounts for quantity) plus shipping.

Link

550

Leave a Comment » | CUB SCOUTS, Hiking, Patches | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

Buckeye May 2009 Packet (Leave Nothing But Footprints)

April 10, 2009 7:03 am

buckeye-2009-05

Simon Kenton Council’s Buckeye District roundtable packet for May 2009 is now available on the SKC website.

The Buckeye District puts together a great roundtable packet each month. This one has games, cooking ideas, crafts, songs, skits, ceremonies, and more for the Leave Nothing But Footprints theme including lots of hiking-related ideas.

Link (pdf)

Leave a Comment » | CUB SCOUTS, Hiking, Leave Nothing But Footprints | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

Baloo’s Bugle – May 2009 (Leave Nothing But Footprints) Theme

April 3, 2009 7:19 pm

bugle-2009-04

The April 2009 Baloo’s Bugle (by Commissioner Dave) is available for free download.

Baloo’s Bugle is a monthly unofficial publication with games, activities, ceremonies, puzzles, crafts, and other ideas for den and pack meetings. This one covers the May “Leave Nothing But Footprints” theme.

For Webelos Scout den meetings, this Bugle also has activities for the Outdoorsman and Artist Webelos activity badges.

In addition to many different ideas for fun hikes, this issue also has suggestions on annual program planning.

Click here (link) to download it in pdf format or here (link) to download it in Word format.

Leave a Comment » | Artist, CUB SCOUTS, Hiking, Leave No Trace, Leave Nothing But Footprints, Outdoorsman | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

January-February 2009 Scouting Magazine

January 5, 2009 5:49 am

scout-mag-jan-2009

The January-February 2009 issue of Scouting magazine is now available at the magazine website.

This issue has articles of interest to Cub Scouters on the following subjects:

  • BSA Leave No Trace Master Educator Courses. Link
  • Leave No Trace Principles. Link
  • 2009 Philmont Training Center Courses. Link
  • Samoset Council’s Year-Round Active Outdoor Challenge. Link
  • Embroidered Square Knot Award Guide. Link

Leave a Comment » | Camping, CUB SCOUTS, Embroidered Square Knots, Hiking, Magazines, Training | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

New Annual Health and Medical Record

December 24, 2008 5:09 am

ahmr

BSA National has unveiled a new Annual Health and Medical Record that replaces all previous BSA medical forms.

Here are some things to note about the new Record:

  • Parts A and C are to be filled out annually by youth and adult members of all BSA units (including Cub Scout packs).
  • Part B is to be filled out by a licensed health care provider. It is required for resident camp, for events lasting more than 72 hours, and for activities that are  strenuous and demanding such as service projects, work weekends, or high-adventure treks.
  • Units are encouraged to keep the Annual Health and Medical Records in a confidential medical file for quick access in an emergency and to be prepared for all adventures.
  • There is now a mandatory weight limit for those who want to participate in high-adventure activities or events that would require more than 30 minutes for evacuation by ground transportation.

You can download the form here.  Link (pdf)

The official BSA FAQ is here.  Link [Via ScoutingNews.org]

1 Comment | ADMINISTRATION, Camping, CUB SCOUTS, Hiking | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

Three Fires Council Hiking Program

December 22, 2008 5:53 am

3-fires-hiking

Three Fires Council has a great Cub Hiking Program.  It encourages packs to have a Saturday hike each month, to keep track of each boy’s miles hiked, and to do recognition (such as a patch) at each hiking milestone.

The suggested hikes are usually two to four miles each.

There are many benefits to a Cub Scout hiking program including:

  • Recruitment and retention. Most boys who join Cub Scouting are looking for opportunities to do cool things in the outdoors like camping and hiking.
  • Physical Fitness. Many kids do not get much outdoor exercise. Cub Scout hiking is a great way to stay in shape.
  • Exposure to Nature. When boys spend time on the trail, their knowledge and appreciation of nature will increase.
  • Preparation for Boy Scouts. Webelos Scouts who have been on a significant number of hikes have an easier time adjusting being in a troop than those who have not.

Here is the 2007 “Let’s Hit the Trail” Scouting Magazine article about the Three Fires Council hiking program. Link

And here are the shorter (link) and longer (link) pdf packets from Three Fires Council describing the hiking program.

Link

Leave a Comment » | CUB SCOUTS, Hiking, Recruiting, Retention | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

December Hike

December 9, 2008 8:46 am

Having a monthly campout or Saturday hike has been very good for our pack. An active outdoor program is what many families are looking for when their son signs up for Cub Scouts.

But a Saturday event in December is more challenging attendance-wise because people are busy with so many other things preparing for the holidays.

On Saturday, our pack went on a three-mile hike on a wooded pedestrian/bicycle path in town.  We are fortunate here in Arkansas in that most of the winter is really not that cold, and it’s usually not a problem to do things in the outdoors. The temperature was in the upper 20′s when we got started so this was a chillier winter hike than usual for us.

Even though we had only 9 boys in attendance, it was a very pretty morning, and everyone seemed to enjoy the hike.

Leave a Comment » | CUB SCOUTS, Hiking | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

Fall Campout

November 10, 2008 9:24 am

0811080236

We had our fall Pack 19 campout this weekend.  I think it went very well.  We stayed at Devil’s Den State Park.  This was our third pack overnighter, and it was our largest camping group yet.  We had about 20 Cub Scout families camping with us Friday night.

We had three eating groups:  the Webelos families, the Bear families, and the Tiger and Wolf families.  This was our first campout in which we ate together by dens.  Previously, most people on our pack campouts would cook their own food, but I think having group meals made the experience much more enjoyable.

Saturday, we woke up to a chilly fall morning.  After breakfast, we hiked the Yellow Rock Trail (about 3 miles).  We had 26 Cub Scouts on that hike as well as lots of parents and siblings.  Saturday afternoon, we hiked the Devil’s Den Trail (about 1.5 miles) which has a lot of cool-looking cave and rock formations.

Saturday evening after supper, we had a 30-minute informal campfire program which was nice.

Everybody seemed to have a good time on the campout.

0811080277

Leave a Comment » | Camping, CUB SCOUTS, Hiking | Permalink
Posted by Mike Newman

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