ScoutStuff.org’s  Be Prepared Newsletter provides news, tips, and other useful information about Scouting and the outdoors. Information is for all program ages, including Cub Scouting.

This newsletter is emailed every month.

link

Create your own PWD 18 wheeler big rig that comes complete with the Adventure Base 100 Tour graphics that will be on trucks traveling across the US in 2010.

Kit includes 1 trailer, 18 wheels, 2 axles, 8 long axles, trailer connector, 1 small wheel base, 1 large wheel base, 2 cab panels, 1 woos cab block, instructions with template for carving.

Truck races on existing Pinewood Derby track.

Activities are used to achieve the aims of Scouting—citizenship training, character development, and personal fitness. Many of the activities happen right in the den and pack. The most important are the weekly den meetings and the monthly pack meetings.

National Council’s Cub Scout page has links to download the NEW meeting plans.

For those Cub Scouts leaders who prefer digital resources, your wait is over.

Part of the new Cub Scout Delivery Model, this new resource offers den meeting plans for all ranks, plus pack meeting plans connected to monthly themes.

Also includes a light overview of the Cub Scouts program, an introduction to den leader responsibilities and den management, and an online resource list.

Other  resources available include:

• Cub Scout Leader Book
• Webelos Leader Book
• Roundtable Planning Guide
• Cub Scout Den & Pack Ceremonies

link

About two-and-a-half years ago, I started this noncommercial blog website with the goal of helping Cub Scouters put on a great Cub Scout program.  In particular, I wanted to share with others the things which, as a Cubmaster, I found had been very helpful in our pack with Cub Scout recruiting and retention.

Among the things that worked well for us were having good planning and communication, fun activities and field trips, an emphasis on getting rank badges earned, and remembering that the boys want and need to do things in the outdoors.

I have been pleasantly surprised at the level of success KISMIF.org has had in being able to reach a wide audience since it has been in operation.

At present, my time commitments (work, family, my hiking website) are such that this is a good time to pass administration of the site on to someone else.

I am pleased to announce that Nancy Davis, a long-time Scouter in Florida, will be handling the administration of KISMIF.org from here forward.  I know she will do a great job.  I am very appreciative of her being able to carry on the goal of KISMIF.org of providing helpful information and tips for Cub Scouters.

–Mike Newman

Trailhead (formerly “News Briefs”) in the May-Jun 2010 issue of Scouting magazine includes the following news stories of interest to Cub Scouters:

• Scouting Centennial Csatari Mural
• BSA Motorsports Marketing Program
• BSA Alumni Program
• 2009 Annual Report

Link

The May-Jun 2010 issue of Scouting magazine is available at the magazine website.

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

• Cub Scout Geocaching Fun. Link
• New Cub Scout Program (Cub Scouts 2010). Link
• Belt Loop Day Scheduling. Link
• Building Durable Self-Esteem. Link
• Outdoor Footgear. Link
• Rattlesnake Safety. Link
• Camp Java. Link

Jeremy Zweiacker is a KISMIF.org guest blogger from Oklahoma.  He is a Tiger Cub Den Leader, an Eagle Scout, and a long time Scouter.

A couple of weekends ago, our pack went camping in the great outdoors — the first Scout camping experience for some of our Cub Scout families.

I’d like to share with you some of what I think made it a great campout.

Planning the Pack Overnighter

We began our campout planning several months in advance.  In August, we set the date for the campout and started telling our Cub Scouts and the parents about the plans.

In the fall, a page on our pack website was devoted to camping. We shared information about the importance of camping in the Cub Scout program and in helping boys prepare to be future Boy Scouts. The page also includes information about camping rules and safety and helpful hints like storing your sleeping bag in a pillow case instead of the stuff sack and more.

Since we did not want Cub Scout families wasting money buying new equipment, we worked with local Scoutmasters to see what camping equipment the boys would be able to continue to use when they become Boy Scouts. Suggestions included headlamps over traditional flashlights and that a Frisbee makes a great plate!

Then, in early March, pack leadership spent the weekend getting the required Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) training.

Our Pack Campout

Finally, the big weekend arrived. Despite constant drizzle and a location change, we had a great turnout, and our Cub Scouts had an awesome time.

We began our campout Saturday afternoon and everyone headed out to go fishing to start the weekend. As soon as everyone arrived and the tents were set up, we headed to an open field to work on the kickball belt loop. We also worked on the hiking and flag football belt loops. We let everyone have some family time, and of course we ate!

Saturday night, we held a short campfire that had some songs and skits by the boys. We then performed a flag retirement ceremony.

Sunday morning we had biscuits-on-a-stick and held a short outdoor worship service. A parent brought a guitar to play along as everyone sang.

After the service, we picked up the campsite and left it cleaner than we found it.

Keys to Our Successful Campout

Here are some things that helped make this campout go well:

• Opportunities for everyone to be involved and learn, including siblings.
• An agenda that was developed that took each minute of time so that Cub Scouts would not be bored. We even scheduled downtime for the families so they could explore the museum and displays where we were camping.
• A nearby playground helped. We had some Cub Scouts who were only 6 years old. When the younger Scouts lost interest in kickball, and older Scouts wanted to keep playing, we could do so and keep everyone going because we could use the playground.
• Opportunities for cool outdoor scout things like the adults cooking desert in a dutch oven.

Idea for Future: Pack Box

Our pack has not traditionally gone camping, but we are working to improve our outdoor program.

One idea we have is to build a “pack box” (like a patrol box). If one of our parents had not remembered to bring a spatula, we would have been removing the hamburgers from the grill with our fingers.

Our pack box will include things that are traditionally stored in a patrol box like the first aid kit, cleaning supplies, cooking tools, and miscellaneous supplies. The box will be kept by the Cubmaster and available for use at pack overnighters and Webelos den campouts.

We also will begin to build a second pack box that will store outdoor game equipment. In it we will store footballs, kickballs, rubber bases, plastic cones, and other outdoor play equipment.

Sign of Success

When my Tiger Cub and I were headed home, he leaned over to me and asked, “Dad, can we do this again?” I think I have him, and his fellow Cub Scouts, hooked on camping, and I could not be happier.

Perhaps you have been wondering what the official den meeting plans for Cub Scouts 2010 will look like.

Wonder no more. You can now download Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and Arrow of Light den meeting plans at the BSA National Cub Scouts 2010 website:

• Tiger Cub Den Meeting Plans
• Wolf Den Meeting Plans
• Bear Den Meeting Plans
• Webelos Den Meeting Plans
• Arrow of Light Den Meeting Plans

If you’re thinking about den and/or pack meeting plans for this fall and would like to see what the official BSA Cub Scouts 2010 materials will look like, your wait is over.

The new Cub Scout Den and Pack Meeting Resource Guide is available now at the BSA National website.

You can also purchase it at your local scout shop.

Link