One of the great benefits of being a registered BSA leader is receiving Scouting magazine, published 6 times a year.

Current and archived back issues are also accessible and searchable (free) at the Scouting magazine website. Link

The May-June 2008 issue is now available at the website. Link

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

• Keeping kids safe while outdoors in the summer. Link
• How to make homemade ice cream. Link
• How to minimize UV-ray exposure. Link
• The new BSA centennial logo. Link

Sponge bucket relay games are a lot of fun to play outside when it is hot.

Over/under is one of my favorite outdoor games to do with kids. Here are the rules for the game (via Fun-Attic.com and Matthew Schlageter):

“Divide the group into two teams. Have them form a single file line facing the person’s head next to them.

At the head of each line put a bucket of water. At the other end put a pitcher with a line drawn on it.

Give a sponge to the person at the head of the line where the water bucket is. That person has to dip the sponge in the water to soak in as much water as they can. They have to then pass the soaking wet sponge over their head to the person behind who then passes the sponge to the person behind them through their legs.

The sponge makes its way back over the head of one person and between the legs of the next till it gets to the person standing next to the pitcher.

That person must squeeze whatever water is left into the pitcher and run the sponge back up to the head of the line. When this occurs, everybody moves back one position, and the person who was at the back of the line now is at the head of the line.

Continue process till the pitcher is filled to line.”

This and a lot of other outdoor water games can be found at the Fun-Attic.com link below.

Theme: Go for the Gold, H2Ohhh!

Link

(Sponge photo via Amazon.com)

The July 2008 (”H20hhh!“) Program Helps pages from BSA National are now available (free) for download.

Program Helps is a great resource for crafts, games, activities and more for pack meetings and Tiger, Wolf, and Bear den meetings.
Link

Scouting Magazine has revamped their website. The site now has many more navigational options on the home page as well as more photos and graphics.

Link

The May 2008 Cubcast from BSA National is now available. It has ideas for den meetings and more utilizing the June “Go for the Gold” theme as well as information about the benefits of attending roundtable.

Link

Simon Kenton Council’s Buckeye District roundtable packet for June (”Go for the Gold“) is now available for download. They put together a great roundtable packet each month. This one has games, cooking ideas, crafts, songs, skits, and more.

Link (pdf)

This “I Did My Best” patch ($.99 each) is new from BSA National.  It could be a fun participation reward to give to your Cub Scouts.

Link

Because of some recent concerns about the safety of plastic water bottles made from bisphenol A (BPA), Nalge Nunc International (Nalgene) has announced that it is transitioning to bottles made of different materials. However, Nalgene states that this is not a product recall, and it contends that the polycarbonate bottles made from BPA are safe.

Click the link below for more info from the Nalgene website.

Link

The June 2008 (”Go for the Gold“) Program Helps pages from BSA National are now available (free) for download.

Program Helps is a great resource for crafts, games, activities and more for pack meetings and Tiger, Wolf, and Bear den meetings.

Link

The May 2008 Baloo’s Bugle (by “Commissioner Dave”) is now available. It has lots of games, skits, ceremonies, puzzles, crafts, and other ideas for den and pack meetings for the June 2008 monthly theme (“Go for the Gold”).

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