#2 - Health and Fitness/Backyard Fun

For April's Round Table We shared ideas for
May's Core Value and Theme
Core Value: Health and Fitness
Theme: Backyard Fun

 

Opening Brain Teaser - Answer is at the end of this section. (scroll down)
This would be a great thing to write on the chalk or white board for boys and parents to have something to think about while they wait for everyone to arrive at a Pack or Den Meeting.

"What word can go before each of these words? DIGGER, LEAF, MEDAL, STANDARD, STAR?"

Gathering Activity - Movement Challenges

Pebble Stretch

Materials: 1 pebble or bead for each player.

A player sets his toes at a starting line, stoops forward and, with one hand on the ground, places a pebble as far out as possible. He then springs back to a standing position without shifting the hand on the ground or moving his feet across the line. Also, his knees must not touch the ground. The Cub Scout who places his pebble the farthest wins.

Stork Stand Contest

No materials needed.

Each boy stands with his hands on his hips, raises one knee, and then places the foot of that leg on the knee of the other leg. Hold for as long as possible.

Ankle Ball Toss

Materials: 2-inch diameter ball.

The Cub Scout places the ball between his ankles and then jumps up. While jumping, he kicks his legs back and lets go of the ball. The idea is to flip the ball as high in the air as possible. 

 
Heel Click

No materials needed.

As Cub Scouts jump into the air, they click their heels together while they are off the ground. Once they can click their heels together one time, have them try to do it two times.

Food Facts Place Mats

Helping boys to eat good food may be as simple as teaching them what the food can do for them without letting them know that you are telling them they have to eat healthy.  These place mats are a good idea to help the boys learn about the qualities of food and on their own say, "Mom, Dad, I think we should eat more kiwi or oranges or etc...!"

Instructions: Down load and print off the sheets that contain the pictures & information. Cut out and glue the food pictures onto a 12" x18" piece of construction paper.  After gluing the pictures and information on the place mats they can then be laminated to last through multiple meals.  
Note: The information provided on these sheets is but a small amount of information contained in the books I used.  I recommend purchasing some books on fruits and vegetables to learn more.  The books I used were
1) The World's Best PowerFoods; No author was mention on the book, but the publishing company was Robert Kennedy Publishing.  (This book was bought at a convince store and may not be in print any longer)
2)The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
Click on the Following Links Below to bring up the food pages you can print out.

Apples, Raspberries & Pineapples:https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4ONXF6SHBnSWxacDA&authuser=0

Avocados, Celery & Lemons: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4OUUxCWEdEbmVrcHM&authuser=0
Carrots, Cherries & Spinach: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4OSDlTYzM0UlhEb00&authuser=0
Cauliflower & Beans: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4OUWFzUFNaN1lZdzg&authuser=0
Kiwi, Eggs & Grapes: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4OMFJYMGw5LWFZWnc&authuser=0
Water Melon, Garlic & Cinnamon: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4ON1lKTW5SOURhTmc&authuser=0
Blue Berries, Oranges & Almonds: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4OMXpUOWh6YmJObUE&authuser=0
Strawberries, Bananas & Coconut: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4OMzhvSVphTTdLbG8&authuser=0

Food Facts Concentration Game

Print off the following sheets on Card Stock. Almonds, Avocados, Apples & Blue Berries: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4Oal9tZWZlbXM1b2M&authuser=0Oranges, Garlic, Cinnamon & Grapes: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4OaU03NjNLSlNqQTQ&authuser=0
Carrots, Celery, Eggs & Kiwi: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4OVGJUSXZNZ0hWOGM&authuser=0
Cherries, Spinach, Strawberries & Cauliflower: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4ObjQ3SjQ1UW55R0k&authuser=0

Cut out the cards and then have the cub scouts play the game of concentration using these cards as a den opening activity- to give them something to do while everyone is arriving. 

Taste Test Fruits or Vegetables

 

Buy 3 to 6 fruits or vegetables that the boys would not normally eat like  Persimmons, Papayas, Pomegranates, Guava, Kiwi, Mangoes, Turnips, etc... and cut them into little bites for the cub scouts to try out.   Be sure to include 1 or 2 fruits or vegetables that all the boys will mostly like eat so that if a boy does not want to try the unusual ones, they have something they can nibble along with everyone else; like bananas and carrots.

Another idea would be to buy 3 to 6 different kinds of apples and see if the boys can taste the difference.

Tissue Sprint Game

Materials: sheets of facial tissue.

On a signal, each racer throws an unfolded tissue out ahead of him, walks to it, picks it up, and repeats until he has reached the finish line. After a tissue has been thrown, it may not be caught or touched before it hits the ground. If this happens, the player must take two giant steps backward. No one can move forward while holding the tissue or let it blow against his body or clothing.

Cheers
Healthy Smoothie Cheer: Pretend to put fruit, yogurt, honey & ice in blender. Then make a Blurrrrrr sound. Pour some in a glass wipe your mouth and say "Delicious"
Big Hand Cheer: Everyone needs to lend a hand to the environment when having fun outdoors—a “big hand.” This is

done quietly, and in the background. To give a big hand of applause, extend your open right hand into the air. Then there’s a big hand with feeling: Tickle the palm of your right hand with the pointer finger of your left hand. Let’s give ourselves a BIG HAND … with feeling!

Audience Participation Story (Great for Pack Meetings)
The True Story of Smokey Bear
Divide the audience into six groups. Assign each group one of the words listed below. When their item is mentioned in the story, group members should shout the designated phrase. Have a practice session before starting the story.
BIG TREE: “I am tall and strong!”
MIDDLE- SIZED TREE: “I give you shade!”
BABY TREE: “I will grow tall, too!”
BABBLING BROOK: “Babble, babble!”
CAMPER: “I love the FOREST.”
FIRE: “Crackle, crackle, crackle!”
FOREST: All three tree groups say their phrase at the same time.
SMOKEY BEAR: All six groups say, “Only you can prevent FOREST FIRES!”
Once upon a time, in a beautiful, lush, green FOREST, there stood three trees: the BIG TREE, the MIDDLE-SIZED TREE, and the BABY TREE. A BABBLING BROOK coursed through the FOREST, bringing cool water to the plants and animals. One summer day, a CAMPER decided to set up his camp near the three trees. He pitched his tent and then he built a FIRE to cook his breakfast. The CAMPER didn’t remember to clear the leaves, twigs, and branches from the area around his FIRE. And he didn’t remember to set a bucket of water from the BABBLING BROOK near his FIRE.
After breakfast, the CAMPER decided to go on a hike. He didn’t remember to make sure that his FIRE was out and cold before he left the site. A short time after the CAMPER left, the FIRE threw some sparks into dry grass nearby. It started smoldering, and, in a very short time, the FIRE spread to the FOREST. The BABBLING BROOK was not close enough to put out the FIRE. It didn’t take long for the animals of the FOREST to hear the sounds of the FIRE. Soon they smelled the smoke and tried to flee. A bear cub was one of those animals. He couldn’t see where his mother had gone, so he did what she taught him to do when there is danger. He climbed the BIG TREE.  The FIRE roared through the FOREST. It burned the BABY TREE and the MIDDLE-SIZED TREE. It even singed the BIG TREE that the bear cub was clinging on to, but the FIRE did not burn the trunk of the BIG TREE and the bear cub was safe.
After the FIRE, a FOREST ranger found the baby bear still in the BIG TREE. He climbed up and got the bear cub down. The bear cub was scared and singed. He needed the FOREST ranger to take care of him, and soon his burns healed. The FOREST ranger decided to keep the bear cub and raise him. He called him SMOKEY BEAR, because he had found him after the FIRE. The story of the rescued bear cub has been told by many rangers in many FORESTS across our country. SMOKEY BEAR became the symbol to remind CAMPERS and hikers, like you and me, to be careful with FIRE. This message, to help prevent FOREST FIRES, is still told to protect all the BIG TREES, the MIDDLE-SIZED TREES, and the BABY TREES, so we can enjoy the FORESTS with the BABBLING BROOKS running through them. “Remember,” says SMOKEY BEAR, “only you can prevent FOREST FIRES.”

Opening Brain Teaser Answer: Gold