Friendly/Friends Near and Far

February's Scout Law Point and Theme
Scout Law Point: Friendly
Theme: Friends Near and Far

Opening Brain Teaser - 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.  (An idea you could use would be to reward the cub scouts a piece of candy if they get it right).

 

How many squares can you find in the diagram above? *Answer is at the end of this section. (scroll down)
(Brain Teaser taken from: The Little Black Book of Mindbenders by John Samson and Elsie Samson; pg. 13)

Gathering Activity

SILLY SALLY

This is a fun game to play with Cub Scouts as they arrive. Give them hints about things that Silly Sally likes and things she doesn’t like. There’s a simple rule for figuring out what her likes and dislikes are. The object of the game is for the boys to figure out what that rule is. Here are some sample hints.

• Silly Sally likes the moon but she hates the sun.

• Silly Sally likes doors but she hates windows.

• Silly Sally likes butter but she hates margarine.

• Silly Sally likes maroon but she hates red.

• Silly Sally likes geese but she hates ducks.

• Silly Sally likes jelly but she hates jam.

• Silly Sally likes tennis but she hates badminton.

• Silly Sally likes the Yankees but she hates the Orioles.

• Silly Sally likes Mississippi but she hates Maryland.

• Silly Sally likes glass but she hates plastic.

• Silly Sally likes the piccolo but she hates the flute.

Can you figure out the rule for her likes and dislikes?

(Answer: Silly Sally likes words with double letters!)
- At Round table another idea was given to post the clues on the walls around the den/pack meeting room so the cub scouts could be doing something while figuring out the the clues.

Flag Ceremony

FLAG AND CANDLE
Materials: U.S. flag; pack flag (optional); three candles—red, white, and blue; five-pointed star The flags are posted in their stands before the pack meeting starts. Five Cub Scouts walk to the front of the room carrying their unlit candles. (Candle-shaped lamps with batteries may be used in place of wax candles. Also, if you do not have colored candles, you can wrap them with tissue paper as shown in the picture above).
Cub #1: Practically from the beginning of time, man has used symbols to express hope, ideals, and love of his own nation. Our flag represents the ideals of science, commerce, and agriculture. It symbolizes the sacrifices made by men and women for the future of America. It stands for your home and everything and everyone you hold dear. I light the red candle, which represents the red in our flag, and stands for hardiness and valor. It reminds us of the lifeblood of brave men and women shed in our defense.
Cub #2: I light the white candle, which is the symbol of purity and innocence, and which represents the white of our flag.
Cub #3: I light the blue candle, which symbolizes perseverance and justice. The blue in our flag directs our view toward the heavens. It reminds us of a power greater than our own.
Cub #4: The stars in our flag represent the individual states. They indicate that the height of achievement for our nation is as limitless as the heavens above us.
Cub #5: Will the audience please stand and join me as we pledge our allegiance to the flag?

-Each Cub Scout places his candle on a table in the center of the meeting room, situated between the American flag and the pack flag. The candles remain lit until the end of the meeting.

Get To Know You Beach Ball

Materials: a blow up beach ball and a black marker. 

 

1)Blow up the ball.  Then with a black marker, write some questions in each color section that can be answered by the boys.

2) In the section they have printed the warning label, find some blank space and write the shortest question.
Some ideas of questions to write on the ball are: A)What is your favorite subject in school and why? B)What lunch hour do you have and who do you sit by?  C)What power would you like to have if you were a superhero?  Why?  D)If you could learn to cook something what would it be?  E)What are three songs you enjoy listening to?  F)Tell us something nice you have done for someone this past week. G)What are your parent's first names and what do they do as jobs?  H)What chores do you do at home? I)What is one tradition your family does at Christmas time that you enjoy?  J)Which sport do you enjoy playing and why?
3) PLAYING THE AVTIVITY: Have them toss the ball to each other. The person who catches the ball asks the question  in the section facing him to the person who tossed the ball to him.

Friends R Fun Hat

Materials: you will need fabric writing paint (This has a small head tip for writing words), masking tape, a hat and a computer.  As far as the color of the hat and paint, you pick which ever colors you like.  I used Neon Green, and Neon Orange for my paint colors and bought a blue hat at a craft store.

1) Using your computer, print off the words "Friends R Fun."  Then cut the paper so the words end up on a strip of paper as seen.  Tape this to the hat above the area you will being writing the words with the fabric paint. (This will help you with your spacing of the letters.)
2) Write "Freinds R Fun" on the hat and let it dry.

Audience Participation Idea
MY AUNT CAME BACK
The leader recites the words and, at the end of each stanza, he adds a motion that the audience must imitate. Have the audience stand and “fan” themselves, then “cut” with shears, etc., until at the end everyone is doing all six motions at the same time and laughing so hard they can hardly stand up. This is a great stunt to try at your pack meeting show.
My aunt came back from old Japan. She gave to me an old silk FAN. (Make fanning motion with right hand.)
 My aunt came back from old Tangiers. She gave to me a pair of SHEARS. (Make cutting motion with left hand.)
My aunt came back from the New York Fair. She gave to me a ROCKING CHAIR. (Rock back and forth on your heels.)
My aunt came back from Holland, too. She gave to me a WOODEN SHOE. (Stomp right foot repeatedly.)
My aunt came back from old Hong Kong. She gave to me the game of PING PONG. (Move head to right and then to left.)
My aunt came back from Kalamazoo. She gave to me some GUM TO CHEW. (Make chewing motion with mouth.)
My aunt came back from Timbuktu. She gave to me some (points to audience) NUTS LIKE YOU!
Cheers/Jokes
1) What travels around the world and stays in a corner?  A Stamp
2) What kind of snack do little monkeys have with their milk? Chocolate Chimp Cookies
3) What did the postcard say to the stamp? Stick with me kid, and we'll go places.
Cheerio Cheer: The right side of the audience says to the left side of the audience, "Cheerio over there."  Then the left side of the audience says it back.

Opening Brain Teaser Answer: Eight

Clean/Winter Wonderland - Trustworthy/The Great Race

For November's Round Table We Shared Ideas For
December's Scout Law Point: Clean
December's Theme: Winter Wonderland
January's Scout Law Point: Trustworthy
January's Theme: The Great Race

Opening Brain Teaser - 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.  (An idea you could use would be to reward the cub scouts a piece of candy if they get it right).

"Fill in the word square to form words that read the same from left to right and from top to bottom." *Answer is at the end of this section. (scroll down)
(Brain Teaser taken from: The Little Black Book of Mindbenders by John Samson and Elsie Samson; pg. 110)

Gathering Activity
12 Days of Cub Scouts

Have all the boys work together to write their own carol based on “The 12 Days of Christmas” but titled “The 12 Days of Cub Scouts.” Give them a sheet with some starting lyrics such as: “On the first day of Cub Scouts, my Cubmaster gave to me / a Bobcat badge for all to see.” Then the boys can proceed with “On the second day of Cub Scouts, my Cubmaster gave to me,” and so on.

On the Twelfth day of Christmas,
My Cub Master gave to me
Twelve _________________________
Eleven __________________________
Ten ____________________________
Nine ____________________________
Eight ___________________________
Seven __________________________
Six ______________________________
Five ____________________________
Four ____________________________
Three ____________________________
Two _____________________________
and a Bobcat badge for all to see

Flag Ceremony
December Opening

Materials: five index cards with lines written on each; U.S. flag and pack flag

Flags are already in the front, and each Cub Scout enters from the side one at a time and reads his lines.

Cub #1: December is a fun time of the year. It is a time for giving and sharing.

Cub #2: As we gather for the last pack meeting for this year, let us remember the good times.

Cub #3: Let us end this year with new determination to keep the Cub Scout spirit going.

Cub #4: As we begin our program tonight, let us keep in mind the true holiday spirit.

Cub #5: Remember, to give of yourself is more important than any gift you can buy.

Cubmaster: Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.





CraftSnowflake Ornament/Snowflake Neckerchief Slide

Materials: cardstock paper, Elmers Glue, scissors, paper cutter, marker, pen, needle and decorative string.
If you want to make the smallest snowflake, you will need: Cardstock paper, Elmers Glue, scissors, two different sizes of Phillips Screw drivers (this is for the thickness of the round metal part of the screw driver), Clear Vynal Tubing 5/8" ID(Inside Dimension) & 7/8" OD(Outside Dimension), Pipe Cutter, E6000 Glue
Directions:
LARGE SNOWFLAKE

1) Using the paper cutter, cut a piece of cardstock paper into 1/2 inch strips LENGTH-WISE.

2) Fold one of the strips in half.
3) Roll one end of the v shaped strip around a Magic Marker almost all the way down to the fold.
4) Roll the other end of the v shaped strip around a ball point pen almost all the way down to the fold.

5) 'Work' with the ends of the v-shaped strip so that the small circle is on top and the large circle is on bottom. (See picture). Then put a dot of glue where it is touching.

6) Repeat 8 more times making a total of 9 sections. Glue these sections together.

7) Thread some decorative string though a needle and sew it on top of one of the sections of the snowflake going in and out once.  Put a dot of glue where you went in and out to make it secure. (See picture)
8) Tie the two ends of the string to complete the ornament.

9) Choose how you want to decorate the snowflake.  You can use glitter glue.

10) Or you can use paint.  To use the paint, put a glob of three different colors on a piece of paper.  Then place the snowflake on top.  Slightly push it into the paint.  Then lift and turn the snowflake slightly and place it down on the paint again.  Do this as many times as you need to achieve the look you want.
FOR THE MEDIUM SIZE SNOWFLAKE

1) Take a piece of cardstock paper and cut 1/2' strips along the WIDTH of the paper.
2) Repeat the same steps that you did for the large snowflake.
FOR THE SMALLEST SIZE SNOWFLAKE/NECKERCHIEF SLIDE

1) Take a piece of cardstock paper and cut 1/2' strips LENGTH-WISE. Then cut this in HALF equaling 5 1/2 inches in length.  Then fold it into a v-shape.  

2) Using the two different Phillips Screw Drivers instead of the marker and pen, follow steps 3 & 4 of the large snowflake.
3) Glue all the contact points with a dot of glue just like the large snowflake. 

 4)Using the pipe cutters, cut a 1/2' ring of the vinyl tubing for your neckerchief slide.

5) Using E6000, glue the vinyl tubing ring to the middle of one side of your small snowflake.

6) You can have the boys make this neckerchief slide with their parents as a gathering activity at a pack meeting.  If you do, It will take some time so you might want to eliminate decorating it with paint or glitter.  Then when they are done making it, a good idea would be to have them place it on top of a yellow sticky or piece of paper with their name on it so they can leave it to dry during the meeting and then retrieve it afterwards.

Arrow of Light Ceremony Idea
6 Colored Candles

Materials:  Battery operated Christmas candle set (I was able to buy mine at an After Christmas Sale at 80% off), fine sand paper, red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple spray paint, blue painters tape, scissors & one large wrapping tissue paper.

1) Take off the heads and base of the candles.
2) With fine grit sand paper, sand the white part of the candles so the paint will adhere better.

3) Wrap the base of the candle in blue painters tape.  Extend some tape past the base so that when you place it on the news paper for spay painting, it will stick to it and help keep the candle part, When placed in it, from falling over during painting. 
4) Put the candle part back into the base. 
5) Cut off a piece of the wrapping tissue and wad it up into a ball. Stuff this into the top of the candle part where the tip used to be so the paint will not get inside the candle.

6) Following the instructions on the spray paint can, paint each of the candles a color.

7) Reassemble candle after it dries.
8) Print of the Arrow of Light Ceremony to read.
Here is the link to the Arrow of Light Ceremony that goes along with these candles:https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4OZXBtb0RDOUNLdmM

Pinewood Derby Treat Ideas
Here is the link to the pinewood derby ideas displayed on the chalk board at Round Table:https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4Oc21xY2RnamVDaXM

Audience Participation Activity
MARSHMALLOW STRAW RACE
Have the Cub Scouts sit around a table. Place a mug or paper coffee cup in front of each player and give each of them a straw. Scatter mini-marshmallows all over the table. Set a timer. Then have the players use their straws to suck up marshmallows and drop them into their mugs. When time runs out, count the marshmallows. The player with the most in his cup wins. When the game is over, fill the mugs with hot cocoa and let them enjoy those marshmallows.

Cheers
Christmas Bells:  Pretend to hold a bell rope.  Then get the left side of the audience to say "Ding!" on the down stroke and the other side to say "Dong!" on the up stroke.
Pinewood Derby: Hold your right hand over your head.  Bring it down as if it were a car coming down a hill or track, while saying "Swoosh!" Then say "Thud!" as it hits the bottom of the track.
Vroom: Make a sound like a car revving up and say, "Vroom, vroom!"

Opening Brain Teaser Answer: