Cub Campouts
Cub campouts are a lot of fun and a great way to keep Cubs coming back for more. Planning a campout is important. The key is to plan a variety of activities, but not to over plan. Kids are often over scheduled so giving some down time in the campout is a great thing. This gives time for the Scouts to play with sticks and use their imaginations!
Arrival and Set Up
Scout families roll in at various times and depending on their amount of experience and gear that they bring they will be ready for activities at different times. Try having these Scavenger Hunts read for those that are ready before others. If you print the Scavenger Hunts in advance you can glue them to the front of a brown paper lunch bag and have a built in collection bag for the Scouts’ treasures. Another great thing for Scouts to do while waiting for others is to collect firewood. Most people greatly underestimate the amount of tinder and kindling that they need to start a fire. Have Scouts collect wood from the ground and sort into piles from matchstick sized to wrist diameter. The prepared pile will make the building process much faster later on.
Traditional Campout Activities
Traditional Scout activities like going for a hike, or some time fishing with families are a lot of fun. There is a good reason why these activities are done so frequently, consider throwing in some Scout classics.
Non Traditional Activities
The classics are always a hit, but consider something a little different that may be new to many families. Here is a Blind Nature Trail and Glow Stick Soccer. Click the link for more activites that can spice up your campout.
Seasonal Activities
Think of some activities that are perfect for the time of year. Seen above are Pumpkin Bowling and a Slip & Slide. For Pumpkin Bowling bring a few small round pumpkins, you will need to cut off the stems. For pins you can use plastic toy bowling pins, or if the ground has been a bit soggy you can use tall tapper candles stuck into the ground as seen above. A homemade Slip & Slide can easily be made with a plastic painters drop cloth, a little biodegradable soap, and a spray of water.
Crafts
Crafts add to any Cub Scout event, and campouts are no different. Pictured here are a Pine Cone Monster and a Craft Stick Catapult. Campouts a great time for these especially the catapults. Bring along some cereal or dry dog food as ammo and anything you don’t pick up with either break down in the rain, or be eaten by the critters. Doing this about 20 feet from your tents is a great way to keep little critters in the “shooting range” area and away from tents at night. There are lots more craft ideas that can be found at the link above.
Invite Guests
Reach out to local civic groups and experts in your area. Your state’s Department of Natural Resources will likely be happy to come out and they usually have animal pelts, bones, and other things that the Cubs will love to look at and maybe even get to touch. Local stargazers can add a lot to a night hike by pointing different constellations and the lore behind them.
Yard Games
Bringing along some yard games is great for Scouts to have during that unplanned unstructured time. Cornhole sets and Ladder Golf like seen above are likely to be owned by members of your Pack. Consider other games lie Bocce Ball, Washers, and Lawn Darts are also a hit. If nothing else toss in a few footballs and frisbees in your stash when you head out.
Campfire Cooking
When thinking about food you can do a lot more than hot dogs on a stick. The link about will give you a ton of great camping recipes that are so good you won’t miss your home kitchen. Make to get the Cubs involved in making the food. There are a lot of things they can prepare independently and it is a great time to work in some knife skills and other kitchen safety.
Evening Campfire
Skits
Songs
Stories
Cubmaster Minutes
Every great Cub Campout has an evening fire. This is a great time to enjoy each other’s company and some fellowship. The Cubs will get to know each other better, especially Cubs from other Dens, and the parents will bond over the flames as well. Above are links to some great skits, songs, and stories that you can enjoy around the fire. Don’t forget a few S’mores before bed, and to end the night with a nice Cubmaster Minute.