For a super fun Cub Scout outing, consider visiting a TV or radio station. Even if your town is small, there are alternative stations your den can visit.
While visiting a newspaper office or a TV or radio station is no longer a requirement in the Cub Scout program, it is one of the coolest Cub Scout outing ideas.
While you're there, learn about how the newspaper, TV station and radio station help the community. Ask your tour guide what he or she likes best about working there. You could also ask them to explain how they communicate.
Depending on where you live, it might be fairly easy to find a place that offers public tours at a time that will work for the den. For others, this will be a challenge. Here are a couple of alternatives that might help you.
Colleges and Universities
Most post-secondary schools have a radio station that is run by the students who are studying broadcasting.
Check with your nearest college to find out if they have a station and if they offer tours. Even if they don't typically give tours, they might be willing to accommodate your den.
Local Schools
Your school (especially the high school) may have a radio or television “station”. Our elementary school has a news report that is televised at the beginning of the day. The show is produced by the older kids at the school (fourth and fifth grades).
Check with the school sponsor, but most will be willing to allow your Cub Scouts to watch the taping or broadcast (if it’s live). The Scouts could ask questions to learn how they are communicating to others in the school.
Our den visited a public radio station, but we had one boy who couldn’t go. He visited the school’s broadcast to complete the former Tiger requirement. This was much easier than having to schedule an actual field trip for one child.
Regardless of which facility you'll be visiting, I encourage you to call well in advance of the date you want to go.
Have you had to come up with an alternative to visiting a TV or radio station? I would love to hear about it!
Yours in Scouting,
Sherry
P.S. If this Cub Scout activity idea was helpful for you, sign up below, and I'll send you more!
