
If you want your Cub Scouts to feel like these poor kids, then keep them sitting at a table the entire meeting doing passive activities. If you are a parent of an elementary school aged kid, you know that we can't keep them sitting for long before boredom sets in.
But, we don't want our den meetings to become a free-for-all either. It's important that the Scouts have both active and passive experiences.
One of the things I love about the Cub Scout program is that there is less emphasis on “school-like” activities and more emphasis on keeping the kids engaged–even during a “passive” activity.
Plan your Cub Scout den and pack meetings so that the activities switch between passive and active. When they start to get a bored with a passive activity, you can switch to something that engages them more physically. When the Scouts start to get a little too “excited” with their activity, switch back to a more passive task.
Below you'll find some of the active and passive activities in the Cub Scout Adventures.
Active Rank Requirements
Examples of active activities include:
- Tiger Adventure – Safe & Smart 2a: Show you can “Stop, Drop, and Roll.”
- Wolf Adventure – Running with the Pack 5: Do at least two of the following: frog leap, inchworm walk, kangaroo hop, or crab walk.
- Bear Adventure – Roaring Laughter 4: With a partner, play a game that makes you laugh. (The Smile Game is a good one!)
- Webelos/AOL Adventure – Sports 1: Show the signals used by officials in one of these sports: football, basketball, baseball, soccer, or hockey.
Passive Rank Requirements
Here are some examples of engaging passive activities.
- Tiger Adventure – Team Tiger 4: Make a chart to show three ways that members of your Tiger team are different from each other.
- Wolf Adventure – Paws on the Path 8: Draw a map of an area near where you live using common map symbols. Show which direction is north on your map.
- Bear Adventure – Critter Care 3: Make a poster about your pet or a pet you would like to own. Share your poster with your den, pack, or family.
- Webelos/AOL Adventure – Earth Rocks! 1: Explain the meaning of the word “geology.” Explain why this kind of science is an important part of your world. Share with your family or with your den what you learned about the meaning of geology.
Active Games & Activities for Cub Scouts
If you just want some fun, active games to play with your den or pack, here are some suggestions:
Passive Games & Activities for Cub Scout Meetings
For fun, passive activities, try these:
- Download these free Cub Scout word search puzzles.
- Bicycle Safety Worksheets
- Play these Scout Oath and Scout Law puzzles
- Practice tying knots
What are some of the ways you keep your Cubs engaged during den or pack meetings?
Yours in Scouting,
Sherry
P.S. If you liked this Cub Scout suggestion, sign up below for more cool tips!
6 Super Fun Popcorn Games for Kids to Play
Friday 30th of April 2021
[…] fun for your entire family. And they're perfect for Cub Scouts! In fact, you can have an entire den or pack meeting with popcorn […]
Cub Scout Games: Rattlesnake Game
Monday 11th of January 2021
[…] you need a fun, quick activity to do after a passive task, energize your Scouts with the Rattlesnake […]
Cub Scout Gathering Activity: The Smile Game ~ Cub Scout Ideas
Monday 26th of October 2020
[…] smile game is such a fun game that can be played quickly as a Cub Scout gathering activity or as an active game when the boys have been sitting too […]
Cub Scout Advancement: Bobcat Rank Relay Race Game
Thursday 1st of October 2020
[…] The race can also help the older Scouts review the Scout Oath and Scout Law. And it's a quick active game if you need […]
Cub Scout Six Essentials Game ~ Cub Scout Ideas
Sunday 26th of January 2020
[…] telling the boys about them is too passive–our Cub Scouts need to stay active. So Laura, our Wolf and Bear den leader, came up with this fun game to learn about and assemble the […]