Active and Passive Activities at Cub Scout Meetings

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:

• Lion Adventure – Lion’s Roar 2: With your Lion adult partner, demonstrate Shout, Run, Tell as described in Protect Yourself Rules.
• Tiger Adventure – Safe & Smart 3:  Show you can “Stop, Drop, and Roll.”
• Wolf Adventure – Running with the Pack 4:  Be active for 10 minutes doing personal exercises.
• Bear Adventure –  Roaring Laughter 5:  Practice “run-ons” with your den or family.
• Webelos Adventure – Stronger Faster Higher 3: Be active for 15 minutes doing personal exercises that boost your heart rate, use your muscles, and work on flexibility.
• Arrow of Light Adventure – Personal Fitness 3: Be active for 30 minutes with your patrol, a younger den, or at least one other person in a way that includes both stretching and moving.

Passive Rank Requirements

Here are some examples of engaging passive activities.

• Lion Adventure – King of the Jungle 1: Draw a picture of the people you live with.
• Tiger Adventure –  Tiger Bobcat 5: Share with your Tiger adult partner, at a den meeting or at home, a time when you have demonstrated the Cub Scout motto “Do Your Best.”
• 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 Adventure –  Tech on the Trail 1:  Discuss how technology can help keep you safe in the outdoors.
• Arrow of Light Adventure – Arrow of Light Bobcat 3: Recite the Scout Oath and the Scout Law with your patrol.

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:

• Rattlesnake Game
• Paper Plate Shuffle Game
• Pie Plate Pitch game
• Flashlight Games

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

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