WEBELOS

Attention Bear Leaders –

Your bears become Webelos on June 1.  Are you ready??  Be sure to take Webelos Leader Position Specific and Outdoor Webelos Leader Training as soon as possible.  Sign your Cubs up for Webelos Resident, if your council offers it!!!  If they don’t, sign them up at a neighboring council’s camp (e.g. Southern NJ’s at Pine Hill Scout Reservation!!!)

Webelos Resident Camp
Adapted from: Flint River Council,
 Coronado Area Council, and Southern NJ Council

The purpose of Webelos Scout Resident Camping is to have fun and to want to continue to camp every summer in Boy Scouts.  Most councils offer Webelos Resident Camp for boys going into grades four and five next fall.  These boys will be your first and second year Webelos Scouts during the upcoming Scouting year.

Webelos Resident Camp can include:  camping, campfires, swimming, snorkeling, polar bear swims, cooking some of your own meals, archery, bb-guns, hikes, ecology study, star study, Scout's Own religious service, sports, games, wood projects, conservation, and much more.   The boys are kept busy and have a great time.

Webelos Resident Camp is also -- the sounds of boys’ laughter as they do fun events and activities.

Most camps have Evening Events designed so that Scouts can have fun and compete.  There may be more Activity Pins time in the evening, too.  AT my Webelos Resident Camp in the evening we do star study with two local astronomy clubs, Cub-Anapolis Racing, water bottle rockets, water carnival, watch a movie (Down and Derby), have our Interfaith Service (National has dropped the term Scouts Own which has been in use since Baden-Powell named it.  I do not know why).  All this activity keeps everyone busy until bedtime so they don’t get time to be homesick!!!

The program should be set up to encourage Webelos to attend both years.

• Some councils arrange their camps so that the Webelos I work on the basic camping skills and Activity Badges.  And the Webelos II work on more advanced activity pins and can begin learning to become self-sufficient, self-reliant campers.
• Other councils offer activity badges over a two-year cycle.  They have even number year and odd number year badges with some (typically Outdoorsman and Aquanaut) offered each year.

Webelos Resident Camps vary in length but generally all involve several days and nights camping away from home.  It is recommended the length be less than a full week. 

There will be various activities and competitions for the Webelos dens to participate in. Camp should be designed for Cubs to come and participate as a Den, whether it is their normal Den from home or a provisional den set up at the camp with members from several packs. Den will generally make flags and create den yells.  They will participate in games, competitions, classes and campfire (skits, songs) as a Den.

Activity Badges offered typically involve the outdoors.  Outdoorsman, Forester, Naturalist, Aquanaut, and Geologist are typical.  Projects (Crafts is a dirty word to me) often involve wood and may be aimed at Craftsman requirements.  Depending on camp staff and facilities parts of Scientist and Engineer may be offered.  Sportsman fits neatly with games.  (We usually do Ultimate) and Artist and Readyman have been worked in occasionally. 

Leadership opportunities will occur during the Camp.  Using them will help the boys begin to see how a Boy Scout patrol will operate.  Let some boys start taking the lead and organizing the skit or the flag creation. 

It is, also, a great time with your son.  Several days, just you and him, together.  No work to get in the way.  No distractions (almost, in an ideal world).  You can really learn about each other and bond.  But you will have to know how to listen.  (That two ears, one mouth thing)  Ideally there should be one parent/adult for each Webelos Scout.  Different councils will have different rules on this.  Check with your council.

The first step is to read information your council supplies on their Webelos Resident Camp – flyers, brochures, perhaps a Webelos Camp Leader Guidebook.  They may mail it to you or post it on their web site.  Some councils even have a DVD you get or can borrow to show at a pack meeting and find out who wants to attend. If you contact your Scout Service Center chances are (Johnny Mathis, 1957), they can arrange for a Webelos Camp Staff member or a leader who has attended the camp to talk with you or come and do a promotion at your pack meeting

Don't miss the fun.

TRAVELER -- MENTAL SKILLS GROUP

Baltimore Area Council

Almost everyone loves to travel – Webelos Scout age boys no less than adults.  But not everyone has the opportunity for extensive travel. Obviously, you can’t give your den members that opportunity during your month on the Traveler Activity Badge.  You can introduce them to some of the joys of travel and perhaps to means of traveling new to them.  They will learn something about trip planning, the costs of various means of transportation.  They can learn skills such as reading timetables and maps.

Remember, to earn this badge, the boys must be involved in trip planning – The fun is in the traveling. Much of the learning is in the preparation for travel.  Be sure to have a purpose for the trip besides passing the requirements.  During your first and second den meetings, make decisions on where to go, what to see, and details like costs, securing tickets, meals or snacks along the way, and your schedule.

DEN ACTIVITIES

• Visit county, state or national parks
• Take a tour bus or train trip
• Visit nearby historic sites
• Visit a travel agency or automobile club office and find out what they do
• Calculate cost and speed of a plane trip
• Make car first aid kits
• Visit a train depot or bus terminal to see inside operations
• Discuss timetables and how to read them
• Have a speed contest of locating specific destinations and how to get there, using maps and timetables
• Teach proper packing of a suitcase – afterwards, have speed contests, stressing neatness as well as speed
• Locate points of interest on city and state highway maps
• Prepare a list of travel agencies and transportation media available in your area

MAKE A CAR FIRST AID KIT

One of the requirements for the Traveler Activity Badge is to check the First Aid kit in the family car.  Here is a chance to perform a useful service by assembling one.  A minimal kit in a small box should include the following:

• A roll of 2” gauze
• Cravat bandage
• Sunburn ointment
• Insect repellent
• Various sizes of Band-Aids
• Adhesive Tape
• First Aid Cream
• Sterile Gauze dressings (2”- 3” square)
• Soap
• Baking soda
• Tweezers
• Small scissors
• Small knife

It takes only one emergency to make this kit worth the effort it takes to put it together. 

Additional emergency supplies for the car might also include:

• (2) 3”x 7” splints – ¼” thick
• Flashlight and batteries
• Tow chain or rope
• Fire extinguisher
• Flares or red flags
• Small candle
• Blanket

• DIFFERENT ANIMALS - Set a limit of 100 miles and see how many different animals you can observe in the distance – make it a group project and keep score individually
• LICENSE PLATES - This is a contest to see who can sport the largest number of license plates from different states.  See if anyone can name the state capitals.
• CARELESS DRIVERS - Keep a list of the careless drivers you see on a trip and keep a record.  This will not only pass the time, but will educate the young ones against careless driving so that when they are of age to drive perhaps they will be safer drivers.
• SEEN ALONG THE ROADSIDE - Before starting on your trip, make a list of objects that may be seen from the highway.  Then as you travel, see how long it takes to find each of these objects. Examples might be: a wild rose, a haystack, a tractor at work in the field, a historical sign, a flock of geese, a broken windmill, etc.
• SIGNS - Players take turns looking for specific signs such as railroad crossing signs, arrows on signs, no parking signs, church signs, ice cream signs, no vacancy sign, etc.
• LICENSE LANGUAGE - All players look for a license plate containing 3 letters.  When one is spotted, the player whose turn it is has 60 seconds to make a sentence using words that start with the 3 letters in the order they were on the plate.  The sentence may be longer than three words, but the first three words must start with the letters matching on the license plate.

BE PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES

AUTO ACCIDENT

• Move the vehicles well off the road, if possible, and turn off the ignition. 
• Place warning flares 10 feet behind the rear of the vehicle and 300 feet behind the same vehicle.
• Place another 100 feet ahead of the scene.
• Help the injured, but don’t move them unless they are threatened by fire or traffic. 
• Administer first aid only if you are qualified. 
• Send for the police and an ambulance, if necessary.
• If you are the first at the scene of an auto accident, park well away from the crash, ahead of the scene
• Account for all occupants of the vehicles.

WARNING:  Do NOT light flares near spilled gasoline!

CAR FIRES

• Most fires are the result of a short circuit in the car’s electrical system. 
• Don’t waste time trying to disconnect the car’s battery. 
• If you don’t have a fire extinguisher, rip loose any burning wires with a jack handle and smother with a blanket or coat. 
• Don’t grab wires with your bare hands. 
• If the fire is burning out of control and endangers the gas tanks, get away from the car immediately.

CAR SUBMERSION

• Don’t panic – if the doors and windows are closed, the car should float for 3-10 minutes. This should be enough time to escape if you keep your head.
• If the car does sink before you can get out, an air bubble will form in the section of the passenger compartment closest to the surface. You can take a breath from this bubble before making your exit.
• Water pressure may make it difficult to open a door, but a window can be rolled down easily. 
• If you are forced to break a window, give it a blow with a hard, sharp object.

HEADLIGHT FAILURE

• Brake as quickly as possible without throwing the car into a skid. 
• Ease onto the shoulder, well away from any traffic, set out warning flares.
• Check the battery terminals for loose connections. If this is not the trouble, send for help. 
• Never drive at night without lights.

STRANDED IN A BLIZZARD

• Don’t sit with the motor running and the windows closed.  Keep two windows partly open so that air circulates. 
• To conserve gas, run the engine for a short time for the heater to warm the car, and then turn it off until the car begins to get cold.
• Leave parking lights or warning flashers on – don’t leave the car. 
• There is a better chance of help reaching you than your surviving on foot in severe weather

A WINTER STORM KIT FOR SELF PRESERVATION

Wise motorists will prepare a “winter storm kit” particularly if cross-country travel is anticipated or if they live in the Plains states.

THE KIT SHOULD CONTAIN:

• Two or more blankets, sleeping bags or newspapers if blankets are not available
• Two 1-gallon cans with plastic covers (empty 3-pound coffee cans) to be used for toilet facilities
• Supply of matches and candles or solid fuel in one can
• Extra clothing, such as winter cap, mittens, overshoes, face masks, etc.
• Supply of high-calorie, non-perishable food, can opener, spoons
• Transistor radio or car radio
• Compass and map
• Pocket knife
• First aid kit
• Shovel
• Large box of facial tissue, safety pins
• One small sack of sand
• Flashlight and/or signal light, spare batteries
• Plastic scraper
• Coins for telephone

Sam Houston Area Council

BACKGROUND 

A traveler is someone who has great adventures. Travelers plan their trips by using maps and timetables. Travelers know what needs to go in their suitcase. Travelers show good manners in whatever form of transportation they are riding in – car, plane, train or boat. 

• Invite a travel agent to explain to your den about planning for a trip.
• Invite a parent or other resource person to tell of an unusual vacation he/she has taken.
• Take a short trip on public transportation, perhaps a bus or train. Plan an itinerary.
• Ask the boys to bring in some vacation pictures for everyone to look at. Ask them to point out on the map where they went, tell how they traveled, and where they stayed.
• Make games to take in the car for long trips.
• Make a first aid kit for the car.
• Learn how to pack a suitcase and practice at the den meeting.
•  Learn the shapes and meaning of road signs. Learn how to read a road map.

CAR PASSENGER CODE OF CONDUCT  

This code provides hints on how car passengers can get help making each trip a safe and pleasant one. 

Help yourself by: 

• Always wearing your seat belt 
• Sitting down, so you won’t be hurt if there is a sudden stop 
• Keeping your hands away from the door handles, gear stick, ignition key and the driver 

Help the driver by: 

• Sitting down, so that you don’t distract him.
• Looking out for road signs 
• Keeping the noise down.
• Help other passengers by:
• Not teasing younger passengers.
• Not putting anything dangerous on the back ledge.
• Saving all litter until you get home; use litter bags.

Help others on the road by:

• Staying in the car while it is moving.
• Not throwing things out the window 
• Getting out of the car on the side away from the traffic.

GAMES AND ACTIVITIES 

ALLITERATIVE TRAVELERS 

• The leader announces that everyone is going on a trip.
• They can go to any place they choose, but when they tell what they are going to do there, they may use only words beginning with the first letter of the place to which they are going.
• The leader says to some player: “Traveler, where are you going?”
• That person answers, “California.”
• Leader, “What are you going to do there? ....
• Answer, “Can corn, cucumbers, and carrots,” or, “Capture caged circus cats.”
• If the answer is “Boston”, it could be “Borrow big boots,” or “Bring back Boston baked beans.”

CITY TO CITY 

• You need a road map, dice, and, for each player, a small marker.
• Choose 2 cities several hundred miles apart on the map.
• Each player rolls the dice in turn and moves his marker from the starting city toward the finishing city by an appropriate number of towns on the map.
• Players may take any route they wish toward the destination city.
• First to arrive there wins.

WHERE IS IT? 

• Show the boys a road map of your community.
• Give brief instruction in map reading and point out where they are now.
• Then divide the den into two teams. 
• In turn, a member of each team is asked to locate a community landmark on the map. Example: City park, police headquarters, high school, football field, a bakery, post office, their home.
• If you want to keep score, you can give them point for each correct location.

CREATE A LICENSE PL�]8S  

Materials: 

License plate pattern, glue, scissors, colored pencils, markers

Directions:

• Print out a license plate pattern and cut out.
• Glue the license plate onto the piece of cardboard.
• Pencil in your name or anything else you would like to put on your license plate.
• You may use 6 letters or numbers.
• The possibilities are endless.
• What can you think of to put on your PL8?

HANDYMAN -- TECHNOLOGY GROUP

Sam Houston Area Council

BACKGROUND 

A handyman knows about home, bicycle and automobile repairs and maintenance.  In learning to be a handyman, Webelos Scouts can learn responsibility to take care of the things that their family has now and the things that they may own in the future.

IDEAS FOR DEN ACTIVITIES 

• Teach your den the safe way to change a tire, a light bulb and to check the oil on a car.
• Check the garage or storage shed in your house to see if the tools or implements are properly and safely stored.
• Register your bicycle if your city registers bicycles.
• Have a bike inspection.
• Go to a bike shop and have an expert demonstrate different types of bikes and show how to take care of a bike.
• Have a nail driving contest.
• Have a handyman relay.

REMEMBER 

Teach the importance of safety as we maintain and repair homes, automobiles, bicycles and tools. That is one of the reasons we maintain equipment – for safety.

Many of the things that these Webelos Scouts will need to learn to do will need to be done with an adult.

• Have a den family car wash day.
• Invite parents from the den or pack to bring their cars by for a free car wash for the Webelos Scouts to practice their skills.

WHAT’S IN THE BAG? 

Equipment: Eight bags, eight different tools that will fit in bags (be careful with anything sharp), pencil and paper for each Webelos Scout.

• Place eight objects in the eight bags and label the bags with the letters H, A, N, D, Y, M, A, N.
• Fasten the bags shut.
• Give each boy a paper and pencil, let each feel the bags and try to guess by feeling what tool is in each bag.
• The boy with the most right guesses is the winner.

HANDYMAN RELAY 

Have other adults help you with the different stations for this relay. Time the boys, but emphasize that safety counts more than speed.

• Check oil level in a car. Place clean rag on car hood, have boys open hood, check oil, close hood, tell the result, and place rag in box.
• Check tire pressure. Have the boy open the front car door, take pressure gauge out of glove box, find correct pressure on tire or car door, close door, take tire pressure, tell result, open car door, replace gauge in glove box, close door.
• Adjust seat on bicycle. Have bike seat too high. Have Scout choose from three different tools the one he needs to loosen the saddle clamp bolt. Have him wiggle saddle until it is at a proper height for him. Then he tightens the clamp bolt.  Be sure to reset the seat too high for the next boy.)
• Replace a light bulb in a lamp. Have a lamp set up at a station with an old burned-out light bulb. Have boy unplug lamp, screw out bulb, place bulb gently in paper sack, look at lamp socket for proper wattage, choose correct wattage bulb from assorted new bulbs, screw new bulb into socket, plug in lamp, turn on lamp, and turn off lamp. (Adult will have to put the burned-out bulb back in for the next Scout.)
• Mark and properly store hand tools. Have a peg board, tool box, or piece of poster board with the outlines of the tools drawn on it. Set out several hand tools in a pile. Have boys use some red plastic tape to wrap around handle of a tool that hasn’t been marked yet. Then he sorts the tools and places them neatly in their proper storage place.

• Three pieces of 5/8” wood and
• Two pieces ¾” wood
• Hammer and Nails

• Cut the top of the stool from 5/8” wood.

• For the legs, clamp two pieces of ¾” wood together and saw them out. This will make the legs exactly the same, so the stool won’t wobble.

• Cut the braces from 5/8” wood.

• Nail the stool together with finishing nails.
• Measure carefully before you drive the top nails into the legs to make sure they go into the legs. 
• Countersink the top nails by using another nail to tap them just below the surface.
• Fill the nail holes with wood putty.
• Sand the stool all over, and paint it a color you like.

BICYCLE SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE HINTS: 

Frame

• Watch for cracking of paint, which usually indicates a break in the metal frame.
• If a crack is apparent, have it brazed, welded, or repaired immediately. 

Chain

• Keep it clean by washing it occasionally and removing grit and dirt.
• Oil and adjust properly to prevent it from coming off the sprockets. Light oil is best for lubricating.

• To clean, loosen the cones and wash carefully with cleaning solvent, rolling them in the liquid until clean.
• Dry thoroughly, re-adjust the cones, and re-pack with bearing grease.

Handle Grips

• Handle grips could cause you to take a “nose dive” if not fastened tightly.
• If necessary, glue them on to avoid slipping. 

Headlights and Reflectors

• Keep these clean and, if you must ride at night, lighted.
• Motorists depend on you to have and use this equipment.

Baltimore Area Council

When we say someone is a handyman, we mean that he can do a lot of different jobs. He knows how to clean things, how to take care of a house and lawn, and how to build things. The purpose of this badge is to learn how to perform simple repairs.

The requirements for this badge are among the easiest of all the badges.  Most kids grow up doing these simple tasks.  This badge can be earned with parents’ help and is a good one to introduce at a family den meeting.

The requirements involving bicycle maintenance and repair can be worked into a meeting that features a bike rodeo.  The automotive requirements can be addressed during a den or pack car wash fundraiser, can be done during a trip to a car show or by a brief talk by a mechanic.  Some of the requirements will blend in with those of Craftsman.  Since this badge will be mostly completed at home, have the parents send a note on completion or initial beside the requirement.

DEN ACTIVITIES

• Arrange for a local mechanic to visit your den or visit his garage.  Perhaps he can show your den the safe way to change a tire, light bulb, and to check the oil and transmission fluid.
• Visit a local bicycle shop and talk with the mechanic to see if he will show you how to do a bicycle safety check on your bike and perform minor adjustments.
• If a local bike shop cannot help you, check the community for a bike riding club for assistance.
• Put on a bicycle rodeo for your Pack or Den.
• Check with the local fire marshal or the Poison Control Center to find out how to store household cleaners and materials so that they will be safe for small children. Discuss safe storage areas for these things at home.
• Check the garage or storage shed in your house to ascertain if tools or implements are properly and safely stored. 
• Have the boys draw up a plan for storing the family’s’ lawn and garden equipment.  Have some of this equipment on hand and demonstrate their uses.
• Visit an automobile assembly plant.
• Check with the local police department to see if they have a program called “Operation Identification”, or a program similar to this and find out how to make valuables in your home for identification.
• Invite parents to bring the family car to den meetings so that the Webelos Scouts can practice checking the oil and tire pressure.
• Demonstrate how to repair a flat bicycle tire. If any of the Webelos have a flat tire on their bikes, have them bring them to the next den meeting so they can practice fixing a flat.
• Webelos leaders can collect a bonus this month – have the boys demonstrate the proper way to wash a car with your car!
• Arrange with your chartered organization or another public property for a service project involving mowing the grass the disposing of the clippings.  Stress Safety!
• Introduce the boys to some simple home repairs and have them help you with some of those projects around the house that you have been putting off.  Or, see if the den could adopt an elderly couple and make simple repairs or maintenance checks in their home.

MAP YOUR BREAKERS OR FUSES

Your electrical supply is protected by fuse boxes or circuit breaker boxes.  These boxes contain devices that cut off the electricity when a “short” occurs or when too much electricity is being used.  One of the problems with breaker and fuse boxes is that no one in the family knows which fuse or breaker controls which part of the house or which appliance.

With a parent, map out the breaker or fuse box in your house.  Write down the number of the breaker or fuse on a piece of paper.  Turn on a light or appliance in each room.  Turn off the breaker switch until the light or appliance goes out.  Keep doing this until the entire house is mapped.

 BREAKER/FUSE  APPLIANCE OR AREA OF THE HOUSE

• _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________

Continue the chart in the same fashion or accommodate the number of fuses in your breaker box.

• Two 1” hinges with screw-eyes,
• 2” plumber’s chain or string,
• Reflective tape and/or glass reflectors,
• Two boards 4” x 24” x ¾” 

• Sand the edges of the boards smooth and
• Apply the reflective tape or reflectors to one side of each board. 
• Attach the hinges to the tops of each board and
• Place the screw-eyes about 8” up from the bottom of each board. 
• Attach the string or chain between the two screw-eyes.

NECKERCHIEF SLIDES

EMERGENCY KIT SLIDE

Materials needed: 

• Plastic 33mm file canister with lid, (Another soon to be obsolete craft item!! Perhaps you can substitute a small prescription bottle with label removed??  I noticed all the labels on my prescriptions now peel off so I can recycle the bottle and not tell the world what I am taking.  CD)
• Nail,
• Pipe cleaner, (Or Chenille Stems to be PC CD J )
• Band Aid,
• Money for emergency phone call,
  (And how much would this be these days??  Or maybe this should be dropped in favor of cell phones.  Amazing how things change, I always had to come home from a trip with a dime in my pocket or my Mom would be very upset.  One time I came home with a nickel, my reception at home was not pretty.  CD)
• Needle,
• Scrap of soap,
• Tissue,
• Any other first aid item that will fit.

Directions:

• Have an adult hold a nail with pliers over a flame until the nail is hot. 
• Then have the adult poke the nail through plastic film or prescription container to make two holes. 
• Make loop of pipe cleaner and thread through holes, twisting on inside of container. 
• Fill can with first aid items. 
• Label can with tape or paint. A Red Cross symbol is traditional.

HAND SEWING KIT SLIDE

Materials needed: 

• Plastic 35mm film canister with lid,
• Nail,
• Pipe cleaner,
• Small piece of cardboard or index card,
• Thread,
• Needle,
• Pins,
• Buttons,
• Safety pins.

Directions:

• Have an adult use a nail as above to make holes,
• Cub can fit pipe cleaner through for slide.
• Paint or cover canister with tape or contact paper. 
• Cut card to fit inside container (use pinking shears, if handy) and put needle and pins through the card. 
• Wind several different colors of thread around the card. 
• Add a few small safety pins and buttons.

MR. FIX-IT TIE SLIDE

Materials needed: 

• Plastic 35mm film canister with lid,
• Nail,
• Pipe cleaner,
• Small nails,
• Nuts and bolts,
• Screws,
• Any other small hardware

Directions:

• Have an adult use a nail as above to make holes,
• Cub can fit pipe cleaner through for slide.
• Use paint or tape to label outside of container. 
• Put nails, screws, etc. into container for use as needed.

BIKE REPAIR TIE SLIDE

Materials needed: 

• Plastic 35mm film canister with lid,
• Nail,
• Pipe cleaner,
• Tire patch,
• Small piece of emery cloth or sandpaper,
• Small tube of adhesive

Directions:

• Have an adult use a nail as above to make holes,
• Cub can fit pipe cleaner through for slide.
• Draw a bicycle on the outside of the container with paint. 
• Put patch and patching materials inside of container. 
• Use on any bike outings.