Activity Badge Ideas
If you're a den leader "ranking up" from the bear year you may be a little surprised by the numerous Webelos Activity Badges that the scouts have to earn to attain the Webelos and Arrow of Light ranks. Digging a little deeper you will find that there is an increasingly "Boy Scout flavor" to the requirements. This can be quite daunting to those many volunteer leaders who maybe do not have the outdoors or scout experience.
In the Charleston, SC area we are incredibly fortunate to have numerous parks and plantations that offer Cub Scout and Boy Scout programming. Throughout this Blog I will make posts describing trips that our Webelos dens have taken to satisfy most of not all the requirements for a badge. Often some of the Charleston County Parks, National Forests, or local plantations will provide tours with a qualified on-sight naturalist, that either specifically or inadvertently meet the requirements. This is a huge help for those of us who have never been a Webelos den leader before.
The early part of the Blog pages are focused on two categories of Webelos Activity Badges: nature-related and scientific/technical.
If you require some additional assistance in planning out the Webelos den meetings the Webelos Leader's Guide, or comparable publication, provides a meeting by meeting plan so that all scouts may satisfy all 20 Activity badges in a fun program prior to bridging. As a den leader I chose not to follow this plan, except when challenged to find meeting plans, but instead used the following strategy:
Naturalist
The Naturalist Webelos Activity Badge has typically been a badge that we have offered multiple times during the two Webelos years. The best program we’ve found locally is at the Caw Caw Interpretive Center, just west of West Ashley near Ravenel. Generally we visit during the Fall of the Webelos I and AoL years.
Caw Caw also offers the programs at other Charleston County Park Recreation (CCPRC) locations, such as Palmetto Islands County Park, but generally we preferred making the trip out to Ravenel and the quality program they provide in their own facility. Use the contact information below, or you can type “caw caw scouting programs” into any browser and locate the correct page.
Caw Caw Interpretive Center:
5200 Savannah Hwy, Ravenel, SC 29470
Phone: 843-889-8898
Additionally, the Naturalist program is offered at Francis Beidler National Forest and at Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center on Highway 17 in Awendaw.
Francis Beidler
Audubon Center and Sanctuary
336 Sanctuary Rd, Harleyville, SC 29448
843-462-2150
Sewee Visitor and Environmental Educational Center
5821 Highway 17 North
Awendaw, SC 29429
Phone: (843) 928-3368
Forester
The strategy over multiple Webelos years has been to offer the Forester and Naturalist Webelos Activity Badges at opposite ends of the scouting year and also at very different locations to provide variety for the scouts. Francis Beidler – Audubon provides a remarkable (and unique) location for Forester in the old growth swamps. There are abundant resources for self-guided tours; therefore any den leader can utilize the downloadable literature from the website and the onsite notice-boards to educate the scouts. [The website and resources are really very good.] There is also a downloadable “app” to facilitate wildlife identification. Naturalist-guided tours are also available but must be scheduled in advance. We have conducted 1 visit of each type and were very satisfied each time.
By far the best time to visit Beidler is in the Carolina winter season in December – February due to the lower numbers of bugs. If you do decide to visit in the fall or spring, be prepared with bug spray as sand gnats are out in large numbers.
Francis Beidler
Audubon Center and Sanctuary
336 Sanctuary Rd, Harleyville, SC 29448
843-462-2150
If you are a Webelos AoL den and wish to combine the visit to Beidler with an overnight campout, or wish to do a service project to benefit the Low Country forests, Givhans Ferry State Park is not far from Beidler. Givhans has hosted our Den 9 for a Beach Sweep event in the group camping area and also a family campout in the regular camp area with facilities. It’s a nice park.
Additionally, the Forester program is offered at Caw Caw Interpretive Center and at Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center on Highway 17 in Awendaw.
Caw Caw Interpretive Center:
5200 Savannah Hwy, Ravenel, SC 29470
Phone: 843-889-8898
Sewee Visitor and Environmental Educational Center
5821 Highway 17 North
Awendaw, SC 29429
Phone: (843) 928-3368
Outdoorsman
The Outdoorsman Webelos Activity Badge is one of the great hands-on badges that can be easily integrated into Pack and Den activities and should be reinforced at any opportunity.
The Outdoorsman promotes many important scouting skills; therefore it is my belief that it is not one of the badges that should be taught in a classroom setting so the scout can “check off” the completion. The camping, knots, whipping the ends of rope, and cooking requirements really almost deserve completion in the outdoors itself.
The Outdoorsman promotes many important scouting skills; therefore it is my belief that it is not one of the badges that should be taught in a classroom setting so the scout can “check off” the completion. The camping, knots, whipping the ends of rope, and cooking requirements really almost deserve completion in the outdoors itself.
The common approach I’ve taken is to start introducing the topics during the first month of the Webelos I year, with a meeting dedicated to teaching knots. Knots are then reinforced by the Den Chief or parent as meeting gathering activities throughout the year and then in den competitions as the scouts become more proficient.
If your pack offers camping opportunities throughout the year, try to organize the Webelos to camp independently from predominant Pack “kitchen” to give them some experience in setting up their own tents and kitchen, and then preparing/cleaning up their own meals. If at all possible, consider conducting a Webelos rank or den campout to specifically teach these skills. We have also found that non-Pack events such as Webelos-O-Ree or Camporee events are perfect for this too as the theme is “camping like a boy scout”.
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| How to whip a rope end! |
If your pack offers camping opportunities throughout the year, try to organize the Webelos to camp independently from predominant Pack “kitchen” to give them some experience in setting up their own tents and kitchen, and then preparing/cleaning up their own meals. If at all possible, consider conducting a Webelos rank or den campout to specifically teach these skills. We have also found that non-Pack events such as Webelos-O-Ree or Camporee events are perfect for this too as the theme is “camping like a boy scout”.
If you, or your Pack, do not have the resources for the scenario listed above there are many "how to" videos on You-tube that either you can use directly to teach the scouts at the meeting or to train yourself in advance. Today's scouts tend to learn knots very effectively with these videos. Either way, the electronic media available to teach scouting skills has become easy to find on the Internet.
One additional idea to consider as a Webelos rank is to utilize the skills of your local boy scout troops. It is the boy scout mission to lead and train younger scouts and they have typically well mastered the outdoorsman skills as well as "Leave No Trace". Contact one or two local troops and see if a number of experienced scouts can come to your den meeting and work one-on-one with the boys; your Webelos will also enjoy working with older boys.
If there is a need for organized programming for Outdoorsman. Caw Caw offers an organized program and so does the Coastal Carolina Cub Resident Camp at Camp Ho Non Wah. Both are good programs and can familiarize your scouts with the skills. Consistent follow up is recommended as these requirements tend to re-appear in Boy Scout ranks and merit badges if the boys continue in scouting.
One additional idea to consider as a Webelos rank is to utilize the skills of your local boy scout troops. It is the boy scout mission to lead and train younger scouts and they have typically well mastered the outdoorsman skills as well as "Leave No Trace". Contact one or two local troops and see if a number of experienced scouts can come to your den meeting and work one-on-one with the boys; your Webelos will also enjoy working with older boys.
If there is a need for organized programming for Outdoorsman. Caw Caw offers an organized program and so does the Coastal Carolina Cub Resident Camp at Camp Ho Non Wah. Both are good programs and can familiarize your scouts with the skills. Consistent follow up is recommended as these requirements tend to re-appear in Boy Scout ranks and merit badges if the boys continue in scouting.
Caw Caw Interpretive Center:
5200 Savannah Hwy, Ravenel, SC 29470
Phone: 843-889-8898
Camp Ho Non Wah – Cub Resident Camp
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