2000|02|Turn Back The Clock||||In February we celebrate the founding of the Boy Scouts Of America, so it's a good time to Turn Back the Clock and see what the world was like in past decades. Dens may want to take a look at the Roarin' Twenties or other eras of American history, or travel back to the days of medieval knighthood, ancient Egypt, or prehistoric people. The pack's highlight event will be the blue and gold banquet, an annual family dinner held in nearly every pack in America. Features will be theme-related den skits and demonstrations of Cub Scouting skills. The pack may choose one point in history to use as a banquet theme, or allow each den to choose their favorite era in history. 2000|03|Cub Grub||||Boys love to eat! This month's theme provides a great opportunity for exploring their culinary interests through a variety of activities. For instance, Cub Scouts can make recipe cardholders to use while cooking up their favorite treats. Or start a den tradition by holding an annual den cookout or campfire, with the Cub Scouts treating their parents to yummy snacks prepared by future chefs. The pack meeting also might include a Fellers Cake Bake (see the Cub Scout Leader How-To Book), which gives the "fellers" in the family a chance to cook together. 2000|04|Bugs And Things||||There's just no way around it - boys like bugs! This month boys will have the opportunity to see the world from a bug's-eye view, whether a real or imaginary. Dens may design a recycling project to create "Bugs and Things" from recycled trash. At the pack meetings, boys can sing songs, do skits or play games with their bug friends. What a terrific way for den members to use their imagination! 2000|05|See The Forest For The Trees||||This month we explore the beauty and wonder of our natural trees and forests. Cub Scouts have the opportunity to learn about the rainforest of South America or the hardwood forests of North America - or just explore their own backyards. Dens may take a hike though the neighborhood, a park, or a nature center to identify trees and collect leaves to press. At the pack meeting, Cub Scout dens will share the experiences of their outings, lead a song, or present a skit related to the theme. 2000|06|Space: The New Frontier||||As we explore farther and farther out into our universe, we become aware of how little we understand it. But boys can learn a lot about it nonetheless. June is a great time to take Cub Scouts on a night hike to explore the heavens above. If possible, plan a trip to a planetarium, science museum, or observatory. The sky is truly the limit to a boy's imagination as he dreams of the worlds beyond our own. 2000|07|From Sea To Shining Sea||||This month Cub Scouts will explore all of the things that make America great, from majestic mountains to grand canyons. But America is more than just beautiful scenery -- it's also a huge melting pot of different people and cultures. This is also a good month to talk about your region's heritage and natural resources. The pack meeting is a perfect time for a patriotic songfest and an outdoor carnival and picnic to celebrate the birthday of our country. 2000|08|Toughen Up||||Summer, Cub Scouts, and the Cub Scouts Sports program -- what a natural combination! Cub Scouts love to test and show off their muscles. Physical fitness is an important part of the Scouting program, and as leaders, you can help your Cub Scouts meet a goal of total personal fitness while having fun at the same time. 2000|09|Pockets||||What can a boy put in his pocket? This is a great opportunity for the boys to show off their collections - or to start one! What will it be? Will it be coins? Will it be rocks? The Cubmaster awards achievements and ranks from a large over-sized uniform pocket mock-up. 2000|10|Our Gifts and Talents||||Assist Cub Scouts in discovering their many talents as they plan a showcase for these gifts and talents at the monthly pack meeting. This showcase could include displays or exhibits, live demonstrations, and special performances. Encourage boys to work on Cub Scout Academics belt loops and pins in art, music, or other areas of interest. 2000|11|Turn On The Power||||Boys explore the science of energy through solar power, electrical power, and wind power. They also learn how this energy is used in their everyday lives. A field trip to the local waterworks or power plant might be part of the den's monthly plan. Cub Scouts can test their theories on the dynamics of speed at the pack pinewood derby. 2000|12|What Do You Do At Holiday Time?||||This theme is family-centered, focused on the special activities and pastimes that each boy, his family, and the pack do together during the holiday season - memory-making moments such as tree-cutting or tree-decoration, cookie baking, making gifts or ornaments, or gathering for family dinners. Families might share some of these ideas at the holiday party pack meeting. The pack may continue or begin its own tradition of doing a Good Turn for the chartered organization or community. 2001|01|When I Grow Up||||As we enter a brand new century, Cub Scouts will explore career possibilities of the 21st century. Host a pack career fair, inviting several adults to share what they do for a living and how these career opportunities might change as youth of today grow up and technology advances. Den meeting plans could include field trips to learn about occupations of interest to the boys. 2001|02|Passports to Other Lands|Scholar|Engineer|Citizenship|Each den will adopt a foreign Scouting country to learn about as the boys prepare decorations and skits for the blue and gold banquet. Emphasize the World Brotherhood of Scouting at the banquet. Dens may work on the International Activity Patch in preparation for the banquet. 2001|03|Man's Best Friend|Athlete|Engineer|Physical Fitness|Man's best friend isn't always a dog! Cub Scout Pet Day and learning about other types of pets can lead to a lifetime of kindness to animals. 2001|04|Save It For Us|Sportsman|Family Member|Forestry|Emphaize den and pack conservation projects. Most boys have advanced in rank by April, and with the spring comes the opportunity to be outdoors. Earn the World Conservation Award while recycling and developing environmental awareness. 2001|05|Happy Trails|Outdoorsman|Handyman|Leadership|Warm weather is a perfect time for outdoor adventure, complete with den hikes in the neighborhood, through parks, or on local trails. The end of the month brings graduation time, with all dens moving up the Cub Scout trail. 2001|06|Wet and Wild|Traveler|Artist|Special Cooking|Cub Scouts love to get wet. What could be better than a water carnival complete with games, competition, and safe swim demonstrations. 2001|07|American ABC's|Aquanaut|Geologist|Backpacking|Conduca t personalized tour of the United States by the "letters": Anchorage, Boca Raton, and Chancellorsville to Xena, Yellowstone, and Zuni. Celebrate Independence Day with "local" foods from your choice of the ABC's and a new awareness of the diversity of our country. 2001|08|Summer Songfest|Naturalist|Forester|Aquatics|Cub Scouts make musical instruments, or practice new songs and old favorites, in preparation for a pack sing-a-long -- perhaps in front of a campfire! -- to celebrate the end of summer. 2001|09|All Aboard!|Communicator|Citizen|Introduction and Fishing|With your new Cub Scouts on board the "Cub Scout Express", you are on the right track for fun. Fun activities can be a den trip to your local train station, a model railroader sharing his working display, or boys investigating some of the rich history of railroading in our country. Staying on track, Cub Scouts can work on achievements and electives this month, riding the rails to adventure! Celebrate their achievements at the pack meeting by having a cardboard version of the "Cub Scout Express" stop at each "Den Depot" to deliver awards or watch a den demonstration. Welcome new families aboard with an induction ceremony. Be sure to also recognize your new leaders who have completed training! 2001|10|Down on the Farm|Showman|Citizen|Athletics|It's harvest time in farming country. Cub Scouts learn about growing crops this month while they live the life of a hard-working farmer. Dens might visit a farm, local dairy, or petting zoo to learn first-hand about farm animals. Boys can build a miniature green house to start their own vegetables for spring planting in the family garden or patio pots. Dens could take a field trip to a pumpkin patch and pick their own for the pumpkin decorating contest at the pack meeting "Harvest Fair". Fair activities might include contest booths, a rubber-glove cow for milking, and a good old-fashioned hayride. 2001|11|Hometown Heroes|Craftsman|Scientist|Science|Can only adults be heroes? Of course not! Heroes are often ordinary kids who did something out of the ordinary! As a den decide what makes a hero and who the heroes of tomorrow might be by looking at the people they know today. Learn about heroes in your own community, as well as Scouting heroes who have earned BSA heroism awards. Have your Cub Scouts invite their hometown hero to a den meeting. Take a den or pack field trip to an historic site commemorating a local hero. Boys can investigate who settled the town they live in and when was it done. Who is their school named for? Veteran's Day offers many opportunities to remember and honor hometown heroes. 2001|12|Works of Art|Craftsman|Scientist|Cooking|December is a time of celebration and giving. Cub Scouts use their artistic abilities to create holiday decorations, gifts, or cards. This artwork might be put on display at the pack meeting or at a meeting of the chartered organization. Boys can take cards and ornaments they have made and share them with residents of a local nursing home. Other "works of art" can become gifts for family members. The academic belt loop or pin in Art could be worked on in conjunction with these projects. 2002|01|Did You Get My Message?|Fitness|Readyman|Wilderness Survival|How will we communicate with others in the future? This month Cub Scouts explore ways of communication that are currently used and those that the boys think may be used in the future. Cub Scouts can become pen pals with other Scouts, in the USA or around the world. Use of and safety on the Internet can be included. Use secret codes to develop den or pack games and activities. Boys create communication devices during den meetings, to be shared at the pack meeting. An introduction to American Sign Language can have boys signing the Cub Scout promise or a Cub Scout song at the pack meeting. 2002|02|Our Native People|Scholar|Engineer|Communications|Every part of our great nation was once home to a group of Native Peoples. Dens will learn about tribes that lived in their part of the country, sampling their foods and learning to play their games. Boys will focus on how native Americans show respect to Mother Earth, as well as learn the art of storytelling and how it was used to pass along the legends and traditions of the old ways. Invite a local tribe or an Order of the Arrow dance team to give a demonstration of native American dance at your Blue and Gold Banquet. 2002|03|Dollars and Sense|Athlete|Engineer|Hiking|Boys learn personal finance concepts like saving, donating to charity, or shopping around for the best bargain. Take a den trip to a local bank or federal mint to learn where money comes from and where it goes. Have boys set up their own monthly budget, for both themselves and their den dues. Scouts can work on advancement in all ranks while learning to be responsible with money. Make piggy banks in which to hold savings. Discuss the history and the art of money. This is a good month to work on the Ethics in Action module, "Consumer Alert." Have a "flea market" at the pack meeting, with boys spending "Cub Money" they have earned for attendance, uniforming, and participation in their monthly den meetings. 2002|04|Forces or Nature|Sportsman|Family Member|Environment|Behold the awesome forces of nature. Discover how wind, rain, fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanoes, and even avalanches and glaciers can alter and shape the earth. Cub Scouts learn how to prepare themselves and their families to meet the challenges associated with these forces. Explore a different force of nature at each den meeting, creating models of these natural powers or their results. Take a den or pack field trip to an area that has been affected by one of these forces, and discover how nature renews itself. This is a good month to work on the World Conservation Award, the Conservation Good Turn Award, or the Ethics in Action module, "Fire! Fire!". At the pack meeting, dens can present skits or demonstrations on emergency preparedness or the forces they explored. Awards can be pulled from a giant volcano. 2002|05|Abracadabra|Outdoorsman|Handyman|Orienteering|Cub Scouts love to amaze and be amazed! Boys discover secrets of the magician's art this month as they read their friends' minds and learn new tricks with cards, coins, and other everyday objects. The Cub Scout Magic Book is a great resource for age-appropriate tricks and puzzles. Visit a magic shop, or have a magician come to your den meeting to teach the boys a few tricks of the trade. Prepare to watch in wonder at the pack meeting as Cub Scouts intrigue their audience with skits, stunts, and sparklers they have practiced at den meetings. The Cubmaster uses the magic of ceremonies to pull awards from his hat at the mystifying pack meeting "Magic Show". 2002|06|Critters, Cubs, and Campfires|Traveler|Artist|Mechanics|What could go better with boys than birds, bugs, and the great outdoors? Take a field guide with you as you explore a local park, nature center, or even back yard to identify what flies, creeps, and crawls in your area. Scouts will love building bird houses and bug houses. An outdoor pack meeting might include a nature observation hunt, followed by an evening around the campfire. 2002|07|Inside Out and Backwards|Aquanaut|Geologist|Pioneering|Summer is time to try new things, to do things like never before. This month, everything is backwards! Cub Scouts will love dressing, walking, singing songs backwards, and saying good-bye instead of hello. Devise your own den code as you write notes backward. Prepare a backwards skit for the pack meeting. At the pack meeting everything is backwards, too -- open with the closing and close with the opening! Check out the Ethics in Action module "Hard Lessons" for activities to make Cub Scouts aware of dyslexia and other common learning disabilities. 2002|08|Sports Extravaganza|Naturalist|Forester|Shooting|Warm weather is a perfect time for outdoor games. Cub Scouts can join in the fun by practicing their skills in their favorite sports and by working on Sports Program belt loops and pins. A Bike Rodeo would be a fun pack activity, with boys working toward earning the sports belt loop or pin in Bicycling. Organize an ultimate tournament or a badminton tournament or any of the other Cub Scout sports. 2002|09|Blast Off|Communicator|Citizen||10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.... Blast Off into another exciting year of Cub Scouting with a voyage into the frontiers of space! Build model rockets that zoom into the next millennium. Explore the possibility of life on other planets and imagine how these civilizations might communicate with other life forms. Boys learn about and make models of constellations and hear the myths behind the names. Dens might form their own crew to build an imaginary base or outpost on another planet. Give the base a name, tell what the crew will eat, what they will do, and what creatures or life forms they may encounter. Cub Scouts can describe their space base to prospective members at the pack meeting and encourage visitors to launch into the new frontier of Cub Scouting. 2002|10|It's A Jungle Of Fun|Showman|Citizen||Help boys discover fun and adventure in the wilds of Scouting. Take them on a month-long safari, being sure all the boys remember the Cub Scout Promise, Law, and Motto. Use stories of Akela, Baloo, Bagheera, and Kaa to highlight den meeting games, crafts, and making costumes for the pack meeting. Take a den trip to a local zoo, animal rescue facility, or wildlife refuge. Encourage every boy to receive an achievement or elective award at the pack meeting. Finding shelter, food, and co-existing in the jungle with wild beasts could all be incorporated into ceremonies. 2002|11|Kids Against Crime|Craftsman|Scientist||Crime Prevention is everyone's job. Cub Scouts will spend the month learning how to keep themselves, their families, and their homes safe. Plan to visit your local police department, or have an officer or McGruff attend your den or pack meeting. Pass out home safety checklists for Cub Scouts to check how safe their home is. Prepare a skit or demonstration for the pack meeting about what your den has learned. Dens or packs can plan a service project for the BSA Crime Prevention Award. Ethics in Action modules, "Saying No" and "Shoplifting is Just Plain Wrong" provide meaningful activities for Cub Scouts. This would also be a good month for your pack to view the Youth Protection video for Cub Scouts, "It Happened to Me." 2002|12|Winter Wonderland|Craftsman|Scientist||The excitement of the holiday season brings magic to the eyes of Cub Scouts as they prepare decorations, make gifts, and sing songs of the season. Den or pack activities may include a Good Turn field trip to bring some holiday magic into the lives of others. Cub Scouts will enjoy winter games in the snow and might work on the Cub Scout Sports belt loop or pin for ice skating or skiing. Southern Scouters might play games with paper snowballs or take to the beach for a Klondike Derby in the sand! 2003|01|Strike Up The Band|Fitness|Readyman||Everyone loves music, so this month Cub Scouts design their own instruments and become part of a den band. The boys can play games like "Name That Tune" during den meetings. They can learn about songs and instruments from other countries, including some songs that we sing in the USA that had origins in other countries. The month culminates in a mini-concert at the pack meeting, with each den playing a song or two on their homemade instruments. The boys that play a real instrument could share their talents with others, either at a den or pack meeting. During the month, the history of certain musical instruments, or music in general, could be discussed. Dens or individuals could work on the Music academics belt loop or pin. 2003|02|Uncle Sam Depends On You|Scholar|Engineer||The anniversary week of Scouting is a great time for Cub Scouts to set the example of good citizenship. Check with your school or chartered organization about opportunities for uniformed dens to raise and lower the flag. Boys can discover the responsibility and adventure associated with commitment to United States military service as they tour the nearest military installation to see firsthand what goes on there. Dens can be encouraged to write letters to servicemen stationed in other countries. Den activities will also center around making placemats, centerpieces, and other decorations to honor our country at the Blue and Gold Banquet. After learning flag etiquette and the proper way to say the Pledge of Allegiance, Cub Scouts will conduct an extraordinary flag ceremony led by Uncle Sam to begin the Blue and Gold banquet. 2003|03|Why Does It Do That?|Athlete|Engineer||Encourage the natural creativity of your Cub Scouts with a project for the pack Science Fair. Boys can exercise their minds and their handicraft skills while making these projects from materials found around the house. Projects could be completed by dens or by individual Scouts. Many Wolf and Bear achievements and electives can be worked on this month, including Space, Radio, Electricity, and Things That Go. This is the month for boys to work on the Science academic belt loop or pin. Show off science projects at the pack meeting and award a special ribbon for each. 2003|04|Land Of The Pharaohs|Sportsman|Family Member||Cub Scouts travel back in time to the amazing world of ancient Egypt. Explore the tombs of Egyptian kings and learn about the music, food, art, and science of ancient Egyptians. Use hieroglyphics to write secret codes. Observe how the Egyptian stargazers used the constellations to predict events, leading to the basis of early calendars. Boys can build their own sand pyramids and then float down the Nile River in the pack's Raingutter Regatta. King Tut can make a visit to present awards! 2003|05|Lights, Camera, Action!|Outdoorsman|Handyman||Everyone wants in on the act! What fun it will be for Cub Scouts to spend the month preparing to act in a play, sing a song, dance, do a magic trick, or perform a puppet show at the pack meeting. Dens might take a field trip to the local TV or cable station to see how the pros do it! A variety show at the pack meeting might also include acts featuring parents and siblings. Dens can create posters announcing their show, make programs, and let everyone know what's coming. Commercials, written and videotaped by dens during their den meetings, could be shown between acts. Popcorn will make a great treat for this pack meeting !! 2003|06|Fun In The Sun|Traveler|Artist||Plan some outdoor activities this month that will encourage dens to meet and make preparations together for your pack event. It's a great time for a pack picnic, with each den planning a game or activity. Or have a Cubanopolis with dens preparing their vehicle and practicing maneuvers during their den meetings. Stress good sportsmanship and team building during the planning stages, as well as during the actual event. 2003|07|A Hiking We Will Go|Aquanaut|Geologist||"Over hill, Over dale, We will hit the Outdoor Trail, As the Cub Scouts go hiking around." This is the place to be to take a close-up look at nature. A field trip to the Forest Service or to a state, national, or local park will enhance the boys' imaginations as they participate in various kinds of hikes during the month -- alphabet hikes, crayon hikes, inch hikes, or one of the many others described in the Cub Scout Leader How To Book. Even the back yard can stir the imagination with a micro-hike! Hiking is a great way to find adventurous ways to complete Cub Scout outdoor achievements, electives, and activity pins. The pack's big outing could be a joint adventure with a local Boy Scout troop. 2003|08|Circle The Wagons|Naturalist|Forester||With summer ending, it's time to round-up your Cub Scouts to begin another Scouting year. Boys spend the month learning about the "Old West". What did frontier boys do for fun? There are lots of good stories to be told around the campfire and lots of fun costumes to make. Cub Scouts can use cardboard boxes to make their own covered wagons and horses, then have rodeos, roping contests, and wagon races. Circle those wagons around the campfire and have a Chuckwagon Dinner at your pack meeting. Don't forget the tin cups and plates! 2003|09|Soaring To New Heights|Communicator|Citizen||Cub Scouts learn how man conquered the air and explore the history of aviation. Look at the ways we have taken to the skies, from airplanes, to helicopters, to balloons. Dens might visit a local airport or Air Force base and learn how airplanes fly. Cub Scouts can build model airplanes or hold a paper airplane-flying contest at your den or pack meeting. Make your very own homemade "aircraft carrier" and land your airplanes on it. Packs can distribute promotional "flyers" on the upcoming contest. How about having a kite making and flying contest? The runway is clear, so take off for fun! 2003|10|Once Upon A Time|Showman|Citizen||Cub Scouts learn about the "bigger than life" characters in the land of make believe. Fairy tales... folklore... tall tales... or are there any local legends or stories from your area? Add a little local heritage to this theme to bring the "bigger than life" characters to life at your pack meeting. The boys will enjoy a local field trip, research and reliving this piece of local history. How about making up your own? Pack meetings and awards can be built around one or more of these characters -- Pecos Bill in the west, Paul Revere in the east, Paul Bunyan in the north, or even Mother Goose. Let your imagination fly. 2003|11|Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock|Craftsman|Scientist||What kind of people were the Pilgrims? How did they live, and what did they mean to our nation's history. The Pilgrims and the Native Americans who helped them gave us many things, including Thanksgiving. This month, Cub Scouts will re-enact the first Thanksgiving, which lasted three days, with games and contests in addition to a bountiful meal. Prepare Pilgrim and Native American costumes. Design some games that would have been played during this time. Dens can prepare a game or food for the feast, and help by building props or scenery. Consider a raingutter regatta as a modern day version of a game that might have been played at the first Thanksgiving. Most of all remember to give thanks for all the blessings we enjoy. 2003|12|A Cub Scout Gives Good Will|Craftsman|Scientist||"A Cub Scout gives goodwill" - Cub Scouts learn about the spirit of Scouting and the meaning of the season by performing a good deed for someone in need during the holiday season. Making gifts for friends and family is a fun part of the celebration of the season. Keeping service to God and others in mind, have your den collect donated food or gift items for an "adopted" family in need. Conduct a pack-wide collection of winter coats and gloves or blankets for the homeless. Prepare an outing to work in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter, make decorations to brighten up a nursing home or other care facility or sing carols for the people who live there. The opportunities to "do a good turn" are endless this month. 2004|01|Home Alone|Fitness|Readyman||Many boys are left at home alone after school. This month is a good time to review basic first aid, emergency plans, calling for help, and family rules for when you are home alone. The Red Cross, a local nurse, or doctor may be willing to come to a den meeting to discuss basic, age-appropriate first aid. The boys can make a home First Aid kit, too. Many public safety offices offer brochures that contain tips for being home alone; these ideas can be used for role-playing and skit ideas. What kinds of snacks can the boys make when they are alone? This would be a good month to find out. Being home alone won't be so scary after this theme is explored. 2004|02|Fiesta!!|Scholar|Engineer||Viva Fiesta! It's party time for Scouting and what better way to celebrate than with a Mexican flavor? Boys will learn about the country's festive traditions as they make cascarones and fill pi¤atas for the blue and gold banquet. Perhaps they can even learn to sing Happy Birthday or other songs in Spanish. They'll enjoy planning the menu too--fajitas or quesadillas, anyone? It's "nacho" ordinary blue and gold banquet! Ole! 2004|03|Walk In My Shoes|Athlete|Engineer||Try putting yourself in another's shoes! Cub Scouts will spend this month exploring the world and experiences of those who face challenges every day, challenges ranging from language and cultural differences to special physical or mental needs. By doing so, our Cub Scouts will become more aware of the diversity in God's children. Cub Scouts can learn sign language or learn to sign the Cub Scout Promise or a song. You may choose to focus on one special challenge or need at each den meeting and bring various visual aids to underscore the themes, such as crutches, wheelchairs, signs or posters printed in other languages, ear plugs or blindfolds. Cub Scouts may even want to create and run a disabilities awareness course at the pack meeting where boys can complete specific tasks at each station without the benefit of one or more senses. 2004|04|Cubservation|Sportsman|Family Member||This month our boys will learn about the importance of conservation and ecology. Have a conservationist or park ranger come to your den or pack meeting to talk about the dangers and effects of pollution and littering. Take your den to visit a local government conservation or reclamation project. Your den can plan its own conservation project and work on the World Conservation Award. Don't forget collecting and recycling old toys and clothes for those who are less fortunate. Your den may want to collect aluminum cans to sell and donate the proceeds to be used on a conservation project. 2004|05|My Home State|Outdoorsman|Handyman||What is special about your state? This month we'll find out. Cubs will visit historic places, theme parks, museums, and zoos. Choose a city or a historical site in your state to highlight. Design a game that features some special aspect of your home state. Take a trip, go to a ball game, or just have a family picnic in the park. Pretend you are someone important in the history of your state, and see if anyone can guess who it is! Put on a skit where each den pretends to be doing something that is common in your state, and see if the audience can guess what it is! How about some special recipes that each den can prepare to be shared at the pack meeting? Invite a guest speaker who can share something special about your state with the boys. Use maps or collect tourist brochures to learn more about places to visit. Your local historical society or public library is a great place to get started. 2004|06|Cub Rock|Traveler|Artist||Welcome to Cub Rock! The boys can learn about prehistoric times by creating table settings, toys, clothing, school supplies, vehicles, etc. These ideas would be great for use in a skit and these skits could be shared at a prehistoric pack meeting. What a good month for geology and learning about the dinosaurs. By the end of the month, all the boys will be looking at rocks in a whole different way. With cooperation and team building in mind, this might be a good month for a prehistoric scavenger hunt. What fossils can you find? 2004|07|Fin Fun|Aquanaut|Geologist||" Dive right in as our Cub Scouts spend a month learning about water, our most precious resource, and the many creatures that live in our oceans, lakes, and rivers. Dens can visit a local aquarium or fish farm. You may want to try your hand at fishing. Cub Scouts may even want to prepare their own aquarium or fish bowl and "adopt a gold fish." This is also an excellent opportunity to teach our Cub Scouts about water conservation and "catch & release" programs. Don't forget learning about water safety. So hit the beaches, there's a lot to "sea!" 2004|08|Scouting The Midway|Naturalist|Forester||Step right up folks... for a chance at some fun! This month is full of fun and games. Each den will create a midway game to run at the Pack Midway. How about a ring toss, a beanbag throw, a coin toss, a ball throw, or a card throw? Get those creative juices flowing. The boys can design and build the games at their den meetings, and then run their game at the Pack Midway, so everyone gets in on the fun. What's a midway without prizes? Make sure you have prizes for all age groups. And don't forget the popcorn! 2004|09|Time in A Capsule|Communicator|Citizen||The new Scouting year starts us thinking about the future and what it will hold. Dens can build a time capsule to be opened in the future showing what Scouting is like today. Be sure to include your den and pack photos, newsletters, pack roster, and perhaps videotape of your pack meeting. Present these at the pack meeting as you build a pack time capsule of your pack's history and hopes for the future. Awards could be taken from a time capsule as they are presented to Cub Scouts. The dens could explore space and new frontiers. How about holding a space derby? 2004|10|It's a Circus of Stars|Showman|Citizen||"Ladies and Gentleman" welcome to the Cub Scout Circus. It will be a month of entertainment. Dens will practice stunts, skits, songs, run-ons and applauses as part of their advancement --and just for fun -as they prepare to share their talents at the monthly pack meeting. The pack meeting focus will be the magic of a circus, with the Cubmaster serving as ringmaster. The pack meeting may be set up with three rings where each of the dens performs what they have been practicing. Be sure to have lots of balloons, peanuts, and popcorn for the audience, as well as spotlights on each den as they participate. Awards could be presented in each ring. 2004|11|Cub Scout Collectors|Craftsman|Scientist||Boys love to collect things like bugs, baseball cards, rocks, sticks and candy wrappers. This is a great theme for working on the collections from the boy's handbooks. Take den hikes or trips to start collections and to explore. Make scrapbooks or collection boxes to display your collections. At the pack meeting have a show and tell night similar to a Science Fair where the parents and leaders can view the collections as the Cub Scouts talk about their collections. After evaluation by a panel of judges, award prize ribbons for several different categories making sure that everyone is recognized. 2004|12|Holiday Food Fare|Craftsman|Scientist||Foods help to keep our bodies strong and healthy, and are often a major part of our holiday celebrations. Compare the labels of different foods to learn more about the nutrients they contain. Cub Scouts can use different types of foods to make crafts and holiday decorations to share with others. Experience foods from other countries or prepare delightful treats to share with your family, a needy family or an elderly resident. Have a family or a den dessert contest at the pack meeting. Awards could include the Best Bean Award, Top Carrot Award, or other imaginative categories. 2005|01|Cubs Scouts Spread the News|Fitness|Readyman||Let's make news for the New Year. Cub Scouts can make headlines this month and learn about the history of news reporting. The pack spreads the good news about Cub Scouting by inviting the local radio, TV or cable channels to the pack meeting or the upcoming blue and gold banquet. Plan field trips to visit them at their workplace. Dens can publish articles and pictures in a den or pack newsletter or make their own videotape to be shown at the pack meeting or next months blue and gold banquet. Let your Cub Scouts experience the different roles on a news team and hold either a press conference or a news broadcast at the pack meeting. Use props and scripts created by the boys and a camcorder to record the broadcast or pack events. Cub Scouts can learn many different ways to spread the "news" about Scouting this month. 2005|02|It's A Scouting Celebration|Scholar|Engineer||It's the 75th birthday of Cub Scouting! Explore the history and beginnings of Cub Scouting, and the history of the pack and of your den. Celebrate the wonder of Scouting at your blue and gold banquet. The boys will experience the history of Scouting as they prepare centerpieces and decorations for the blue and gold banquet. Consider including a scrapbook of the history of the den or pack. Dedicate your pack meeting to Lord Baden Powell. Skits can bring Scouting highlights to life. Don't forget Scout Sunday and Scout Sabbath! 2005|03|Invention Convention|Athlete|Engineer||Every Cub Scout can be a genius or an inventor. Give each boy a Cub Scout Genius Kit prepared from odds and ends that can be recycled and tell him to invent something with these materials. Cub Scouts will learn about recycling. What do we recycle, and what becomes of it? How can we help as individuals and as citizens in the community? Present all the inventions at the pack meeting and award prizes to all category winners. Also have exhibits of what recycling is all about and how we can help. Don't forget that everyone is a winner and needs recognition. Learn about inventors and geniuses of the past, present, and future. Let your imagination and your own genius lead the way. 2005|04|Waterways of the USA|Sportsman|Family Member||Rivers have been a vital part of our environment for many years. Cub Scouts can use a map to trace where their local river begins, then draw other waterways that connect to it as the water flows to the ocean. Dens can invite environmental agencies to talk about the local rivers and their resources. Scouts can also learn how early explorers used rivers, and how important rivers are in transporting people and products. Discover how rivers are used as a water irrigation source and how we harness the power of some rivers for electricity. Investigate the history, folklore or legends, songs, and types of boats that are associated with rivers. Dens can help with the cleanliness of their local river while working on their World Conservation Award or the Conservation Good Turn Award. Packs can hold a raingutter regatta using a variety of boat styles. 2005|05|Cub Pet Pals|Outdoorsman|Handyman||It's not just our parents and siblings who live with us but our pets do as well. Learn to care for a pet and draw or take their picture to show at the pack meeting. The American Humane Association has designated the first full week of May as "Be kind to Animals Week." Discuss responsible care of pets. Visit a local pet shop and see different kinds of exotic pets. Make something for your pet like a toy or a new home at the den meeting. Remember, don't pet strange animals. 2005|06|Destination Parks|Traveler|Artist||America is blessed with an abundance of natural parks. Point out on a map where National or State Parks are located and why the land became a park. Learn the rules of safe hiking, about "hugging" a tree, and the Outdoor Code. Construct your own hiking stick and pack a backpack with personal first aid kit, food, water, insect repellent, sunscreen and a poncho. After exploring the trails at the local park or the council's Scout Camp, Scouts can tell what they saw. Work on a service project to improve the local park. Remember to leave the area better than you found it. 2005|07|Play Ball!|Aquanaut|Geologist||The season of fun in the sun is here! This is the time of year for sports, outdoor picnics, and exploring. Dens should play sports and learn about sportsmanship. "Do Your Best" counts. Cub Scouts can work on sports belt loops and pins as they participate with their den or pack. Put the "Outing in Scouting" and go to a baseball game as a pack. Use the big outdoors and the time of summer to enjoy all that it offers. Get the baseball gloves, balls, and bats out and have your own baseball game between the parents and the Cub Scouts. 2005|08|Campfire Tales and Traditions|Naturalist|Forester||A campfire is a great way to close the summer and begin the fall. How about telling a few tall tales, songfest, folklore, and Native American lore? Use the Campfire Planning Guide as dens are assigned to prepare the different parts of your pack's campfire program. This will be a great opportunity to recruit, so invite potential new Cub Scouts. Webelos Scouts can learn about fire building and fire safety. How about marshmallows or s'mores around the campfire? Don't forget to leave the area as clean or cleaner than you found it so that others can enjoy it as well. 2005|09|Cub Scout Round-up|Communicator|Scientist||Explore the wild and wooly West as you round-up new membership. This month learn about the Chisholm Trail and its hardships. Locate on a map the actual route that the cattle drive took. Find out what the cowboys wore and the safety reason for each garment. Learn about leather and rope-making crafts from each. Plan a field trip to see horses and wagons or learn about Western history. Learn to sing "Home on the Range" and other western songs. Experience trail food as everyone tries beans and jerky for dinner. 2005|10|To The Rescue|Showman|Scientist||Cub Scouts will learn how to avoid accidents and be prepared for emergencies this month. Have a policeman talk about safety at home, at school and in public. Learn how to be safe around insects, snakes, animals and plants, or when swimming or riding a bike. Visit the local center for 9-1-1 calls so that Cub Scouts can learn how to call 9-1-1 and what information to give from the home, cell, or pay phone. Have an EMT teach basic age-appropriate Cub Scout first aid. Make first aid kits for boys' automobile, home or to carry with them. Use the buddy system during the den and pack meetings and have buddies develop a secret code or nickname. At the pack meeting, use games or mock accidents so that Cub Scouts can show they are prepared to come to the rescue. 2005|11|My Family Tree|Craftsman|Citizen||Is your family Irish or Italian, Hispanic or Greek? Learn where your ancestors came from and trace your family's heritage. Find out what they did and what their customs were. Every family is different, and everyone has something special to offer. Bring something from your family to the pack meeting for Show and Tell. Make projects about different countries to display at the pack meeting. Read stories from other lands and find out what types of games are played in those countries. Have snacks at your den or pack meeting from different countries. Have your Cub Scouts work on the Academics belt loop for Heritages or Language and Culture. 2005|12|Faith, Hope, & Charity|Craftsman|Citizen||This time of year is packed with family faiths, hopes for the future, duty to God, and charity to all. Service projects are a way to give thanks while helping those in need in our neighborhoods and in our schools. Share family or historic traditions with your den or pack. Celebrate the holiday season with foods and crafts that are appropriate to the various faiths. Build a glove or mitten tree during a pack meeting or organize a food collection where everyone brings something to share with the needy. 2006|01|Music Magic|Fitness|Readyman||Cub Scouts will get their vocal cords humming and their instruments strumming in a musical extravaganza! Learn to sing a variety of styles like pop, country, or barbershop. Work on the Academics belt loop or pin in Music. Learn the history of a particular song or songs or learn about the various musical instruments. Why not use odds and ends to make your own instruments and accompany the choir? Den meetings can be your "rehearsals" and the pack meeting your "performance!" Best of all, everyone can join in and sing along. Take your show on the road to a local community activity or to a nursing home. Music is a universal language, so help to bring joy to the world by sharing it with others. Earn the Music academic belt loop and pin. 2006|02|Cubs in the Future|Scholar|Engineer||How will Cub Scouts celebrate the blue and gold banquet in the year 2106? What vehicle will take them? Will the stars be their guides? Make models of these new forms of transportation, a home or school of the future, and then use them as blue and gold banquet decorations. Create designs for future Cub Scout uniforms and awards. Build an exhibit of model campsites on a distant planet. Be creative with your futuristic menus. Top off the evening with intergalactic games. 2006|03|Cubstruction|Handyman|Engineer||Boys love to build things. This month have the dens work with tools and wood. Learn about different kinds of wood and where it comes from. Make gifts for your family or bird or bat houses for the community. Work with your family to make repairs around your home. Visit the local hardware store or home- improvement store and see all the different tools. Get permission to visit a local construction site. Since the best gifts are often homemade, make handcrafted awards to present at the pack meeting. 2006|04|Our Feathered Friends|Sportsman|Athlete||Learn about the various birds that live in your area or about the bald eagle, our national bird. Observe and take pictures or make posters, feeders, or birdhouses. Visit the library or search the Internet for information about birds all over the world. Ask a conservation officer to speak about attracting more birds to your area. At the pack meeting, dens can present what they've learned about birds and the projects they've made. To stimulate interest in Boy Scouts, invite an Eagle Scout to talk about his experiences on his trail to Scouting's highest rank. 2006|05|Diggin' In the Dirt|Outdoorsman|Family Member||Cub Scouts can discover what Mother Nature hides in the dirt and how the soil helps plants to grow. Have a "One Inch Hike" to learn the many things that can be found in the dirt. Learn what insects or animals make their homes in the ground. Make a window garden or terrarium and plant seeds or plants. Visit a green house or County Extension Office to see what plants can grow without soil, what it takes to grow healthy plants and how to test the soil. At the pack meeting, show items found in the ground (i.e. rocks, shells) or have a seed-eating party with edible seeds. 2006|06|Invent a Reason to Celebrate|Traveler|Artist||Check your calendar for a variety of holidays we don't normally celebrate. Did you know that every day in June is a holiday? June 15th is Smile Power Day, the 29th is Camera Day, the 10th is National Yo-Yo Day, and the 20th is Ice Cream Soda Day. Not only is June 14th Flag Day, but it is also Pop Goes the Weasel Day. You can celebrate a June holiday or create your own. Invent a new sandwich for Sandwich Day. June is National Accordion Awareness Month as well as Zoo and Aquarium Month. If you can't find a holiday for your den, you can invent your own and celebrate it at the pack meeting. 2006|07|Red, White, and Baloo|Aquanaut|Geologist||Citizenship is taught through Cub Scouting. Our flag stands for our country. Learn about our flag and its history. How many different flags has the US had? Learn how to properly display the flag, carry it, and retire it. Display the flag on Independence Day. Learn about the many people who have given their lives for our flag and why we need to show respect when we handle our flag. Invite your local troop or VFW post to the pack meeting and have them perform a flag retirement ceremony. Practice patriotic songs like "You're a Grand Ole Flag" and "The Star Spangled Banner" and sing them at the pack meeting. Invite a veteran to be a guest speaker and talk about defending our flag. Let's all be proud of our flag and what it represents. 2006|08|Scouting It Out|Naturalist|Forester||Get your Cub Scouts into the great outdoors and have fun, fun, fun. Enjoy nature and all it has to offer. Plan a pack outing that may include a pack family camp out, a hike, or a water party or just pack up the hotdogs and have a picnic. Teach the boys safety precautions for whatever activity you choose. Get out and enjoy the beauty of nature. 2006|09|Zoo Adventures||||Cub Scouts love animals in every shape and size so why not visit a zoo, animal park, pet shop or nature center? Perhaps you can get a behind the scenes tour while you are there. Create a pet zoo or study a favorite animal and make displays for the pack meeting. Learn about the history of zoos and the important work they do to prevent the extinction of endangered species. Earn the Wildlife Conservation belt loop and pin. 2006|10|Cub Scout Shipbuilders||||Ships have played an important role in the history of our country since the earliest colonial days. Build a model of a ship and tell your den what it was used for - whaling, transportation, fishing, military or commerce. Learn to tie a square knot and other knots used by sailors. Make sailors hats and sing sea chanteys. Hold a raingutter regatta. Visit a boatyard or a museum and learn how ships are made. 2006|11|Cubs in Shining Armor||||Let our heroes shine as they welcome new "Cub Knights" into their den and pack. Learn about chivalry and the rules of the round table. Make medieval costumes and design your own coat of arms. Find out what life was like in the times of castles and knights. Cub Scouts can be "knighted" as they advance in rank. 2006|12|Cub Scout Stars||||This month learn which constellations and stars light up our winter sky. Visit a planetarium or star gaze in a remote area. Don't forget that the stars in the sky are not the only "stars" that shine. This is a great time for our Cub Scouts to shine by giving service, singing, performing in a skit or magic show, or any activity that exemplifies the purposes of Cub Scouting. Earn the Astronomy belt loop and pin. 2007|01|Poles Apart||||Learn about the North and South Poles this month. Imagine life in a place where there is cold and ice 365 days a year! Learn about the brave explorers who traveled to the ends of our earth. Practice with a compass and map; give directions to your home and school. Experiment with magnets and polarity. Discover the plants and animals that make the icy poles of the Arctic and Antarctic their home -- including everyone's favorite flightless bird, the penguin! Earn the Map & Compass belt loop and pin. 2007|02|Aloha, Cub Scouts||||Let's take a trip to our 50th state this month! Cub Scouts will learn about the culture, customs, language, food, and games of Hawaii. Did you know that the first Hawaiians came to the islands over 1500 years ago? That surfing was invented here? That Hawaii was a separate country with its own kings and queens until 1893? Learn to say hello, thank you and the Cub Scout Promise in a native Hawaiian language. Try a Hawaiian treat like "shave ice" for a den snack. Make a flower lei to give a family member. Play a Hawaiian game like Koname (Hawaiian Checkers) or 'ulumaika (a game similar to lawn bowling). How about a luau in place of the monthly pack meeting 2007|03|Baloo Skies||||This month Cub Scouts will learn how weather impacts their daily lives. Visit a local weather station and find out what meteorologists are doing to make better weather predictions or watch the weather on radar via the Internet or on TV. Learn about temperature, barometric pressure, and what makes clouds and rain. Make a rain gauge. See how the wind affects the land and oceans. Build and fly a kite with your den or pack. Build a tornado in a bottle. Learn what birds do to "weather" the storms. Invite a science teacher, weather forecaster or meteorologist to come to your pack meeting. Earn the Weather Academic loop and pin. 2007|04|Cub Cafe||||This month our Cub Scouts can experience the varied tasks associated with running a cafe. From planning a budget and menu, to food selection and preparation, to consumption, Cub Scouts can do it all. Visit a supermarket and learn about where food comes from as well as the benefits of comparison-shopping. Learn about table etiquette for both the waiter and consumer. Make your pack meeting a "Food Fair" where each den runs their own "Cub Cafe" and everyone enjoys a taste. 2007|05|Cubs and Bugs Galore||||This month explore creepy crawly critters and discover the giant world of insects. Take a walk or hike and see how many insects - or their signs - you can spot. Learn the stages of an insect's life and how some insects change inside a cocoon or chrysalis. Make a model of an insect home or build an ant farm. How does an insect survive the winter? Learn to treat bug bites and stings. Visit a beekeeper and taste fresh honey. Talk to a farmer, county extension agent or school biologist about the harmful and helpful things that insects do. 2007|06|Wheel into Summer||||Wheels help us have a "wheely" good time. Our bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, and scooters are fun provided we use them correctly. Learn about how bikes are used in other countries and in various types of competitions. How about having a pack "Wheel Fun Party" where you can demonstrate your skills and learn safety rules while having lots of fun? Remember to wear the correct protective gear such as helmets and pads. Conduct a Cubmobile race. Adult family members can be judges and help with a cookout or picnic. Don't forget to look into electives that could be completed during the meeting as well earning the Bicycling and Skating belt loops and pins. 2007|07|The Rockets Red Glare||||Learn to sing "The Star Spangled Banner." Find out how and why Francis Scott Key wrote our national anthem. Conduct a space derby at the pack meeting. Make water rockets and have fun getting everyone wet. Take the pack to see the local fireworks on the Fourth of July. Build a model of the kind of rocket that took people or a satellite into space. Earn the Citizenship loop and pin. 2007|08|A Century of Scouting||||Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Scouting! Learn about Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Scouting movement. Take an imaginary trip to the very first Scout camp on Brownsea Island. Learn how Scouting came to the US and about the beginnings of Cub Scouting here. What famous Americans "present and past" were in Scouting? Find people in your town or family who were Scouts and make a pack scrapbook of their memories. Learn how Scouts in other parts of the world are celebrating the 100th anniversary. Make a time capsule for the Cub Scouts in your town to open on Scouting's 200th birthday. 2007|09|CUB SCOUT EXPRESS||||All Aboard the Cub Scout Express. Invite a buddy to join you in your journey through Cub Scouts, riding the rails to adventure. Activities can include a trip to a train or rail museum, visit a local train station or invite a model railroader to your pack meeting. Look up the history of trains at the library or on the Internet. Read about the different train cars and engines that are used by railroads. Use a large cardboard facade of a train for an induction ceremony for new families or presentation of awards. Play train relay games with your den or pack. 2007|10|DOWN ON THE FARM||||It's harvest time in farming country. Cub Scouts learn about growing crops this month while they explore the life of a hard-working farmer. Dens might visit a farm, local dairy, or petting zoo to learn first-hand about farm animals. Boys can build a miniature greenhouse to start their own vegetables for planting in the family garden or patio pots. Dens could take a field trip to a pumpkin patch and pick their own pumpkin for the pumpkin decorating contest at the pack meeting harvest fair. Fair activities might include contest booths, a rubber-glove cow for milking, and a good old fashioned hayride. 2007|11|INDIAN NATIONS||||Do you know who lived where you live 500 years ago? Dens will learn about the American Indian tribe currently living in their part of the country or the tribes that previously lived in their area. You are encouraged to invite a local tribe to help learn how Native Americans show their respect for Mother Earth and how "we are all related." The boys will learn about the harvesting and preparation of native foods and discover how good these foods taste. Develop an understanding of the importance of traditional oral history as a way of teaching lessons and recording history. Work on your Communicating belt loop and pin. Experience playing a Native game and learn the meaning and history behind the skills required to play the game. Share your new knowledge at a pack meeting or special event. 2007|12|CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD||||December is marked by days of celebration and observance for many cultures and faiths around the world. Christmas, Chanukah, Ramadan, Rohatsu, Yule and Kwanzaa all occur this month. Find out how the celebrations in another country are similar and different than those in the USA. Compare your own family's customs and traditions with others in your community. Invite an adult from another nation to come to your pack meeting to tell how their family celebrates. Why not start a new tradition of service in your pack as a way to honor the holidays this month? Work on the Heritages belt loop and pin. 2008|01|CUB SCOUT CAR SHOW||||Cars have fascinated every generation since their invention in 1769. They've been featured in many movies and on television. Discover the different kinds of cars and trucks such as limousines, taxis, van's, pickups, SUV's and racecars. Learn how these vehicles are built, repaired, modified and sold. Visit a car dealership, auto mechanic or auto parts dealer. Boys can build car or truck models or create a model of a showroom or a garage with miniature die cast cars. Participate in a slot car race or pinewood derby race with your den or pack. 2008|02|CHINESE NEW YEAR||||Happy Chinese New Year! Or more appropriately, Gung Hay Fat Choy! (The traditional Chinese New Year greeting). This month we welcome the year 4705. Let's celebrate and welcome the New Year with dragon dances, paper lanterns, fortune cookies and oranges for abundant joy. Decorate your blue and gold banquet with banners inscribed with Chinese characters for luck and lots of red, the symbol of a bright and sunny future. Why not earn the Language and Culture belt loop and pin as we learn about and enjoy the culture of China. 2008|03|LITTER TO GLITTER||||This month Cub Scouts will turn recycled items into treasure and learn about conservation at the same time. Using items that would normally go in the trash or recycling bin, build artistic masterpieces of your own design. It's amazing what some recycled bottles and paper can do when combined with glue and a little imagination. Have a gallery opening at your pack meeting with all your art displayed. Don't forget the Art belt loop and pin. 2008|04|ABRACADABRA||||Cub Scouts love to amaze and be amazed! Boys discover secrets of the magician's art this month as they demonstrate magical illusions and learn new tricks with cards, coins and other everyday objects. The Cub Scout Magic Book is a great resource for age-appropriate tricks and puzzles. Visit a magic shop or have a magician come to your den or pack meeting to teach the boys a few tricks of the trade. Prepare to watch in wonder at the pack meeting as your Cub Scouts entertain their audience with skits, stunts and sparklers that they have practiced at den meetings. The Cubmaster uses the magic of ceremonies to pull awards from his hat at the mystifying pack meeting magic show. This would be a good month to hold your pack space derby. 2008|05|LEAF IT TO CUBS||||Cub Scouts will learn about the wonders of nature's gift to us, a tree! Learn to identify poison oak, poison ivy and various trees by their shape and leaf design. Try leaf rubbing, leaf prints, making a leaf collage, preserving leaves with wax paper or making a leaf collection from fallen leaves. Make a leaf boat and race it at a den or pack meeting. Participate in a tree planting or your local Arbor Day activities. Either adopt a tree or plant one and watch it grow. Research how trees are used to help us in our daily lives. Field trips can be to a lumberyard, nature center, forest preserve or local park. Earn the Collecting belt loop and pin. 2008|06|GO FOR THE GOLD||||As the athletes of the world strive to do their personal best in international competition, Cub Scouts have the opportunity to "Go for the Gold" by doing their best in feats of skill and prowess. This month Cub Scouts learn about exercise and sports and put that knowledge to use playing Ultimate or another sport not played before. Remember that not only is it important to do your best when you play a sport but it is important to understand the rules of being a good sport no matter the outcome of the game. This month would be a great time to work on one of the Cub Scout Sports belt loops and pins in baseball, golf or flag football. 2008|07|H2Ohhh!||||Dive right in as Cub Scouts spend a month learning about water, our most precious resource. Learn about marine life. Dens can visit a water treatment facility, local aquarium or fish farm. Cub Scouts may even want to prepare their own aquarium or fish bowl and "adopt a gold fish". This is also an excellent opportunity to teach our Cub Scouts about water conservation. Don't forget learning about water safety. Enjoy water games; hunt for shells and experience all the beach has to offer. Cub Scouts love to get wet. What could be better than a water carnival complete with games, competition, and safe swim demonstrations? This would be a great time to work on the Wildlife Conservation, Fishing, or Swimming belt loop and pin. Have an outdoor Cub Scout raingutter regatta race. 2008|08|S'MORE SUMMER FUN||||Summer memories can last a lifetime and memories made with your Cub Scout den or pack can be some of the best. So let's make "S'More" Cub Scout memories this month. Since "outing" is part of Cub Scouting, let's get outside and have some fun. Be it having a picnic, water party, softball game or campout; there is no limit to the amount of fun to be had by all this month. Why not have a pack family campout following the guidelines your leaders learned in BALOO training? What could be better than an outdoor pack meeting complete with a campfire? Whether you make a real or synthetic fire, the fun is 100% genuine. This would be a good opportunity to work on the Softball belt loop and pin or the Weather belt loop and pin. 2008|09|NEW BUDDIES||||Wonderful opportunities are waiting! The new school year brings possibilities of new friends. This month a Cub Scout can invite a new buddy to join the fun and adventure of Cub Scouting! This single act can influence the lives of many others. The boys will make new friends while keeping the old by learning to share and treat buddies with kindness. In the den meeting the boys can learn the value of friendship, cooperation, and respect through games and activities. This new team of buddies can develop secret codes and write messages to each other. They will all learn the Cub Scout handshake and motto which will signify belonging to that special group. The boys can practice the buddy system as they go on hikes, work on projects, play games, and participate in sports. This is a great month for boys to earn a Cub Scout Academics or Sports belt loop or pin as they work and play together with an interest they all share. 2008|10|ADVENTURES IN BOOKS||||What great adventures come in books? Let's discover some this month. Visit the library and learn to navigate your way through the "card catalog computer," down the aisles of many adventures, and to an adventure of your own choice. Sign up for your library card while on your visit. Create your own outdoor epic adventure on a hike, campout, or maybe at a ball field or park. Make a costume for one of the characters from your favorite story. At the pack meeting the boys can perform some of their favorite stories and share some of their adventures with the pack. Take part in Pedro's "Say Yes to Reading" program in Boy's Life. This might also be a good month to work on the Communication or Computer belt loop and pin. Encourage the boys to have the courage to search for, discover, and share adventure this month. 2008|11|SEEDS OF KINDNESS||||As we approach Thanksgiving, let us spread seeds of kindness in the form of multiple small service projects. Helping others gives the boys the opportunity to see the bounty produced by spreading many small seeds of kindness and encourages compassion. The boys can discover that just as the large strong oak tree came from the small acorn, big things can happen from spreading small seeds of kindness and charity. Conduct a food drive or collect coats and gloves for those in need; report your hours to Good Turn for America. Work on the Citizenship belt loop and pin. 2008|12|HOLIDAY LIGHTS||||The Star of Bethlehem, the Miracle of the Lamp, the Morning Star that enlightened Buddha, the bonfires of Yule: many of our holiday traditions this month involve lights. Share your holiday traditions with your pack and den: lights on a Christmas tree, candles on a Menorah for Chanukah, or on a Kinara for Kwanzaa. Boys can be stars this month by brightening someone's holiday season with a gift of compassion. As a pack or den, visit a nursing home, preschool, or children's ward and sing holiday favorites. End your outing by sharing cookies that the boys decorated. Help those less fortunate with a service project or toy drive. How about a holiday campfire at your pack meeting? This is great month to work on the Language and Culture belt loop and pin or the Heritages belt loop and pin. 2009|01|"A-MAZE-ing" GAMES||||January is a good time for indoor fun. Make and solve puzzles. Stump your friends with riddles. Build a maze, do crossword puzzles, and word searches. Have a pack games night in which your family joins in for relays, board games, and other cooperative games. Play Cub Scout Jeopardy; how much do you know about Cub Scouting? Rediscover some of the games that your parents and your grandparents could have played and work on the Heritages belt loop and pin. Discuss why playing by the rules is important. The pinewood derby is a good opportunity to learn about rules and good sportsmanship. Why not work on the Chess belt loop and pin. 2009|02|AMERICAN ABC'S||||Take a personalized tour of the USA by the letters: Austin, Baton Rouge and Cambridge to Xenia, York and Zion. Our country contains an endless variety of scenic and historic places. What is special about these places? This month we'll find out by visiting historic places, theme parks, museums, and zoos. Choose a city or an historical site to highlight. Invite a guest speaker who can share something special about the places your Cub Scouts have picked to discover. Use maps or collect tourist brochures to learn more about places to visit. Your local historical society or public library is a great place to get started. Celebrate your blue and gold banquet with local foods from your choices of the ABCs and decorate to highlight your choice. This would be a good month to work on the Citizenship belt loop or pin or the Geography belt loop or pin. 2009|03|WHEN I GROW UP||||Explore career possibilities of the 21st century this month. Host a pack career fair, inviting several adults to share what they do for a living and how these career opportunities might change as you grow up and technology advances. Discover how having a positive attitude is essential in reaching career goals. Den meeting plans could include field trips to learn about different occupations of interest to the boys and playing games centered on different jobs. This would be a good month to work on any of the Cub Scout Academics and Sports belt loops and pins - let the boys vote on the one that fits best with what they want to be when they grow up. For those future astronauts this month is a perfect time for a space derby! 2009|04|JURASSIC PACK||||Explore the land before time! Imagine living in a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. What have paleontologists learned about the great beasts that roamed the Earth millions of years ago? Did any dinosaurs live where you do now? Find out what they ate, where they lived, and how they moved. What could we learn of these creatures that lived so long ago? Make a model of a dinosaur or visit a museum where dinosaur fossils can be seen. Make your own "dinosaur footprints" or "fossils" in plaster. Take a "dinosaur" scavenger hike by going on a hike and looking for things that might have been found during the Jurassic era. This would be a great time to work on the Geology belt loop and pin. 2009|05|LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS||||Warm weather is a perfect time for outdoor adventure, complete with den hikes in the neighborhood, park, or on local trails. As we enjoy our outdoor world, we should strive to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints. Learn about Leave No Trace frontcountry guidelines and ways we can minimize our impact on the environment. Take a backyard hike and practice the Leave No Trace frontcountry guidelines. Have a contest to see who can take the best wildlife photograph. Earn the Cub Scout Leave No Trace Awareness Award. Do your Good Turn and leave these areas cleaner then you found them. Remember to record your service with Good Turn for America. The end of the month has all dens moving up the Cub Scout trail. You might want to consider working on the Wildlife Conservation belt loop and pin this month. 2009|06|A CAMPING WE WILL GO||||This month Cub Scouts go camping! Have a backyard campout with your family. Pitch a tent or sleep out under the stars! Conduct a pack campout at a nearby Scout camp, state park, or even the local museum. An outdoor pack meeting might include a nature observation hunt, followed by an evening around the "campfire". Attend your council's Cub Scout or Webelos Scout resident camp as a den or pack or the council's family camp with your whole family. Camping doesn't always mean overnight; day camp is always lots of fun. Get those boys outdoors and let them discover the fun of camping while working on their Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award. Whatever you do, do it outside and find out what the outing in Scouting is all about. While out on the trail, you can work on the Map and Compass belt loop and pin or the Astronomy belt loop and pin. 2009|07|BE A SPORT||||Not only is it important to do your best when you try new sports but it is important to understand the rules of being a "good sport" no matter how the game goes. Play ball, soccer, tennis, or any sport! Learn about a sport that you've never played before. Have a sports competition with another Cub Scout pack in your area. Have athletes from a local high school or college speak at your den or pack meeting. Ask them to teach you about their sport. Learn a sport you can play with your family: golf, tennis, bowling, swimming, or skating. Have a pack sports day. Cub Scouts can create an obstacle course for the pack to enjoy while earning the belt loop and pin for Physical Fitness or any of the many Cub Scout Sports subjects. 2009|08|FUN IN THE SUN||||Let's go outside and have fun in the sun. Plan some outdoor activities this month that will encourage dens to meet and make preparations together for your pack event. It's a great time for a pack picnic, with each den planning a game or activity. Have a Cubanapolis derby with dens preparing their vehicle and practicing maneuvers during den meetings. Stress good sportsmanship and team building during the planning stages, as well as during the actual event. Create kites in your dens and have a kite flying derby or a family picnic to show off your creations! This might be a great month to work on the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award or a Cub Scout Sports belt loop or pin.