Just because school is out, and formal club meetings may be on hold for the summer, doesn’t mean that you can’t offer some fun opportunities for your kids. Here are few ideas for low cost summer activities to keep your club active. (Make sure to follow all safety policies.)
1. Swim parties or lake days. (Earn your Swimming badge, Fun at the Pool Badge, or Natural Wonders (Lakes) badge.)
2. First Aid day: Games and relays can be found at: http://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/game/game-442.asp or http://dragon.sleepdeprived.ca/games/first_aid/first_aid.htm . You can also learn how to make your own stretchers and carry each other around. Learn how to use a bandana to make a sling, bind a twisted ankle, or stop bleeding. (Earn your First Aid badge.)
3. Fire building day: Go to a local campground and teach your kids how to build, tend and extinguish a fire. While the fire is going, do a little outdoor cooking and make lunch over the fire. Make sure to go over all fire safety rules before lighting the fire. Teach the kids different fire building methods as well as how to make fire starters. (Earn your Fire Safety badge, Fire Building badge, or Outdoor Cooking badge.)
4. Dance Day: Learn a variety of dances such as the hula, waltz, ballet, tap, swing, or square dances. (Earn the Dance (specific) badge.)
5. Fund raisers: Summer is the perfect time for car washes, bake sales (if it is not too hot), snow cones sales, etc. (Earn the Fundraising Badge. )
6. Hiking. Have a nature scavenger hunt, learn about animal tracks, tree and shrub identification, or even use a hike as a service project and collect trash while you walk. (Earn the Hiking badge, Scavenger Hunt badge, or Trees badge.)
7. Go fishing. If there are streams, lakes, ponds, etc. in your area, find someone knowledgable in fishing to teach the kids. (Earn the Fishing badge.)
8. Water fun day. Have everyone bring their kiddy pools, squirt guns, water balloons, sponges, buckets, etc. and organize a variety of water games and activities. (Earn the Water Games badge.)
9. Outdoor game day. Play games like capture the flag, duck duck goose, tag, jump rope, etc. (Earn the Games badge, the Jump Rope Badge or the Hula Hoop badge.)
10. Leadership and Teamwork day. Teach your kids leadership and teamwork skills through games and activities. (Earn the Teamwork Badge.) Great ideas are located at the following websites: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1216/is_n1_v180/ai_6265859/
http://wilderdom.com/games/InitiativeGames.html
http://www.sales-101.co.uk/leadership%20games.htm
