April Fool Scouts

 

It's not unknown for April Fool's Day to be marked with pranks at your meeting and here's some you could do!

Switch Leaders’ Names: Call leaders by different names throughout the meeting.

Paper-Filled Shoes: Lightly stuff shoes with paper so they feel snug when scouts put them back on.

Mashed Potato Cookies: Shape mashed potatoes to look like cookies (bonus if you add chocolate chips for the look).

Backwards Day: Announce that it’s backwards day and do everything in reverse, like starting the meeting with the closing ceremony.

Invisible Ink Messages: Use white crayon to write secret messages on paper, then let scouts paint over them to reveal the words.

Colour-Changing Water: Place a drop of food colouring under a tap’s spout so it surprises scouts when the water flows.

Upside-Down Supplies: Turn troop supplies like chairs or books upside-down before the meeting.

Silly Name Tags: Swap out everyone’s name tags with funny alternatives like “Queen of Cookies” or “Captain Giggles.”

Balloon Surprise: Fill a closet or cupboard with balloons so they spill out when opened.

Googly Eye Takeover: Add googly eyes to random items like snack bags, supplies, or troop gear.

Frozen Snacks: Freeze juice boxes or fruit snacks so they’re unexpectedly icy.

Switch Snacks: Replace chips in a bag with baby carrots or another healthy snack.

Sticky Seats: Lightly tape sticky notes to chair seats so they stick when scouts stand up.

Moving Trash Bin: Tape a toy or balloon to a string, hide, and slowly drag it past unsuspecting scouts.

Mixed-Up Song Lyrics: Change a familiar camp song’s lyrics and see who catches on.

The Donut Switcheroo: Bring a box of donuts, but inside is a veggie tray instead! After the initial surprise, reveal the hidden donuts to avoid disappointing hungry scouts.

Goals

Goals, not just literally the ones scored in the backs of football nets matter not least if we are not to just drift aimlessly on, not really working towards achieving anything in our lives and many have found Scouting helped snd is helping them in developing a sense of direction and opportunities to discover what really makes them tick.
 

Scouts and the War in Iran

Few of us can avoid it but there's another war going on not that we're getting into the politics of that but that creates issues that do concern Scouting of one Scouts in the affected region - The Middle East - such as the effects of bombing and the loss of parents and siblings.

Scouting is endeavoring to support all affected without favour.

An issue that applies to us here in the U.K. is that various groups in society push harmful and very damaging narratives around Jews and Muslims that risk undermining the sense of unity of Britains of all heritages and faiths, spreading the politics of that region into our communities including schools and scouts.

As scouts we are called upon to look beyond such matters, treating each other as equals, respecting differences of view and working together  and to call out such attitudes and associated behaviours where they endanger all of us.

We all have a part however small to help ensure we all are valued and treated with fairness and compassion in scouts and in the reminder of our lives.

Getting about Scots style

 

Exploring and hiking be it in scouts or outside of it can take different forms and some prefer especially whilst in Scotland to wear traditional dress including a kilt which after all used in battle over the centuries over more modern forms.

Having worn kilts out exploring I can understand that although keeping your socks fully up and defeating the midges can be a challenge!

An example to us all?

 

Something that by British standards seems a tadge old-fashioned but very welcome, the U.S. Scout, this one from Raleigh, North Carolina, out in the woods looking very smart.

Just why is it presently over here we seem to have a problem of being practically dressed AND smart?

Back to the seventies

 

Memories from the past include seeing and knowing Cubs know at the time as Cub Scouts at church at various services looking smart like these two posed ones did, common place in many suburban and country districts .

8 Fun games while hiking

 

8 Fun Hiking Activities for Kids (and Adults)

Scavenger Hunt Hike

Penny Flip Hike

Fit on a Penny Hike

ABC Hike

Monogram Hike

Insect Hike

Sketching or Drawing Hike

Nature Friends

1. Scavenger Hunt Hike

Make a list of things the Scouts will look for, but these won’t be things they’ll pick up and take home. They’re things they’ll experience. List 3 or 4 items in these categories:  Smell, Texture, Sound, and Sight.

For example, your Sound category might include a bird chirping and leaves rustling. Smells could be dirt and flowers. 

2. Penny Flip Hike

Flip a penny to decide which direction you’ll take on your hike. You might say, “Heads, we’ll go toward the creek, and tails, we’ll walk toward that big tree.” 

Flip your penny for silly stuff too like, “Heads, we’ll sing Yankee Doodle Dandy, and tails, we’ll moo like a cow until we get to that rock.”

3. Fit on a Penny Hike

For this hike, walk to a designated spot and give each Scout a penny. They have 5 minutes to find as many things as possible that will fit on the penny. 

Remind the Scouts that they should only pick up things that are on the ground. Cub Scouts should always follow Scouting’s Outdoor Code.

4. ABC Hike

Pair up the Scouts. They are looking for items that start with each letter of the alphabet. When they find an item that begins with A (acorn, for example), they’ll call out the name and begin looking for the next letter.

5. Monogram Hike

Scouts try to find something that begins with each of their initials. The items don’t have to be physical–they can be sounds or smells too.

6. Insect Hike

Each Scout should bring a camera. If all of them don’t have one, you can pair them up. Tell the Scouts to take as many pictures of different kinds of insects as possible.

7. Sketching or Drawing Hike

Bring along paper and pencils or crayons. Hike to a scenic location, and have the Scouts draw what they see.

8. Nature Friends

Each Scout picks up an item from the ground to be their “friend.” As you hike, have each child explain why the item is their friend.