If you’re looking for ideas to create engaging meetings and memorable activities, Larry Green has the book for you. In Making Scouting Unforgettably FUN! the Eagle Scout and lifelong Scouting volunteer provides plenty of options that will help keep youth, parents and volunteers excited about Scouting. On Scouting spoke with Green about the role fun plays in retention and why great programs are crucial.
On Scouting: What inspired you to write Making Scouting Unforgettably FUN?
Larry Green: I’ve always loved Scouting. That’s really what it comes down to. Over the years, I’ve created videos, websites, training materials and conference content because I wanted to help strengthen the program and increase membership.
The book is a compilation of many of those ideas and resources I’ve developed over time. It grew out of the work I did with the national organization, as well as a Philmont Training Center conference by the same name. The book takes the concepts from that course and puts them into a format leaders can use in their own units.
At its heart, it’s a guide to helping leaders create the kinds of experiences that Scouts remember years later.
OS: Why do you believe fun is so important to the Scouting experience?
LG: The connection is simple — when people are having fun, they want to come back.
That’s true for Scouts, parents and volunteers. If meetings are enjoyable and rewarding, people look forward to participating. If they’re not, retention becomes a challenge.
One of the things I do in the book is define what “fun” actually means. It’s not just playing games. Active participation is a huge part of it. Scouts want to be involved, challenged and engaged.
OS: The book contains more than 140 activities. What makes a great Scouting activity?
LG: For me, the best activities combine fun with positive outcomes. I especially like Scout skill challenges because they reinforce skills while creating excitement and teamwork.
A good activity should do three things: reinforce the acquisition of a skill, illustrate how that skill is used and require Scouts to rely on that skill to complete a challenge. When those ingredients come together, the activity becomes both memorable and meaningful.
The goal isn’t just to keep Scouts busy. It’s to give them an experience that teaches something while still being enjoyable.
OS: You talk a lot about Scout skill challenges. Why are they so effective?
LG: They’re the meat and potatoes of the program. Scout skill challenges take traditional Scouting skills and put them into action. Instead of simply learning a knot or a lashing, Scouts use those skills to solve a problem, complete a project or overcome a challenge.
Along the way, they’re learning teamwork, communication and problem-solving. They’re pooling their resources, working together and relying on each other’s strengths. That’s where a lot of the fun comes from. I also think these activities help show the public what Scouting is all about. When people see Scouts building a flagpole, constructing a monkey bridge or putting outdoor skills into action, they immediately understand that Scouting offers something unique.
OS: Do the lessons in this book apply only to Scouts BSA troops?
LG: Not at all. While many of the examples come from Scouts BSA, the principles apply at every age level. I spent years as both a den leader and Cubmaster, and fun is just as important in Cub Scouting. In fact, I’d argue it’s critical during those first few meetings. If young people aren’t having a good time early on, they’re less likely to come back. The book was written for both youth leaders and adult leaders because everyone has a role in creating a positive program.
OS: Of all the activities in the book, do you have a favorite?
LG: Two of my favorites are the Supreme String Burning Race and Everyone on the Tripod.
Everyone on the Tripod requires Scouts to use lashings and teamwork to build a large tripod structure that the entire patrol can stand on. What makes it special is that Scouts get to see the direct result of their work. They build something together, climb onto it and celebrate when the whole patrol is standing off the ground.
The Supreme String Burning Race combines fire-building skills, wood processing and teamwork. Scouts split wood, create tinder and kindling, build a fire, and eventually burn a suspended string. There’s a lot of anticipation involved, and everyone is cheering for success. It teaches valuable outdoor skills while creating a positive experience.
OS: After more than six decades in Scouting, what keeps you passionate about the movement?
LG: It’s the combination of outdoor skills, self-reliance, teamwork and tradition.I love being outdoors and putting skills into action. Those experiences make you feel resourceful and capable. I also love the camaraderie that develops when a patrol works together toward a common goal.
Scouting has a unique mystique because it combines adventure, tradition and service in a way that few other programs do. The methods may evolve over time, but the core experience remains the same. Young people are still learning leadership, building confidence and discovering what they’re capable of accomplishing.
That’s what has kept me involved for more than 65 years, and it’s what I hope this book helps more leaders deliver to the next generation of Scouts.
Making Scouting Unforgettably FUN! is available through the Scouting America Scout Shop for $6 (more than 50% off the Amazon list price of $15.95).Excerpt
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Catch the Snapper (small area, inside or out)
– Materials: for each patrol, four Scout staves, six 6-foot lashing ropes, one 3-foot cord, one fishing sinker, rattraps
– Method: Form a “river” by marking two parallel lines 12 feet apart. The patrols line up on one “riverbank.” On the opposite bank for each patrol is one or more cocked rattraps. Patrol members use all their materials to build a long fishing pole which they use to catch the “snapper.” The sinker is the only thing allowed to touch the rattrap.
– Scoring: The first patrol to lift a rattrap up by catching it on their fishing sinker wins.
Water Boiling Race (large area, outside)
– Materials: 16 oz. can filled with water to within ½-inch from the top and containing one teaspoon of soap powder or squirt of liquid soap, two or three matches, two bricks to rest the can on, an area to build the fire that will not impact the environment and is positioned a safe distance from other patrol fire areas, filled fire bucket for each patrol
– Method: Before the race, each patrol gathers and organizes native tinder and kindling for their fire, or is limited to materials provided. Each patrol selects two representatives. On signal, the two Scouts set up their fireplace, light a fire, place the can of water over the fire, and keep feeding the fire until the water boils. Other patrol members help as needed.
– Scoring: The first patrol to get the sudsy water boiling over the top of their can wins.
– Note: This is a wonderful activity for putting into action the skills related to building and feeding a cooking fire.
Identifying Sounds (small area, inside or out)
– Materials: a tarp or blanket to use as a curtain, a variety of items that will produce a recognizable sound
– Method: The patrols are seated in front of the curtain. Behind the curtain are one or two leaders who produce various sounds for those gathered in front to recognize and remember, such as thumbing the pages of a book, crumpling a cellophane wrapper, breaking a stick, striking a match, hammering a nail, and so on. After the demonstration, the patrols return to their corners to make a list of the noises they heard.
– Scoring: Award a point for each sound correctly listed. The patrol with the most points wins.
– Variation: Each Scout is furnished a pencil and paper and in turn writes down what they think each sound is, after which patrol members compare notes and come up with a list of their best observations based on a patrol consensus.One of the topics that generates more discussion than most is the role of cell phones at camp and on activities.
Main Photo: Scouting America archives. Other photos: Larry Green.