Go Fly a Kite

If you want to try building and flying a home made kite (Electives 5A-D) here are some things that we learned...

Elective 5B (make a paperbag kite) is super easy. Takes 15-30 minutes to create and you can use any kind of paper bag or gift bag. We didn't have any luck getting it to fly though. You may want to save this as a super windy day activity.

Elective 5C (make a 2 stick kite) is more time consuming and difficult to build. The instructions aren't quiet complete in the book and it's a very heavy kite when you use a paper bag. Here are some modifications that we are going to try for round two: use a plastic garbage bag instead of a paper bag to make it lighter. Add a drop of hot glue to the ends of the notches so that the string doesn't come out when it crashes.

Kite Flying statisfies Wolf Electives 5A, 5B or 5C and BSA Family (Family Fun) requirements as well

BSA Family Activities 1

Enjoying Family Fun.

Here is the first set of activities for the BSA Family Award. Select one of these activities as one of two requirements for the Learning Through Family Fun and Adventure section. We will have others listed in the coming weeks for a second area of this topic.

This weeks activities come from the "Enjoying Family Fun" section.

From the BSA Famil Workbook: Purpose: To encourage family members to spend time together having fun and sharing adventures.

1. Hold a family game night. (CHESS belt loop if you would like to teach your Scout to play chess)

2.Visit a museum, art gallery or art exhibit. (fulfills one requirement for the COLLECTING belt loop.) We're going to take in the Lane Motor Museum near Opryland http://www.lanemotormuseum.org/

3. Go Bird watching. ELECTIVE 13D (also goes toward the *World Conservation Award)

4. Go on a famly bike ride, discuss proper bike safety. REQUIREMENT 9E and also fulfills the requirements for the Bike Belt loop.

5. Fly home made or purchased kites. If you choose to make home made kites, you can receive credit for ELECTIVE 5A, and if you choose to make one of the kites (or all of them)ELECTIVE 5B, 5C and/or 5D.

6. Plant a family garden. ELECTIVES 15 A-D depending on what kind of garden you choose to plant. This also fulfills some of the requirements for the *World Conservation Award.

7. Go fishing. Learn about local fishing laws and regulations. ELECTIVES 19 A-F depending on which activities you want to do. Also fulfills the Fishing Belt loop. And is part of the *World Conservation Award as well.

Like I said, there are about 100 activities, I just picked a few that went along with other scout awards. Email me for other ideas if you don't like any of these.

*World Conservation Award. Check page 226 in your Wolf Handbook for more information about the World Conservation Award requirements.