Den Meeting Projects (crafts)

I've been working on a post for almost a week now about some projects that my scouts really enjoyed.  The only problem is that I don't have pictures of these projects, and it would be ridiculously boring to just read about them.  I contemplated posting a bunch of links, but then you have to go back and forth between the post and the linked page.  So we're just going to muddle our way through.  


I've mentioned before that my group LOVED doing craft projects.  It was perhaps the most asked question at the beginning of each den meeting.  Crafts and projects are supposed to be used to add and enhance your program.  Simple cut and paste jobs just won't do!  I tried to make all of our projects tie into what we did in the meeting, or used them to get us started on what we would be working on next.  Just about everything we did counted toward an achievement, elective, or portion of a belt loop or pin.  Around holidays, we did something using that particular theme.  I know that 90% of my pack is returning, and I'm anticipating doubling our previous number of scouts in the new school year.  Nothing gets past these guys, so I surely won't be able to use something next year that I did last year!  So I'm spending some time this summer to find some projects that are new and different.  Most of that time so far has been spent in Pinterest!  


I found an activity that I'm going to do at the first den meetings.  Each boy decorates a quarter circle inside a square outline and then you put them all together.  When I click through the pin to the original link, it's in German, and it's a private blog.  Womp womp.  So here is a template I made.  

I made mine 4" by 4".  6" would have been too big once I fit them all together.  I plan on printing them on white card stock so the squares are study, then I'll attach them to poster board for the first pack meeting.  The plan is to match up ones that are similar, so the boys can see that while we are all individuals, together we make up a group with things in common.

On another note, mixing my colored rice worked well, and I'll be able to use it for "rice art" bottles, and the iSpy bottles.  My wee one made an iSpy bottle with the rice and it turned out really well.

Once I saw that the rice layers well, I shook the jar for a few minutes to mix it all up for our iSpy bottle.  My little guy had fun choosing what "spies" to put in the bottle.  We used a funnel to pour the rice in, and he loves shaking it up to find everything in there!  Included are animal and vehicle beads from Joann Fabrics, as well as a bunch of various shaped buttons from several chain craft stores.  There are also some plastic bingo chips, alphabet beads, pony beads, and plastic charms.  Bags of several hundred beads are just a few dollars.  I mixed everything I had into a big hexagonal shaped jar with a lid.  Finding everything in there is an adventure in and of itself!

I'm working on more ideas.  Hopefully my kids will want to demonstrate them for the blog!

Until next time,

CubMom