Cub Scout Games, Songs, and Activities

Games and Activities

Balloon Batting Relay

This game may be played by two or more teams. Arrange teams in parallel lines with teammates spaced about 15 feet apart. On signal, the first player on each team bats the balloon with either hand toward his next teammate, who bats it to the next, and so on until the balloon reaches the finish line. If the balloon touches the ground, it must be brought back to the starting line and the team must begin again.

Block and Tackle Experiment

This simple apparatus shows how block and tackle increases power. You need two lengths of broomstick and a length of clothesline. Fasten one end of the line to one of the sticks. Wrap line loosely around both sticks as shown. Have two of your biggest den members grasp the sticks and try to keep them apart while the smallest den member pulls on the line. He should be able to pull the sticks together no matter how the others try to keep them apart.

Catapult Experiment

Catapult Experiment -Use a ruler and an eraser or other soft projectile. Have a boy strike the short end of the ruler. How far did the projectile go? Now have him try it with half the ruler over the edge and hit it with the same force. Is there a difference in the distance? Why?

Crows and Cranes

Divide Cub Scouts into two teams. Teams line up facing each other about a yard apart. One team is the Crows and the other the Cranes. Mark off a baseline 30 to 50 feet behind each team or line them up in the center of a room and use the walls for bases. When the leader calls, "Crows," the Crows must race to their base without being tagged by the Cranes. When the leader calls, "Cranes," they try to get back safely. The leader can add suspense by prolonging the commands, "Cr-r-r-rows" or "Cr-r-r-ranes." Back to the Den

Cockfights

Two Cub Scouts hold their left ankle behind them with their left hand and keep their right arm close to their side. The arm must not be used to strike or shove. On signal, they try to upset each other by charging or shouldering, or try to force the other to drop his left foot. With a large number of players, a free-for-all may be held. The last player to remain standing wins.

Dizzy,Frog Handstand, and Ankle Hop

• Dizzy -Cub Scouts hold their left ankle in back of their right leg with their right hand. Then they hop, making three turns in place without losing their balance. Then they reverse position and try hopping on the left leg.
  
• Frog Handstand -Scouts squat and place their hands flat on the ground between their legs. They lean forward slowly, shifting the weight of their bodies onto their hands and elbows until their feet swing free of the ground. They should keep their heads up and point their toes backward. (This is the first step in learning the handstand).
• Ankle Hop -Tell Cub Scouts to stand erect and then take a squat position, grasp the ankles, and hop forward four times without breaking the ankle grip. They turn around and repeat hopping back to their original places.

Fitness Circle Game

Form a circle as large as the room permits with all Cub Scouts facing the same direction. Give instructions for various activities as follows:

1. Start walking in a circle, and keep walking between these exercises.
2. Start hopping.
3. Make yourself as small as possible and continue walking.
4. Make yourself as tall as possible and continue walking. Now reach your hands high over your heads.
5. Bend your knees slightly, grasp your ankles, and continue walking.
6. Walk as if the heel of one foot and the toes of the other were sore.
7. Walk stiff-legged.
8. Squat down and jump forward from that position.
9. Walk on hands and one foot with the other leg held high, imitating a dog with a lame foot.
10. Walk forward at a rapid pace (don't run) while swinging your arms vigorously.
11. Take giant steps.
12. Walk forward, raising your knees as high as possible with each step.
13. Run, lifting your knees high.
14. Walk on your hands and feet.

Handyman's Tool Box

Handyman's Tool Box -Great for carrying hand tools. Cut pieces from one-inch scrap wood. Assemble with eight-penny nails.

Marbles

Playing Marbles -For a den tournament, draw a circle on bare ground 5 to 10 feet in diameter. Make a cross of 13 marbles in the center as shown above. Boys take turns shooting at the marbles with their shooter, trying to knock them out of the ring. If they knock a marble out of the ring, they shoot again. The right way to shoot is shown above. The player who first shoots seven marbles out of the ring wins. If his shooter goes outside the ring, he may shoot from any place outside the ring. For more tips on marbles, see Cub Scout Sports: Marbles, No. 34279.

Static Electricity Tricks

Static Electricity Tricks -Run a comb through your hair and it will pick up bits of paper. Rub a balloon against your clothing and "hang" it on a wall. To see how two electrified objects will repel each other, tie two balloons on a string. Hang them side by side and stroke both of them on clothing or a piece of fur.

Weather Observation Chart

Photocopy the March page of a large calendar for each den member. Have him make the legend showing how to mark the day's weather on it and tape to calendar page. Have him record the weather at the same time each day for the rest of the month. Show the charts at the Pack activity.

Weather Observer Game

The leader give a three-minute weather report with lots of weather activity around the country-snow in the Rockies, tornadoes in Oklahoma, scorching hot weather in Florida, rain in Pennsylvania, cloudy weather in Maine, etc.

while giving his report he mops his brow, buttons his shirt, scratches an ankle, rubs his chest, and does other unrelated things. At the end of the forecast, den members are asked to write down not what the forecast was buy what the leader did during the report and the order in which he did them.

Weather Station Instruments

Simple Barometer -This device shows atmospheric pressure. Use a glass or clear plastic quart bottle. Fill it with water, put a saucer over the top, and turn it over quickly. Allow a little water to escape into the saucer. With a felt-tipped pen, draw 8 or 10 scale marks 1/8 inch apart. The middle mark should be even with the water level. Check it each day. If the water level has risen, the atmospheric pressure is higher and fair weather is coming. If the level is lower, look for unsettled weather.

Anemometers -These devices measure wind velocity. For the one on top, use a paper plate and paper cups with handles. Staple cups to plate's rim as shown. Drive small nail into end of stick and punch through center of plate so that the plate turns freely. If you paint a stripe on one of the cups, it will be easier to count the number of revolutions and thus estimate the wind's speed. The slingshot anemometer (two bottom most drawings) requires an adult's help to make. Cut parts from wood and tin as shown. To set the scale on the instrument, hold it outside a car window on a windless day. With the car going 5 miles per hour, mark the degree of the blade's swing on the scale. At 10mph, make another mark, and so on. If the blade swings to its top limit at low speeds, weight with sinkers and start over.

Wind and Weather Chart -Here's a good way to keep track of the wind's direction over a month's time. The legs of the chart show the wind direction by dates. The squares beside the dates are painted different colors to show weather conditions each day-yellow for sunny, blue for cold and dry, red for warm and dry, etc.

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