Scout Link - Cub Scouts

The Cub ScoutKinship Award

2 • THE CUB SCOUT K INSH IP AWAR D

Welcome to ScoutlinkThe Scout Citizenship Project

Scoutlink is a new and exciting opportunity for Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scoutsand Venture Scouts across the island of Ireland. It is a joint initiative between thethree Scout Associations The Scout Association NISC, Scouting Ireland CSI andScouting Ireland SAI.

Scoutlink introduces three new Awards within Scouting:

The Kinship AwardCub Scouts explore Citizenship by completing four Challenges within their own CubPack

The Partnership AwardCub Scouts make a link with another Cub Pack from within their own district, county orregion and complete three Partnership Challenges.

The Citizenship AwardThe international element of Scoutlink! CubScouts explore citizenship through makinga Cross-Border link and completing a series of fun activities.

All of the Awards have individual programme packs containing a wide range of activities and fresh ideas,workable in parallel with existing Cub Scout Awards and Badges.

This pack contains programme ideas for the Kinship Award. It also contains notes that should helpleaders develop the activities with their young people.

THE CU B S CO U T K INS H IP AWARD • 3

KinshipThe First Scoutlink Award is an exciting citizenship programme based on four Cub Scout Challenges:

Challenge 1 Understanding Myself

Challenge 2 Understanding My Community

Challenge 3 Finding out about My Country

Challenge 4 Finding out about Others

Through the above challenges, Kinship enables Cub Scouts to explore themes, including:

• Scout values• Care of the environment• Exploring our past and looking towards the future• Equality - equal opportunities for all• Cultural, sporting and social activities

Cub Scouts should complete all four challenges over a period of at least three months to gain theKinship Award.

The Scoutlink team is available to support you as you work through Kinship with your Cub Scout Pack.

What happens when you have finished the Kinship Award?

Simply fill in the record sheet and return to the Scoutlink team. Your Cub Scouts will receive a Kinshipbadge that they can wear on uniform.

The Scoutlink team will then help you work towards the Partnership Award and make a suitable linkwith another Pack.

Remember also to fill in the evaluation sheet included with the pack.

Cub Scouts choose one activity for each of the challenges to complete the Kinship Award.


Challenge 1

Understanding Myself 1. Pack time capsule

2. Family tree

3. Coat of arms

4. Individual good turn

5. Friendly Martians

Understanding My Community 1. Finding out about someone and something famous

2. Finding out about a local person

3. History trail and place names

4. Visit a local place

5. Do a Pack good turn

Finding out about My Country 1. Celebrate a festival

2. Food from where I live

3. Weather forecasting

4. Traditional games

5. Hold an ‘Irish’ night/ ‘Ulster Scots’ night

Finding out about Others 1. Different sports

2. Celebrate other cultures

3. Finding out for ourselves

4. Finding out about the Italian culture

5. Male and female jobs

Challenge 2

Challenge 3

Challenge 4

Outline of Challenge Activities

Choose one activity from:




Challenge 1

Understanding MyselfChallenge 1 purposes

Cub Scouts find out more about who they areCub Scouts learn to think for themselves

Cub Scouts learn to co-operate and share with each other


Challenge ActivitiesChoose one activity from the following list to complete the challenge.

1. Prepare a Pack Time Capsule

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out more about who they are.

We know very little about children of the past. Imagine it is a thousand years from now. If this timecapsule was found it would be very useful to historians.

Cub Scouts make a collection of small objects that illustrate their personal identity, for example:

• A diary of a typical week in their lives;• A personal profile (name, address, hobbies, interests, photograph)• Their favourite pop group or band;• Favourite sports team;• The newspaper or magazine/comic they most frequently read;• The price of their 10 favourite items (e.g. chocolate bars, crisps, ice-cream, CD)• A shopping receipt;• Sports played by Cub Scouts;• The most popular car;• A coin;• A postage stamp;• A badge that best describes each Cub Scout (could include a picture or motto).

Discuss with the Cub Scouts why they have chosen particular objects. Explain that all Cub Scouts didnot choose the same objects – each have different interests and therefore different identities.

Bury the time capsule and open it in three years time when the Cub Scouts are moving into the ScoutTroop.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 1, Artist, Hobbies, Photographer

Scouting Ireland SAI: Artist, Collector, Photographer

Scout Association: Creativity 6 (The Adventure Award), Science & Nature 4,Creativity 3, (The Adventure Crest Award), Artist, Collector,Craftsman, Photographer


2. Family Tree

Purpose: Cub Scouts share their interests with others and find out more about their family history.

In Common

Cub Scouts wander around trying to find someone who matches each of the ten statements on the page.When they find someone, they ask them to sign their sheet. Examples of statements:

Find:• A Cub who has travelled to another country• A Cub who is taller than you• A Cub who plays a musical instrument• A Cub who plays sport• A Cub who has been in Beavers• A Cub who has a pet dog• A Cub who supports Manchester United• A Cub who has been on Cub Camp• A Cub who likes pizza• A Cub who can swim.

This activity highlights differences in interests within the Cub Pack. Each Cub Scout has their ownidentity.

Family Tree

Another way of understanding personal identity is to make a family tree. Cub Scouts find photographs ofthemselves and other relatives. Draw a picture of a tree and put the youngest generation (children) at thetop. Put the oldest generation (grandparents, great-grandparents) at the bottom of the tree (representingthe roots). Draw lines to link people together.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 4, Artist

Scouting Ireland SAI: Artist

Scout Association: Creativity 6, 8 (The Adventure Award), Artist


3. Coat of Arms

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn to think for themselves.

Identity

Try making plaster casts or paint prints of Cub Scouts hands and feet. Are all the hand and footprints thesame? What does this tell us about individuals?

Cub Scouts design their own Coat of Arms that illustrates their interests.

Explain to Cub Scouts that in Heraldry coats of arms were developed according to the person’s familybackground. Provide Cub Scouts with the template (included) and they should be able to identify threeor four things to draw onto their coats of arms, using the following headings as guidelines:

Surname: Wood (a tree), Smith (a horseshoe), Brooks (a stream)Hobbies: Sport (football), music (an instrument) etc.Favourite school subjects: Maths (calculator), art (paintbrush), history (scroll)A job they would like to do when older: Postman (postbox), entertainer (TV) etc.

The inner part of the shield could be divided into as many parts as the Cub Scouts need to depict theirinterests. Cub Scouts should also try and devise a motto to put at the bottom of their shield.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Artist


Scout Association: Creativity 6, (The Adventure Award), Creativity 3, (TheAdventure Crest Award), Artist, Craftsman, Handyman, LocalHistorian


10 • THE CUB SCOUT K INSH IP AWA R D

4. Individual Good Turn

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn to co-operate, share and help others.

A good turn is something that you do for someone without being asked. Ask Cub Scouts to complete anumber of good turns and over the period of one week, keep a record of the number and types of goodturns undertaken.

e.g. help in the gardenWash the dishesClean up the Scout hallTidy their bedroomsCarry the shoppingVisit an elderly neighbourPost a letter

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Bronze Arrow 3, Growing Up 7, 10 Thinking 1, 15, Sharing 6,Good Samaritan, Home Help, World Conservation

Scouting Ireland SAI: Bronze Arrow p34, Good Deed, Home Help, p15, WorldConservation

Scout Association: Good Turns 1, (The Cub Scout Award), Helping Others 4,5, (The Adventure Award), Helping Others 4, 5, YourCommunity 1-4, (The Adventure Crest Award), HomeHelp, World Conservation

5. Friendly Martians

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn to respect differences in interests and identity.

A group of friendly Martians are planning to visit the Cub Scouts in the next few days. They have neverset foot on earth, never mind seen an earthling.

They are rather anxious and nervous about what to expect when they arrive. They do not speak English.They understand pictures and symbols.

Each Cub Scout should put together a collection of pictures, items and symbols that represent theiridentity, for example a school bag may be used to represent the time they spend in school each day. Sharethis collection with the rest of the Pack and discuss why they have included the items. How many of therest of the Cub Scouts have similar item or items that are totally different? Explain to Cub Scouts that thisis diversity and that each person has their own identity and interests.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 4, 21, Thinking 11, Sharing 2, Artist.

Scouting Ireland SAI: Artist.

Scout Association: Creativity 6, (The Adventure Award), Artist .

Challenge 2

UnderstandingMy Community

Challenge 2 purposesCub Scouts understand what it means to be part of a communityCub Scouts learn more about local people and their organisations

Cub Scouts respect their local community and its environment


1. Finding out about Someone and Something Famous

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn more about local people and their organisations.

‘Hot Seat’

Identify some important people in the local community, this could be a politician, prominent communityactivist, Mayor etc.

Cub Scouts take it in turns to sit on the ‘hot seat’. They assume the identity of the individual chosen. Theother Cub Scouts in the Pack must find out who the person is, but they can only ask questions thatrequire a yes or no answer. After a suitable period of time, the leader stops the activity and tells the rest ofthe Pack if they have not been able to identify the person. Other Cub Scouts should have a go at being thefamous person.

Questions Cub Scouts might like to ask:

• Is this person male or female?• Do all the Cub Scouts know him/her?• Does s/he live locally?• Are they involved in politics?

Visit

Follow this activity with a visit to a famous old building, monument, earthwork or other place of historicalinterest in the local area. Find out:

• When it was built?• What is it made of?• Who owns it?• Why is it famous?• Does anyone live there now?• Are there any stories associated with the building or landmark?

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Thinking 3, 19, Artist, Book Reader, Photographer.

Scouting Ireland SAI: Artist, 2, Book Reader, Communicator, Orator,Photographer.

Scout Association: Your Community 3, (The Adventure Award), OutdoorScouting 5, Your Community 4, Countries andCultures, (The Adventure Crest Award), Artist, BookReader, Communicator, Local Historian, Photographer


THE CU B S CO U T K INS H IP AWARD • 1 3

2. Finding out about a Local Person

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out more about local people and their organisations.

Organise a visit from someone who lives in the community to your Cub Pack. This could be a localhistorian, former leader or community worker. Find out what they do to help the community. Find outabout their local organisation. Invite them to your Pack meeting to explain what they do.

For example: Help the Aged, St. Vincent de Paul Society, St. John’s Ambulance, Order of Malta, The RedCross, RNLI, Rotary/Lions Club, Local Place of Worship etc.

Ask them if they need any help in a forthcoming event and offer the services of your Pack. Or why nothelp fundraise for this organisation e.g. hold a sponsored hike, a shoe shine, jumble sale, clothes collection,mile of 10p coins etc.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Thinking 10, 18 Sharing 2, 18 Good Samaritan,International Friendship

Scout Association: Your Community 6, Countries and Culture 4, (TheAdventure Award), Your Community 5. Countries andCulture 2, (The Adventure Crest Award), Community,World Friendship

3. History Trail and Place Names

Purpose: Cub Scouts understand what it means to be part of a community.

Take the Cub Pack on a walk around the community. Look out for signs that represent community lifeand make a list, for example:

• Ruins• Old buildings• Churches• Graveyards• Castles• Graffiti• Wells• Murals• Schools• Mills• Where famous people live etc.

Ask Cub Scouts what they have identified and what this tells them about their local community? Discuss.As a Pack, make a model of the local community and mark on the model the places of interest CubScouts have identified.

Place Names

Local place names, customs and family names are a great means of beginning to explore local communities.Find out how the town or village got its name, the roads Cub Scouts live on and other important localfeatures such as a park, road, lake, mountain etc.

Discuss why place names are important and what they mean. What significance do they have in the lifeof the local community? Are places named after a particular family, historical event or geographicalfeature? Explore.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Bronze Arrow 1, Silver Arrow 2, Gold Arrow 1,Discovering 4, Thinking 22, Sharing 19, Artist,Explorer, Map Reader, Pathfinder

Scouting Ireland SAI: Bronze Arrow (Track and Trail), Silver Arrow, (Map& Compass), Gold Arrow, (Survey), Artist, Map Reader,Pathfinder

Scout Association: Tracking 1, 2 (The Cub Scout Award), Outdoor Scouting1, Creativity 5, 6, 8, Your Community 1, 3 (The AdventureAward), Craftman, Local Historian, Map Reader, Navigator



4. Visit

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn to respect their local community and its environment.

Trail

Take the Pack on a trail of the local community based on one of the following themes:

a) A cultural trail incorporating sports grounds, religious buildings, community centres and otherimportant cultural places;

b) A service trail that passes doctors surgeries, emergency services, transport centres (bus stops,train stations etc.).

This will help Cub Scouts understand and define their local environment.

Visit one of the following local places:

• Town hall• Fire Station• Police Station• Local industry• Newspaper offices• Radio stations• Post offices• Any other places associated with the local community.

Find out:

• What happens in the building?• Who is in charge?• Who is there to help?• How would you find out something?• When is the building open to the community, if at all?

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Bronze Arrow 1, Silver Arrow 2, Gold Arrow 1, Thinking 22,Sharing 11, 18, 19, Explorer, Map Reader, Pathfinder

Scouting Ireland SAI: Bronze Arrow (Track and Trail), Silver Arrow, (Map& Compass), Silver Arrow, (Visit an Unusual Place), GoldArrow, (Survey), Map Reader, Pathfinder

Scout Association: Tracking 1, 2, (The Cub Scout Award), Outdoor Scouting1, Creativity 5, Your Community 1, Your Community 1,Community, Craftsman, Local Historian, Map Reader, Navigator

5. Do a Pack Good Turn

Purpose: Cub Scouts understand what it means to be part of a community.

As a Cub Pack in your Community organise one of the following:

• Visit an old people’s home and perform a sketch or sing a song;• Help take care of a local flowerbed or green area;• Organise a fundraiser for people in need;• Raise funds for a developing country e.g. Ethiopia, Mozambique;• Organise a collection of non-perishable foods to send to a disaster area;• Organise a Christmas hamper for a children’s hospital/home (gather together toys in good

working order, etc.)• Take part in a fete, gala or other event organised by a group outside of Scouting;• Collect magazines/comics/toys for a local children’s hospital;• Help out a local charity;• Any other activity appropriate for your local community.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Bronze Arrow 3, Growing Up 7, 10, Thinking 1, 15,Sharing 6, Good Samaritan, Home Help, World Conservation

Scouting Ireland SAI: Bronze Arrow (Good Deed), Home Help, World Conservation

Scout Association: Good Turns 1, (The Cub Scout Award), Helping Others 4,5, (The Adventure Award), Helping Others 4, 5, YourCommunity 1-4, (The Adventure Crest Award), HomeHelp, World Conservation


Challenge 3

Finding outabout my Country

Challenge 3 purposesCub Scouts find out more about their country

Cub Scouts find out more about traditions within their country


1. Celebrate a Festival

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out more about their country.

National IdentityGo on a trail of a local town or community. Cub Scouts keep a record of how many times they can findwords or symbols that represent the country they live in, for example: money, stamps, banks, television –who provides your local TV? Can you get your Pack mentioned on television? How many other people inyour local community wear uniforms?, look for newspapers, shops, signs, symbols, gardi/policemen etc.See how many signatures of people you can get as you go round your community e.g. local priest/minister. Do these people all know how to find Cub Scouts?

Celebrate a local festival, for example Easter, Christmas, Harvest etc. Choose whether this can be done ata Pack meeting, or at a community event.

Find out who celebrates the festival and why. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a festival within your owntradition; it could be a festival associated with a different culture within your country.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 21, 22, Thinking 16, 19, 20, 21, Sharing21, Artist, Bible Reader, Worship


Scout Association: Creativity 3, Creativity 6, Countries & Culture 1, 3,(The Adventure Award), Creativity 6, Countries& Culture 4, (The Adventure Crest Award), Helping toLead, (Worship) (The Cub Scout Challenge), Artist,My Faith, World Faiths


2. Food from Where I live.

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out more about traditional food.

The potato has been the staple diet of generations of people living in both Northern andSouthern Ireland.

As a Pack, hold a potato tasting evening where Cub Scouts have to sample potatoes cooked in as manydifferent ways as possible, for example:

• Boiled• Chipped• Roasted• Fried• Baked• Potato crisps• Potato bread• Potato pancakes etc.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Silver Arrow 1, Growing Up 8, Thinking 7, Home Help

Scouting Ireland SAI: Gold Arrow, (Cooking), Chef, Home Help

Scout Association: Outdoor Scouting 2, (The Adventure Award), OutdoorChallenge 3, (The Cub Scout Challenge), Cook,Home Help


3. Weather Forecasting

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out about traditional ways of weather forecasting.

Keep a record of the weather for one week, for example record rainfall, temperature, cloudcover, wind direction.

• Make a rain gauge from an empty plastic bottle. Make a funnel by cutting off the top of the bottlejust below the contoured portion. Use vinyl tape to cover the cut edges both on the funnel and theopen bottle. Then stick a strip of tape to the face of the bottle bottom, a couple of inches from itsbase. Measuring from the strip mark six half inch increments with additional strips of tape. Dropsome clean pebbles or marbles into the bottle for weight. Insert the funnel into the top of thegauge and pour in enough water to reach the bottom mark. Leaving the funnel in place, set thegauge on a level, open spot outdoors and wait for rain.

• Wind direction – make a windsock of lightweight material. Thread wire through the top to hold itopen. Attach string to the wire and tie the sock to a tall pole.

• Wind speed – the Beaufort scale.

Beaufort No. Wind Effect0 Calm Smoke rises vertically

1 Light air Smoke drifts

2 Light breeze Leaves move

3 Gentle breeze Leaves constantly move, flags extended

4 Moderate breeze Raises dust and paper, small branches move

5 Fresh breeze Small trees sway

6 Strong breeze Large branches move

7 Moderate gale Whole trees sway

8 Fresh gale Twigs break off trees

9 Strong gale Large trees break, minor damage to buildings

10 Whole gale Trees uprooted, major damage to buildings

Weather diary – find how many different weather sayings you can find for this week. The sayings withillustrations make a good wall display e.g. ‘When squirrels eat nuts on the tree winter as warm as warmwill be.’ ‘If the oak comes out before the ash there’s sure to be a summer splash; if the ash comes outbefore the oak, there’s sure to be a summer stroke.’ ‘A red sky at night is a shepherd’s delight, a red sky inthe morning is a shepherd’s warning.’

Past diaries have mentioned weather predictions using time of day, the sky, wind, birds, animals, flowers,plants and trees.

Compare traditional ways of telling the weather with your actual findings.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 19, Sharing 15, Handyman, Scientist

Scouting Ireland SAI: Silver Arrow, (Working Model), Handyman, Scientist

Scout Association: Good Turns 1, (The Cub Scout Award), Science & Nature 4,(The Adventure Award), Science & Nature 1, Science &Nature 3, 4,(The Adventure Crest Award), Handyman,Scientist


4. Traditional Games

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out more about traditional games.

Hold a traditional games evening with the Cub Pack.

Base your evening on some of the following games. Are there any others?

• Tug of Peace• Three legged race• Sack race• Hop, skip and jump – no. 1 hops on one foot, no. 2 skips, no. 3 jumps (both feet like a frog),

no. 4 hops etc. until all have taken part.• Bowls• Rounders• Marbles• Jacks• Hopscotch• Skittles• Wellie Throw – each six has a wellington boot. Each Cub Scout throws the wellie as far as s/he

can. The distance of each throw is marked and the furthest wins.• Horse shoe throwing – similar to wellie throwing• Tag relay – this is a straightforward tag relay. Each Cub Scout runs to a specified point, returns

to his/her six and tags the next Cub etc. The first Six finished wins.• Skipping Rounds:

Two little dickey birds sat on a wallone called Peter the other called Paul.Fly away Peter, fly away PaulCome back Peter, come back Paul.

Cinderella dressed in yellowWent upstairs to see her fellowHow many kisses did she get…..1,2,3,4…..

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Growing Up 1, 2, 12, 16, Athlete, Sportsman

Scouting Ireland SAI: Silver Arrow, (Outdooe Activities), Athlete, Sports

Scout Association: Sports & Hobbies, (The Adventure Award), Sports & Hobbies,(The Adventure Crest Award), Athlete, Sportsman


5. Hold an ‘Irish’ Night/Ulster Scots Night

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out more about traditions within their country.

This is open to interpretation. It may be possible to hold both an Ulster Scots Night and anIrish Night.

• Cook Irish stew• Try out Irish or Scottish dancing• Learn simple phrases in Irish or Ulster Scots• Make an Ulster fry• Choose a traditional craft e.g. make corn dollies, weaving, egg rolling and painting, dyeing.

Famous people: Find out about one or two people who have become famous in your country, for exampleartists, musicians, scientists, religious leaders, explorers, sportsmen/sportswomen.

Or

Take a period in history and run a programme around it, for example:

The Celts

• Run a tracking trail around the hall/den• Try painting cave style• Make jewellery from cardboard and silver paper – silver jewellery• Play Celtic music – pipes, dances etc.• Different types of drums for Cub Scouts to sample

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Silver Arrow 1, Discovering 12, 15, Growing Up 8,Thinking 7, Artist, Entertainer, Home Help

Scouting Ireland SAI: Gold Arrow, (Cooking), Chef, Artist, Entertainer, Home Help,Musician

Scout Association: Creativity 2, Outdoor Scouting 2, (The Adventure Award),Creativity 2, Creativity 2, (The Adventure Crest Award),Outdoor Challenge 2, (The Cub Scout Challenge), Artist, Cook,Entertainer, Home Help, Musician


Challenge 4

Finding outabout others

Challenge 4 purposesCub Scouts learn to respect others from a different

background or tradition

Cub Scouts learn to appreciate others viewpoints


1. Sports

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn more about different sports.

Game: this game is played between a pair of Cub Scouts.

One is provided with a list of connected items on a set of cards based on a sports theme:

• Ball• Hockey stick• Hurling stick• Gaelic football• Foul• Whistle• Rugby ball• Deuce• Umpire• Substitute• Points• Bat• Goal• Score

One Cub Scout has to get the other to guess what is on the cards. They do this by saying whatever theywant, except they cannot use any words that appear on the cards. If they do a bell rings and they move onto the next item without scoring. So, to pass the first card one Cub might say: ‘It’s round….it’s used inHurling…..it’s the thing you hit….’ But if the Cub Scout says, ‘it’s used in football,’ they would getbuzzed as they have used the word ‘ball’ that appears on the card. As soon as the partner thinks they knowwhat the object is, they can butt in and they have as many guesses as they need. They can also pass if theyget stuck. A pair has two minutes to transmit all the cards and score points for each one completed.

Choose one of the sports from the list that Cub Scouts know least about and try out a simple game.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Growing Up 1, 2, 12, 16, Athlete, Sportsman

Scouting Ireland SAI: Silver Arrow, (Outdoor Activities), Athlete, Sports

Scout Association: Sports & Hobbies, (The Adventure Award), Sports & Hobbies,(The Adventure Crest Award), Athlete, Sportsman


2. Celebrating Other Cultures

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn to respect others from a different tradition.

‘I was born with a bronze skin and I like it. Some of my friends were born white or yellow. They were notconsulted, but that’s all right. There are yellow roses, white roses, red roses and the fragrance of the one isas nice as the other. I hope my children will live in a world where people of all colours can sit and workhappily together.’

Chinese

Celebrate the Chinese New Year.This takes place on the first day of the lunar year and lasts from 3 to 15 days (mid January to midFebruary). Each year is named after an animal. Chinese people exchange gifts. The lion dance is a specialattraction.

Hold a mini dragon boat festival.Cub Scouts could make their own dragon boats and race them.

Cook some unusual Chinese food for the Pack or hold a Chinese evening where Cub Scouts have theirtea at the Pack meeting.Use a wok and make Chinese stir fry. Allow Cub Scouts to smell and taste curry, chilli powders, spices etc.

Game: Chinese relay.The first Cub Scout runs to a point and back. S/he then bends forward, passes his/her right hand backbetween his/her legs and grips the next Cub Scout by the left hand. The two run forward and back. Thenext Cub Scout joins up in the same fashion until all members of the Six have joined up. Any breakagesmean that the Six must start again.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Silver Arrow 1, Growing Up 8, Discovering 17, 21, 22,23, Hobbies, Entertainer

Scouting Ireland SAI: Chef, Collector, Entertainer

Scout Association: Outdoor Scouting 2, Creativity 2, Countries & Cultures 1,(The Adventure Award), Countries & Cultures 1, 4, (The AdventureCrest Award), Collector, Cook, Entertainer, Hobbies


3. Finding out for Ourselves.

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn to respect others viewpoints.

Ask Cub Scouts what they think happens to messages as they move from person to person?

Try out the ‘Whispers’ exercise where a message is passed along a line of Cub Scouts – how does it end up?

Ask 3 Cub Scouts who think they are good listeners to volunteer. Two of the Cub Scouts leave the room.Read a short story to the Pack, including the first Cub Scout. Bring back one of the other Cub Scouts andCub Scout one must repeat the story to him. Bring back the third Cub Scout and Cub Scout two mustrepeat the story to Cub Scout three.

Discuss:How did Cub Scouts feel trying to remember the story (nervous, detail etc.)?How did the rest of the Pack feel?What happened to the story?Is this what happens when rumours spread?Is it not better to find out for yourself, especially when you are meeting new people and cultures?

Game: ObservationOne of the leaders comes into the room during the Pack meeting. S/he makes a statement to he CubScouts and then leaves the room. Ten minutes later Cub Scouts are asked what the leader was wearingand what they said. How many of them will be able to remember or will have noticed what the leader waswearing?

My Story

My name is Wolfgang, but my friends call me ‘Wolf ’ for short. I live in a tree house beside a stream in themiddle of a very big forest. I have everything I need – lots of good friends and plenty of space for sports.It is the ideal place to live!

About a month ago our forest conservation committee held an emergency meeting (I am Chairman ofthe committee). We received a letter from the council to say that a family of three young pigs has beengranted permission to build three houses in the forest. Can you believe it? What’s going to happen to ourforest? When I heard this news I was very, very cross. I couldn’t just sit buy and let three pigs come alongand build great big houses in such an unspoilt area. There is nothing we could do as a committee, so Idecided to take action myself.

Now I know this particular family and I went round to talk to the mother pig. She told me that her threelittle pigs are too big to live there any longer and she told them to go out and build houses for themselves.She didn’t however tell them to build in my forest!

So off I went in search of the little pigs themselves – well what else could I do? No one else on thecommittee would approach them. First I came to the place where the first pig had built his house. Canyou believe it – a straw house! I knocked on the door and explained who I was – he did not answer. Iwalked around for a few minutes, but still no answer. Now with all this worry and stress I had developeda cold. So guess what? I sneezed! And of course what happened – it was such a big sneeze that the strawhouse blew down. Out ran the pig and off he went down the road as fast as his legs could carry him.

The next day while I was out walking, I came across the house of the second little pig. He was obviouslya bit smarter than the first one because he built his house of sticks. This time I decided to wait outsideand try to catch the pig’s attention. As I approached the house I saw the little pig in the garden and Ishouted and started to run towards him. Of course what do you think happened? Clumsy me, I trippedon a sign in the front garden, and fell right on top of the house. Well that was it – the house wascompletely flattened, I was so embarrassed! Before I had time to apologise, the pig took off like a rocketdown the road.


The next day I set out to find and make friends with the third little pig. Sure enough I found his houseand this time I was very careful. I knocked politely on the door and asked the pig to come out and talk tome. Would he do that for me? No. So I took a different approach. I offered to meet him at Farmer Smith’sfield the following morning. We could dig turnips and chat together about the forest. He agreed.

The next morning at five to six I arrived at the field. I waited and waited and waited and waited somemore. The little pig didn’t show. I went round to his house and asked him if he was ready? He said he hadalready been and dug enough turnips for his own dinner. As you can imagine I was really very disappointedand hurt.

So I decided not to give up. I arranged to meet him to pick apples the next day. Again he got there onehour before me, but this time I was wise for him. I got there an hour earlier also. He threw me an appleand just as I ran after it, the pig ran away home. Later on that day I arranged to meet him at the fair, buthe never showed up. As I was walking back to his house, I had an idea. Perhaps if I could do a good turnfor him, he would speak to me and we could get this problem sorted out once and for all. I mean I am notreally a bad person to talk to. I noticed that one of the slates on the roof of his house was loose. So Iclimbed up and tried to fix it so that the rain wouldn’t leak in during the winter. But what do you thinkhappened? I slipped and fell down his chimney into a large pot of water! That was that, the pig had tohelp me out and I don’t know who was more shocked – him or me! Then we actually began to talk andwere able to agree on a few things. The pig assured me that he had no plans to build more houses in theforest. Isn’t it strange really how you can be misunderstood in these things!

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 18, Thinking 10, Book Reader

Scouting Ireland SAI: Book Reader, Communicator, Orator

Scout Association: Book Reader, Communicator


4. Italy

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn more about different traditions.

Hold a Pizza Party

Coming in gameScrambled up names of varieties of pizza are placed around the walls, such as meat feast (mtae tfase),Hawaiian (waanahii). Cub Scouts unscramble them.

Game – going to the bank.Sixes stand in relay form. Cub Scouts in turn run to a chair at the furthest end of the hall, pick a balloon,blow it up, tie it and then burst it and take the contents back to their Six. Inside the deflated balloonsshould be coins or bank notes. Sixes will use this paper currency to purchase their pizza ingredients.

Tomato pureeWhile the first game is taking place, leaders and helpers are dressing up as food sellers. They should havetrays around their necks containing different items for pizza, as many as possible. These could be paper orcard cut out shapes of mushrooms, tomato slices, pepperoni, grated cheese, black pepper, spinach, eggs,olives, onions, garlic, pineapple etc. At the start of the activity the ‘pizza sellers’ sell their wares to the CubScouts, who in their Sixes are making up a giant pizza. This is a good team building exercise where theSixer can direct their Six. The giant pizza should be a large round circle of cardboard on which the pizzapieces are glued. When pizzas are complete, have a competition for the best design, face, most ingredientsetc.

Games using the giant pizza• Roll the pizza – Cub Scouts have to roll their pizza around obstacles and back to the Six;• Pizza shot putt – who can throw the pizza the furthest distance?• Deliver the pizza – circle game, number 1,2,3,4 and so on, call number and Cub Scouts run

around circle back to place, dive in to get pizza.• Match the pizza – divide each pizza into four and mix them up in a heap. Each Six has to put

its pizza back together.

Cheese toppingFinish the party with a pizza delivery for the Cub Scouts to eat.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Silver Arrow 1, Growing Up 8, Thinking 7, Home Help, Entertainer

Scouting Ireland SAI: Gold Arrow, (Cooking), Chef, Entertainer, Home Help

Scout Association: Outdoor Scouting 2, (The Adventure Award), OutdoorChallenge 3, (The Cub Scout Challenge), Cook, Entertainer, HomeHelp


5. Female and Male Jobs

Purpose: Cubs learn to be fair when thinking about male and female/girl and boy roles.

Cub Scouts select an occupation from the list below that they would like to be.

The occupations are non-gender indicated (e.g. ambulance driver instead of ambulance man) but shouldbe traditionally either a male or female role (e.g. miner or nurse). Some Cub Scouts are likely to get anoccupation that they will not want to be. Cub Scouts need to say why they wouldn’t like to do this job.Leaders should explain that both male and female Cub Scouts could do any of the jobs listed.

Jobs:

Fire fighter Secretary Computer operatorNurse Engineer MayorDoctor Primary school teacher Shop assistantFarmer Football referee VetBus driver Police officer/Garda officer BuilderLibrarian Car mechanic NannyPilot Hairdresser Electrician

Cub Scouts then look through a collection of old newspapers, magazines and comics and try to findstories and photographs that show or talk about men and women (perhaps doing some of the jobs listedabove). Cub Scouts then make displays of their findings. They could also bring in small photographs ofthemselves and cut out their face and place in on the bodies of some of the pictures of the jobs listedabove.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Thinking 6, Artist


Scout Association: Creativity 6, (The Adventure Award), Creativity 3, (TheAdventure Crest Award) Artist, Computer


The Cub Scout Kinship AwardThe Cub Scout Kinship AwardThe Cub Scout Kinship AwardThe Cub Scout Kinship AwardThe Cub Scout Kinship AwardLeaders Notes

Kinship focuses on the individual, the community and country around the individual and differenttraditions and cultures within their own area.

It is not essential to run the challenges in order, however it may be useful for Cub Scouts to find outabout themselves and their own identity before looking at their community, country and the identities ofothers.

Challenge 1 Understanding Myself

Understanding Myself is about Cub Scouts finding out more about who they are and what is importantto them as individuals. In essence Cub Scouts should understand the Scout Promise and Law, particularlyin respect of doing their best.

Activity oneThe time capsule is a useful activity to help Cub Scouts understand more about their own personalidentity. It may be possible to prepare a capsule for each individual Cub Scout, or even ask Cub Scouts tosuggest items that they would put into their own time capsule. Time capsules need to be make fromstrong material and leaders should make a note of exactly where they have been buried. When diggingthem up, make the occasion memorable and special.

Activity twoDraws on Cub Scouts personal interests and also focuses on the importance of their family kinship. Careshould be taken with Cub Scouts who are not able use their family for the tree. In such cases it may beuseful to use the Scout Troop as their family.

Activity threeCan be used as part of a theme night or camp activity where Cub Scouts actually use the Coat of Arms toidentify their Six. In this case it is important that Cub Scouts draw their own personal Coat of Arms andthen produce a larger scale model that represents the whole Six.

Activity fourIs largely up to individual choice, but leaders should keep a record of the number of good turns completed.Parents should maybe be asked to sign a record of what Cub Scouts have done. Cub Scouts should also bepraised and rewarded for their efforts, illustrating that it is important to think of others before ourselves.

Activity fiveShould illustrate the range of interests and identities amongst Cub Scouts. The exercise should concludewith careful explanation that it is good and important that everyone in the Pack is different, but that theyall have similarities also for example they are all Cub Scouts. Plaster Paris for making the moulds can bebought from a chemist.

Challenge 2 Understanding my Community

This challenge builds on individual identity and allows Cub Scouts to explore the area they understand astheir local community. It also encourages Cub Scouts to think about the area they live in and as a Packhelp with community activities. Challenge activities focus on local people, local organisations and localplaces.

Activity oneHelps Cub Scouts find out more about local people and their responsibilities within communities. It isinteresting to note who Cub Scouts know most about and perhaps discuss some of the reasons why thisis so. Why not visit a place associated with some of the people in the first part of the activity.


Activity twoLargely up to individual Pack choice. Also the opportunity to work towards badges.

Activity threeCan be made particularly special and interesting. Discuss with Cub Scouts their community models –why they have included some buildings and why others have been left out. The meaning of place namescan probably be found in local libraries, tourist offices, historical groups or in ‘A Little Book of Irish PlaceNames’ by PW Joyce or web site www.irelandseye.com

Activity fourCan be made particularly interesting and exciting. It can also incorporate work towards badges. Alsovisits may include places such as local industries, Theatres, television and radio stations. Maybe peoplesuch as post men/women or the fire service may be able to visit the Cub Pack.

Activity fiveEncourages the Pack to take an active role in their local community. This activity will also raise the profileof the Pack in the local community.

Challenge 3 Finding out about my Country

Cub Scouts should be able to develop a clear understanding of the identity of their country. The challengeconsiders traditional festivals, food, games and seeks to affirm cultural identity. It is about celebratingcustoms associated with the country Cub Scouts live in and building on their personal and communityunderstandings.

Activity oneSymbols and emblems associated with national identity are all around, sometimes they are not just obvious.The local library or tourist office will be able to provide information on festivals. Festivals don’t have to befrom the Cub Scouts own community, they can be national events that happen within different areas, forexample The Old Lammas Fair (Ballycastle) or the Matchmaking Festival (Lisdoonvarna).

Activity twoTakes the example of the potato. Other foods such as fish could be used.

Activity threeIs really a comparison of traditional methods of weather forecasting with modern methods. Local peoplewill be able to provide more information on traditional weather forecasting. It may also be valuable tokeep an eye on forecasts from weather centres or on television.

Activity fourThere are many other games specific to local areas. Packs could keep a record of games and pass on anythat they found particularly good to others.

Activity fiveThis exercise will probably run differently in each Pack, as there will be different things that Cub Scoutsfeel is important to their national identity in their local community/country. Also some Packs may focuson a theme such as music whilst others may focus on food or crafts. It is open to individual interpretation.The purpose is to allow Cub Scouts understand a little more about their national identity. Pasta shapesare good for making jewellery with Cub Scouts.

Challenge 4 Finding out about Others

Whilst it is important that Cub Scouts understand their own identity, it is also important that they beaware and familiar with the needs of others to express their identity. Also it is vital that young peopleappreciate differences in identities and develop a sense of fairness in looking at the needs of others toexpress their cultures. The challenge similarly encourages Cub Scouts to find out about other people forthemselves.



Activity oneEncourages appreciation of the diversity of sports played across the island of Ireland. The list is notexclusive, there may be other sports that Cub Scouts would like to find out more about.

Activity twoFurther information on the Chinese community can be obtained form the Chinese Welfare Association.

Activity threeAny story familiar to Cub Scouts can be used for this activity, provided it is told from a different angle. Itis a particularly useful activity to draw out the point that it is important to listen to both sides of a storybefore making judgements.

Activity fourDevelops understanding of the Italian community. Any similar activities can be used provided that theyhelp Cub Scouts understand more about different traditions.

Activity fiveBegins to break down gender stereotypes with Cub Scouts. It is important that Cub Scouts learn that intoday’s world both genders can do whatever jobs they choose and can take on many different roles.

The Cub ScoutPartnership Award

Welcome to the ScoutlinkCub Scout Partnership Award

Partnership is the second Scoutlink Award. Cub Scout Packs pair with another Packand complete three Partnership Challenges. Partner Packs can be from within theirown district, county or region and they can be from within their own Scout Associationor cross-Association.

The three Partnership Challenges are:

Challenge 1 Take part in an activity based on a cultural orsporting theme of your choice

Challenge 2 Undertake an activity new to both Packs

Challenge 3 A Cub Pack exchange or a weekend camp

Cub Packs together should complete all three challenges to gain the Partnership Award. PartnershipPacks must meet at least three times to complete the Award.

What happens when you have finished the Partnership Award?

Simply fill in the record sheet and return to the Scoutlink team. Cub Scouts will receive a PartnershipBadge that they can wear on uniform.

Packs then plan for Citizenship. It is hoped that most Packs will hold on to their Partnership link andwork towards Citizenship, so that in effect two Northern Packs are meeting two Southern Packs. Thismay help with travel arrangements/cost etc. It also allows Cub Scouts to keep in touch with the friendsthey made at Partnership.

The Scoutlink team will help you work towards the Citizenship Award and make a suitable cross-borderlink.

Remember also to fill in the evaluation sheet included with the pack.

34 • THE CUB SCOUT PA R T NER SH IP AWAR D


Challenge 1 Take part in an activity based on a cultural or sporting themeof your choice

1. Traditional craft2. Mythical trail3. Hold a joint badge workshop4. Visit a place of cultural or sporting interest5. Hold a musical workshop

Challenge 2 Undertake an activity new to both Packs

1. Hold a science afternoon2. Run a super Sixes night3. Backwoods cooking4. Eco-warriors for a day5. Unusual meeting

Challenge 3 A Cub Pack exchange or a weekend camp.

Cub Pack exchange programme ideas:1. County themes – County Down, County Wicklow, County Fermanagh,

County Kildare2. Traditional sports day

Cub Pack weekend camp programme ideas:1. The circuit of Ireland, Cub Style2. Pirates

Cub Scout Packs Together choose one activity for each of the challenges to complete thePartnership Award.

THE CU B S CO U T PARTNERS H IP AWARD • 3 5



36 • THE CUB SCOUT PA R T NER SH IP AWA R D

Challenge 1

Take part in an activitybased on a cultural or

sporting theme of your choice

Challenge 1 purposesTogether with their Partnership Pack:

Cub Scouts experience traditions from their own culture

Cub Scouts experience sports from their own culture

Challenge ActivitiesChoose one activity from the following list to complete the challenge:

1. Traditional Craft

Purpose: Cub Scouts together explore traditions associated with their culture.

• Egg rolling and painting• Pot making• Corn dollies• St. Bridget’s Cross• Weaving• Crochet

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 1, 13, Artist

Scouting Ireland SAI: Craft Challenge, Gold Arrow (Craft Challenge), Artist

Scout Association: Creativity 9, Countries & Cultures 1, (The Adventure Award),Science & Nature 3, 4, Creativity 6, Countries & Cultures 4,(The Adventure Crest Award), Artist, Craftsman


THE CU B S CO U T PAR TNERS H IP AWARD • 3 9

2. Mythical Trail

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out about myths and legends associated with their culture.

Follow the path of some of the legends of the island of Ireland.

Choose to visit some of the places mentioned in the myths or run a programme for both Packs based onone of the Cycles.

• Find out about the Mythological Cycle.Irish monks working in monasteries first wrote down their native myths in the 6th century. E.g. TheBattle of Moytura. The Tuatha De Danaan, the people of the Goddess of Danu, were a divine racewho possessed great magical powers and were learned and gifted according to Irish legend. LoughDerravaragh in Westmeath is where the Children of Lir, part of the Mythological Cycle, were doomedto spend 300 years as swans.

• Find out about The Ulster Cycle.One of the first Irish sagas to be written down, the Táin bó Cuailnge (the cattle raid of Cooley) iscontained in the Ulster Cycle. Conor Mac Nessa was the king of Ulster and he and his followers, theRed Branch, lived in a large fort at Armagh. Fergus, Conall and Laoghaire were among the famous ofConor’s champions, but the greatest of them all was Cuchulainn.

• Find out about the Fenian Cycle.This is a later Cycle of tales. One of the most famous stories is the love story of Diarmuid andGraínne. Diarmuid is eventually killed in a fight with a great boar on the slopes of Benbulben inSligo.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 18, Thinking 10, Book Reader

Scouting Ireland SAI: Book Reader, Communicator, Orator

Scout Association: Creativity 1, 5, 6, Countries & Cultures 1, (The AdventureAward), Countries & Cultures 4, (The Adventure CrestAward), Book Reader, Communicator

3. Hold a joint badge workshop

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn about and work together for cultural and sports badges.

Work together for cultural and sports badges, such as:

Scouting Ireland, SAI:Sports Badge – incorporate two traditional sports.Photographer Badge – take photographs of cultural interest and make a display for a group event.Musician BadgeEntertainer Badge

Scouting Ireland, CSI:SportsmanEntertainerPhotographer

Scout Association:EntertainerMusicianPhotographer

4. Visit a place of cultural or sporting interest.

Purpose: Cub Scouts together explore their own culture and sports.

Somewhere important associated with a particular sport on the island of Ireland.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Gold Arrow 1, Sharing 5, 20, Explorer, Hobbies Photographer,Sportsman

Scouting Ireland SAI: Silver Arrow (Outdoor Activities), Silver Arrow (Visitan Unusual Place), Hobbies, Photographer, Sports, Travel

Scout Association: Your Community 5, Countries & Culture 1, (TheAdventure Award), Countries & Cultures 4, (The AdventureCrest Award), Explorer, Hobbies, Photographer, Sportsman


5. Hold a musical workshop

Purpose: Cub Scout together explore musical traditions associated with their culture.

Invite a local musician to your Partnership meeting and teach Cub Scouts about their particular instrument.Or perhaps even ask a local folk group or band to put on a display for your Cub Pack.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 12, Entertainer

Scouting Ireland SAI: Silver Arrow (Entertain the Pack), Entertainer, Musician

Scout Association: Creativity 2, (The Adventure Award), Creativity 2,(The Adventure Crest Award), Entertainer, Musician,



Ask the Cub Scouts what they would like to do if they could do anything. Categories may include:

Indoor activitiesOutdoor activitiesActivity badges

GamesPlaces to visit

People to invite• Themes.

Challenge 2

Undertake anactivity new to both

Cub Packs


Cub Scouts experience shared interests and similarities

Cub Scouts share new experiences

Outline of Challenge ActivitiesLeaders should meet and discuss what activities Cub Scouts have already taken part in, but here are a fewsuggestions:

1. Hold a science afternoon

Purpose: Cub Scouts explore shared interests.

• Learn how to maintain a bicycle• Make a working model e.g. a working model of a hand can be made by using card, string, straw and

a stapler. Draw round a hand onto card. Stick straws onto the outline where the bones are. Leave alittle space between straws where the joints would be. Thread the string down the straws until theycome out in the wrist area. Cut to longer than the hand itself. Secure the strings by stapling the stringsto the tips of the fingers. Now take hold of the five strings at the bottom and gently pull. The fingersshould start to bend over just like on a real hand.

• Construction kit. Hold a model making workshop.• Learn more about using computers or how to take good photographs.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 13, 14, 15,16, 19, Computer Skills,Cyclist, Handyman, Photographer

Scouting Ireland SAI: Silver Arrow (Working Model), Gold Arrow (Craft Challenge),Cyclist, Handyman, Photographer,

Scout Association: Creativity 8, 9, (The Adventure Award), Science & Nature 2, 3,4, 5, Computer, Craftsman, Cyclist, Handyman, Photographer


2. Run a Super Sixes night

Purpose: Cub Scouts explore shared interests and similarities.

Mix both Cub Packs into a series of teams. Each Cub Scout must participate in a minimumof three events, representing his/her Six.

The events might include:

• 100 metres race• penalty kicks• 3-legged race• long jump• chariot race• basketball race• 4 x 100 relay• frisbee throw• carry the emperor race• wheelbarrow race• 110 hurdles race• potato and spoon race• toss the caber• sack race• caterpillar race

Each Cub Scout competes on behalf of their Six. Points are awarded for each place as follows:

1st place: 10 points2nd place: 93rd place: 84th place: 75th place: 66th place: 57th place: 48th place: 39th place: 210th place: 1

A running total is kept from one event to the next so that the Sixes can work out how many points theyhave and where they stand in the overall scoring.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Growing Up, 1, 12, 16, Athlete, Sportsman, Swimmer

Scouting Ireland SAI: Silver Arrow (Outdoor Activities), Gold Arrow (Inventa Game), Athlete, Sports, Swimmer

Scout Association: Athlete, Sportsman, Swimmer


3. Backwoods Cooking

Purpose: Cub Scouts share new experiences.

• Fried eggs: bury a flat stone in the hot coals and, when hot enough (a drop of water will sizzle if thestone is hot enough to cook on), sweep the ash off. Crack an egg directly onto the stone, using asurround of green sticks to contain the egg if necessary. Burgers and sausages can also be cooked inthis way.

• Instant hot dogs: lay sliced onions on a small, double thickness, layer of foil, add a sausage and wrapup the foil, sealing the ends tightly (and making sure that there is still a fair amount of air left insidethe package). Place in hot embers for about 7 minutes, onion side down (so that the sausage does notstick to the foil), and when cooked, pop the meat and onions into a bread roll for a quick and easy hotdog.

• Simple Kebabs: remove the bark from a thin green stick and onto it spear slices of bacon, mushrooms,sausages, carrot and peppers. Support the skewer over glowing embers, turning occasionally, andremove when the meat is crisp and golden brown.

• Baked potatoes: encase a medium sized potato in an inch thick layer of mud or clay and place in hotembers for about 25 minutes. Aluminium foil can also be used.

• Baked apples: wash and core an apple. Place it on a double thickness sheet of foil and press a mixtureof brown sugar and raisins into the centre of the apple. Cinnamon or cloves may be added if desired.Seal the foil around the apple and place in hot embers for approximately 15 minutes. Chocolate orjam may be used instead of the sugar and raisins.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Silver Arrow 1, Explorer, Hiker

Scouting Ireland SAI: Silver Arrow (Outdoor Activities), Silver Arrow (Fire Lighting &Cooking), Gold Arrow (Cooking), Adventurer, Camper

Scout Association: Outdoor Scouting 2, (The Adventure Award), OutdoorScouting 2, (The Adventure Crest Award), Outdoor Challenge3, Camper, Explorer


4. Eco-Warriors for a Day

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn about the environment and share new experiences.

• Grot spots survey:Find a grot spot (perhaps near the Scout hall). Pace out anarea of 200 metres square. Use markers already there such asgateposts or litter bins, so the area can be recognised again.Draw a map of the survey area. Walk around the area slowly.Observe where the litter is. Mark these places on the map.Write down what each piece of litter is. List the differenttypes of litter and the numbers of each type. Show the resultson a poster encouraging others not to litter.

• Heartbeat of a tree:The best time of year to do this is early spring, when treessend first surges of sap towards their branches. Choose a treewith a thin bark and press a stethoscope firmly against thetree, keeping it motionless. Deciduous trees are better forlistening to than conifers.

• Blindfold tree challenge:Cub Scouts are blindfolded and introduced to their newfriends – the trees. They must hug a tree, feel the bark of thetree, feel the shape of the leaves, the fine ribs of the leafstructure. They should get to know the smell of the tree.When the blindfolds are removed, they should try to findtheir tree.

• Camouflage:Divide the Packs into two teams, hiders and searchers. The hiders scatter along a designated area ofpath. Each hiders whole body must be in full view from at least one point along the path, so they willhave to blend in with the profiles of natural objects around them to remain unseen.

• Adopt a spider’s web and report what happens to it.• Have a bird spotting competition.• Look for animals and insects in hiding.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Discovering 2, 6, Thinking 4, Naturalist, World Conservation

Scouting Ireland SAI: Naturalist, World Conservation

Scout Association: Science & Nature 5, (The Adventure Award), Science& Nature 6, 8, (The Adventure Crest Award), AnimalLover, Natural, Scientist, World Conservation


5. Unusual Meeting

Purpose: Cub Scouts share new experiences.

Meet in an unusual place and take part in an unusual activity e.g.

• Hold a Pack Partnership party• Go on an excursion on a ferry• Visit a factory• Go strawberry picking• Make papier maché masks or puppets and run a play• Hold a Bats evening – this could also be a snakes evening where Cub Packs invite someone who owns

a bat or a snake to the meeting and talks about their unusual pet.• Crystal Maze challenge – run bases for Cub Scouts to gain crystals. Even if they don’t complete the

challenge they still get a crystal. This is a great opportunity to introduce new activities.

Badge Links

Scouting Ireland CSI: Gold Arrow 1, Discovering 1, 9, Explorer, Entertainer

Scouting Ireland SAI: Bronze Arrow (Craft Challenge), Silver Arrow (OutdoorActivities), Silver Arrow (Visit an Unusual Place), Entertainer,Travel

Scout Association: Creativity 4, Your Community 5, (The Adventure Award)Creativity 6, (The Adventure Crest Award), Entertainer, Explorer


Challenge 3

A Cub Pack Exchangeor a Weekend Camp


Cub Scouts build friendships

Cub Scouts learn to respect differences

Cub Pack ExchangeRun the activity programme on a ‘County theme’. This can either be your neighbouring county

or perhaps your own county, or even if both Packs come from a different county. Activities and visits can focuson what the particular county is famous for

As examples, suggested programmes have been provided on four countiesCo Down

Co KildareCo Fermanagh

Co Wicklow

Or run a traditional sports day

Activity Day Programme 1: Co Down

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out about different places and build friendships.

Most famous landmark: Mourne Mountains

Run a trail in Tollymore Forest Park or visit the Silent Valley.

Game: Den of SmugglersThe Brandy Pad across the Mourne Mountains was a path frequently used by smugglers.Each Six (gang) sits in its own den (chalk circle) with an equal assortment of items on the floor. At thestart, one Cub Scout from each gang runs to steal an item from another’s den, returns to put it on theirpile and sets off the next Cub Scout. Continue until the whistle blows for time up. Count which Six hasthe biggest pile.

Game: Smugglers TrailCub Scouts go on a short scavenger hunt to find various objects on a list. Each is worth a certain value.This may also involve raiding books or maps (of the Mournes) for information.

Famous person: St PatrickSaint Patrick was not born in Ireland, in fact it seems likely that he was born in Scotland or Wales towardthe end of the 4th Century. He was a Christian and as a young boy he was captured by pirates and sold asa slave in Ireland, where he tended sheep on the mountainside. Some years later Patrick managed toescape and fled to France where he became a priest. One night he had a dream in which he heard Godtelling him to return to Ireland and convert the Irish people to Christianity. He did so and began to travelthroughout Ireland preaching. He converted many people to Christianity and eventually became a bishop.Patrick lived for many years in Ireland and is buried in Downpatrick. He is said to have been responsiblefor banishing snakes from Ireland.

Snakes and Ladders TournamentOrganise a tournament around the traditional snakes and ladders board game, where the winners of eachgame go on and play each other while the losers do likewise.

Choose a town: Newry

Visit the Newry canal – build a sailing ship out of cardboard boxes etc. and have a race.

Canal voyage gameEach Six chooses a captain and a pilot for their ship. The rest of the pack become other boats in the canaland sit cross-legged and scattered about the room. The captains are blindfolded at one end of the room(Newry) whilst the pilots stand at the other end (Coalisland) calling out directions. These can be compasspoints or simple left and right instructions. Which ship arrives in Newry safely with its load of coal?

Visit the Northern Ireland Scout Centre Crawfordsburn and follow the Cub Trail around each CountyCairn.

Take a trip to Scrabbo Tower, the Clandeboye Estate or Tyrella Beach.


Activity Day Programme 2: Co Wicklow


County Wicklow gets its name from Cill Mhantain - Saint Manntann’s Church.

Places to VisitPowerscourtAvondale Forest Park and House, birthplace of Charles Stewart ParnellMount Usher GardensClara Lara Fun Park - smallest village in Ireland with a church, a schoolhouse and two houses.Seaworld, BrayWicklow Mountains Walk part of the Wicklow WayWicklow GaolGlendalough

Run a trail in Powerscourt and hold a banquet on the grounds.

Game: waiter serviceSixes in relay formation. Place in front of each six a number of chairs with the last one lying on its side.Give each Sixer a cardboard plate and a plastic mug containing water. On the word go each member ofthe six in turn weaves in and out of the chairs and over the last one whilst balancing their mug on theplate. A napkin over the arm would add to the appearance.

Famous Person: Saint KevinHe founded a monastery at Glendalough and is said to have lived from AD 528 to 619. He headed toGlendalough in search of peace and quiet to pray and meditate. He settled in a cave 30 feet above theUpper Lake, known since as St. Kevin’s Bed.

Many legends have grown up about St. Kevin. Here are just two of them.1) A beautiful woman was said to have fallen in love with \St. Kevin. Fearing that she might lead him

astray St. Kevin threw nettles in her face. She begged his forgiveness and promised to dedicate herselfto a life of holiness.

2) After a water serpent slithered out of the upper Lake and destroyed St. Kevin’s first efforts to build achurch, he prayed for divine assistance. A giant wolf appeared and consumed the serpent, allowing St.Kevin to rebuild his house of worship.

Joshua Pim (only Irish Wimbedon singles tennis champion 1893, born in Wicklow in 1869)

Vikings and Monks - Snatch the Treasure: based on the snatch the bacon game

Equipment: 3 pieces of ‘treasure’ (e.g. a compass, a book, apiece of silver/gold)Instructions:The Cub Pack divide into two teams and line up at either side of the hall. The teams number off from oppositeends. When the leader calls a number, those Cub Scouts run from their places and pick up an item of treasurefrom the centre to their own team. They then return to capture the remaining item of treasure. The Cub who issuccessful in getting this scores a point for his/her team.

HandcraftsMake a round tower with lollipop sticks.Use a cardboard cylinder (tin foil or greaseproof paper) as thebase. Lollipop sticks are pasted onto the cylinder to completely cover it. The top or cap is formed bydrawing a circle on a piece of cardboard, finding the midpoint cutting from the edge to the midpoint andforming a hat. Place this on the top and cover with lollipop sticks. Paper shaped windows and a door canthen be stuck on.



Activity Day Programme 3: Co Fermanagh


Places to visit:Castle Archdale Forest ParkCrom CastleBelleek potteryWalk along the Ulster Way (make sure the area is low lying and safe for Cub Scouts).

Town: Enniskillen – only town in British Isles to raise two regiments bearing its name: Inniskilling Dragoonsand Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. – programme ideas on ‘army’ etc/uniforms/drill/assault courses etc./camouflage/battles etc.

Game: Dragoons and FusiliersThe Pack split into teams, one is the Dragoons and the other the Fusiliers. Each team has one end of theroom as its base. The teams then line up facing each other and the leader gives various commands e.g.Dragoons two paces forward, or Fusiliers one step back. This goes on with mounting suspense until theleader says ‘Dragoons (or Fusiliers) attack.’ Then the team ordered to attack gives chase as the others rushto their base. Any prisoners taken by the pursuing team immediately transfer to that team.

Hold an archery competition in Castle Archdale forest. Organise a medieval day with a mock battle.

Visit the St. Angelo Airport, the Marble Arch Caves or Cladagh Glen. Spend a night at the CladaghGlen Scout Camp Site.

Go fishing on Lough Erne or take a boat trip to Devinish island.

Activity Day Programme 4: Co Kildare


County Kildare takes its name from St. Brigid’s monastery beneath an oak tree; Cill Dara, translates asthe church of the oak tree.

National Stud – horse theme

Hold a day at the racesWeigh in at the paddock: first meeting of two packs. Ice breaker games:

Alphabet gamePlace all the letters of the alphabet around the room on sheets of A4 paper. Cub Scouts are then asked tomove to the letter of:• Their name• Their favourite country• Their favourite food• Their favourite music group• The town/village they live in

After each statement is read out the participants should be given an opportunity to say hello to thosestanding at the same letter and to exchange names.

Under Starters Orders: Welcome by leaders

There’re Off: activity morning using traditional Cub Scout bases and games:

Horse and JockeyCub Scouts get together in pairs and each person becomes a horse or jockey. When teams get to theoppose end of the course, horses and jockeys exchange places and race back to the starting point.


Shoe the horseA chair is turned upside down. Cub Scouts blindfolded must ‘shoe the horse’ by placing paper cups onthe chair legs. A partner is allocated to each Cub Scout to give him/her directions to put the paper cup onthe chair leg.

Chariot RaceForm Cub Scouts into teams of three or five. 2/4 are horses – they link adjacent arms. The third/fifth isthe charioteer and s/he holds the belts of the two horses immediately in front of him/her. The charioteerhas a ribbon or cloth hanging on his/her belt at the back. On the signal the teams manoeuvre around thehall. The horses try to snatch the ribbons from the belts of other charioteers while twisting and turning toprevent their charioteer’s ribbon from being snatched. Any team losing its ribbon must drop out. Thewinning team is either the last chariot in the game or the chariot that captures the most ribbons.

Mysterious Horse Hoof PrintsMake large cardboard hoof prints and lay out a trail in search of Vintage crop, a famous horse in theNational Stud!

Back to the stables: lunch

The Gold Cup: visit to a local place of interest e.g. The National StudAlong the home straight: afternoon snacks

Past the post with a safe canter home: farewells and arrangements for next meeting.

Famous Person: Saint Brigid/BridgetThis 6th century saint is one of the three patrons of Ireland, the other two being St Patrick and StColmcille. Little factual evidence is known about the saint but it is traditionally believed that she foundeda monastery at Kildare. This was unique because it was a mixed community of nuns and monks. It wasthere that she died in 525 AD.

The stories about Brigid have been linked to a pagan sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Brigda on thesame site, beneath the oak trees. Many miracles are attributed to Brigid, one of which explains her linkswith the Curragh plains. In reward for curing the local king of an ailment he offered her whatever shewished for. Her request was that he give her as much ground as her cloak would cover to graze her flockof sheep on the plain. He agreed, and when she spread her cloak it marvellously spread out to cover theentire plain.

St. Brigid’s Cross, woven from rushes, is said to have been first plaited by the saint when she was explainingthe mysteries of the Christian gospel to a dying pagan. The cross is still being made, and it is placed overthe door to protect people from illness or bad luck.

She has been called the “Queen of the South: the Mary of the Gael”. St. Brigid died leaving a cathedralcity and school that became famous all over Europe.

HandcraftsMake a Saint Brigid’s Cross

Choose a Town: Kildare Town (this town gives the county its name).

Why not visit: The Japanese GardensSt. Fiachra’s GardenThe National Stud


Activities Cub Scouts can try at one of the places to visit, for example the Japanese Gardensor the National Stud.

Trees:Make some barks rubbings using paper and crayonsLeaves: Collect some leaves and make some leaf pictures. Lay the leaf on a sheet of paper and paintoutwards from the leaf leaving the exact shape of the leaf in the centre. Or make a leaf rubbing, similar toa bark rubbing.

Scavenger Hunt:Collect the following items: a dead leaf, a twig, a stone, an acorn, a safe piece of litter, a used match, ablade of grass, a lollipop stick, a piece of tree bark, a fir cone

Treasure Hunt:Plan out a Treasure Hunt using horse pictures as markers. Near the markers place ziploc bags containdifferent items. There should be enough items in each bag for all involved in the activity. Place in strategiclocations a number of items which have to be discovered. The following items could be used: coins,sweets, stickers, playing cards, puzzles, lollipops, pencils, rubbers, pencil sharpeners, etc.

Trail Blazing:Organise a trail using flour with some real treasure at the end of the trail – chocolate bars!


Activity Day Programme 5: Traditional Sports Day(this activity could also be used as part of challenge 1)

Purpose: Cub Scouts build friendships through learning about traditional sports.

Morning:Introductions and Ice-breakers

Run bases for Cub Scouts on traditional sports:

• Rugby• Gaelic• Hurling• Football – try a new game of ‘sack soccer’ where each Cub is in a sack. This can be played with teams

of 6-8 players. The game is played with the ‘golden goal’ rule – the first team to score wins.• Netball• Cricket• Hockey – basic skills such as a slalom hockey competition where Cub Scouts in turn collect a ball and

hockey stick. On reaching the shooting area s/he aims and tries to score a goal. S/he then runs backfor another ball and tries again. The Cub who scores the highest number of goals in the allotted timeis the winner.

Half time:Lunch

Afternoon:Visit – place of particular sporting importance or go to an actual game or match.

Full time:Farewells and arrangements for the next meeting.


Weekend Camp

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn to respect differences and build friendships.

Theme 1: The Circuit of Ireland, Cub Style

The purpose of the theme is to allow Cub Scouts to find out about places in Ireland that they are notfamiliar with. Introduce some of the following activities into the weekend camp programme.

• Follow the river Bann to its source deep in the Mourne mountains.

Lay a trail on a well defined track or path. Use wool, stones, special leaves or dead matches. Rememberthe country code and clean up afterwards.

• Drive to Drogheda: each Six forms a ‘car’ of four Cub Scouts and one acts as a passenger. Theyproceed as fast as they can over a given area and back. If they break up, they stop and reform.

• Stop off for a swim in the Boyne river: take Cub Scouts swimming.

Boat relay game:Cub Scouts get into relay formation at one end of the hall. Each Six is given a square of old carpet orcardboard. Each Cub in turn pulls the other along to the end of the hall and back on the carpet/cardboard.

• Run on to Dublin. Stop for the night: make shelters and cook backwoods style.

• Fly down to Cork: take part in an archaeological dig and decipher a coded message e.g.

Use a simple code. The normal plain text is written out and underneath the cipher alphabet begins withD. Instead of using the top letters to make words, use the letters below:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZD E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C

Therefore CORK for example would be FRUN

Hold a campfire with traditional songs.

• Trek to the Aran Islands

Learn to use a compass and follow a simple trail around the grounds of the meeting place. Have sometreasure at the end. Each Six sets out with the map and a compass and at each point they have to pick upan object to prove that they have been there.

Game: paper islandSpread large sheets of newspaper on the floor and explain that the papers are islands and that the otherarea is the shark infested sea. When the music starts they dance around the floor keeping away from thepaper. When the music stops they jump on an ‘island’. If someone is not on an island they are out. Eachtime the group starts, more newspaper is taken away.

Game: lighthouses:Every lighthouse has its own code of flashes so they can easily be identified:

Lizard: one flash every three secondsEddystone: two flashes every ten secondsStartpoint: three flashes every ten secondsHartland: six flashes every 14 seconds


The hall is in darkness. Four Cub Scouts with touches each represent a lighthouse. The rest of the pack sitin the centre of the hall awaiting instructions. Each torch flashes its own code. Then the leader calls outa lighthouse and the Cub Scouts have to decide which one to run to.

Island incidentsInisheerHide a selection of animal pictures. When the Cub Scouts arrive tell them that the animals have escapedfrom the Nature Reserve and are still missing. The Cub Scouts help is needed to find them. Give pointsfor each animal recovered in a set time then send Cub Scouts on to their next island.

InishmaanSet up an incident scene. Cub Scouts have to deal with it without any help from leaders.

InishmoreA wheel has come off a bicycle, do Cub Scouts know how to fix it? Or cook a rasher of bacon.

• Run inland to Galway: make traditional Celtic jewellery.• Take the train to Sligo: visit a local place of interest.• Finish by going gold mining in the Sperrins: scavenger hunt.


Weekend Camp

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn to respect differences and build friendships.

Theme 2: Pirates

Give each of the leaders a name, e.g. master – Captain Blood, Serving Wenches, The Gun Crews (CubScouts).

Each pirate is issued with a sheet saying the following:‘There will be a period or two each day for this competition. For every activity you complete you can earnup to ten pieces of treasure from the Captain’s secret treasure hoard – depending on how well you do it.These treasure pieces (small gold labels) should be stuck onto your Treasure Trove game card. Prizes will beawarded to the pirate who is first to fill all the spaces on his chart or whoever has most spaces filled whenthe competition closes.’

Tasks:• A drawing of the pirate encampment• Make a working model of a flagpole with matchsticks, modelling clay etc.• Answer a quiz about pirates and buried treasure• Make a paper pirate ship• Identify the objects in the pirate ship (feeling Kim’s game)• Make an animal with modelling clay• Make a matchbox collection of useless objects• Collect the signatures of everyone at the camp• With one of the officers, tie four knots• Write a grace to say at mealtime• Write a morning or evening prayer• Do a special good turn for Captain Blood• Measure the size, in paces, of a given area• Make a nature poster of the area• Make a crayon rubbing of an interesting object• Write a message on a matchstick• How many press-ups can you do in a minute?• Write a page for the camp diary• How fast can you empty Blue Beard’s tankard (drink half a pint of water)?• Make a new pirate verse or whole song to fit a well known tune.

Run activities throughout the weekend with a pirate theme. E.g.Campfire: pirates shantyFood: tuckerWaken up: avast ye, look livelyInspection: first mate’s inspection

Make a cutlass from cardboard.

Other weekend camp themes may be based on:

• Star Wars• The Circus• A 60s or 70s theme• The Vikings• Ancient History.


The Cub Scout Partnership AwardThe Cub Scout Partnership AwardThe Cub Scout Partnership AwardThe Cub Scout Partnership AwardThe Cub Scout Partnership AwardLeaders Notes

The Partnership Award gives Packs the opportunity to meet with another Pack within their local area andwithin their own country. This could be within districts, between districts, cross-association, across countiesand regions or cross-community. The idea is that Cub Packs have the opportunity of building a relationshipwith another Pack locally before moving cross-border.

The Award is basically about recognising that there are other young people who have different interestsand identities within countries/communities. It is about positively acknowledging this difference andhelping Cub Scouts understand that it is good to be different – it takes all sorts to make a community andcountry.

Packs may already have established links that they wish to pursue. If not, the Scoutlink team will helpPacks meet their Partnership twin. Packs will be paired on the basis of their interests, numbers, mix ofyoung people and other considerations specific to individual Cub Packs.

Packs must complete all three challenges to obtain the Award. Challenges one and two should take placeon separate meetings and challenge three must be a separate activity. It is important for Cub Packs toestablish a relationship with their partner Pack over a number of meetings.

Challenges do not have to be completed in order. Some Partnership pairs may decide to host each otherfor an evening or day and run challenges one and two. Other Packs may decide to begin with the weekendcamp and then move on to challenges one and two. It is largely up to leader choice and whatever they feelwill best help Cub Scouts get to know each other better.

Give Cub Scouts the opportunity of helping with the challenge activities. Keep them informed throughoutthe process. Also perhaps leaders from each Pack should visit their partner Pack for a meeting and run anactivity with the Cub Scouts. This will help Cub Scouts become familiar with the other leaders beforethey meet the new Cub Scouts themselves. It is also an opportunity for leaders to find out more about theother Cub Scouts.

Challenge 1 Take part in an activity based on a cultural or sporting theme

This challenge allows Cub Scouts to appreciate and find out about other sports and cultural themeswithin their own country. With their partner Pack, they can develop friendships through learning aboutcultural and sporting similarities and differences.

Programme suggestions can be taken from the list or if leaders have other suggestions that fit the purposesof the challenge, please check with the Scoutlink team first.

Activity oneTraditional crafts can include crafts associated with specific areas or important in individual communities.Leaders should be able to identify what these are. Maybe some of the Cub Scouts parents/relatives wouldbe able to help with this activity.

Activity twoMay include visits to places such as Lilliput (Gulliver’s Travels) or St Patrick’s Trian (Armagh).

Activity threeAn opportunity to work towards badges as well as developing sports and cultural interests.

Activity fourCould include a match or game.


Activity fiveMay also be a gang show.

Challenge 2 Undertake an activity new to both Cub Packs

This challenge is an opportunity for Packs to make Partnership memorable and special. It also allowsleaders to introduce activities that Cub Scouts will really enjoy doing together, therefore buildingrelationships and friendships stronger. Suggested activities have been included, but again leaders shouldbe able to determine what is new to each Pack.

Challenge 3 A Cub Pack Exchange or a Weekend Camp

The third challenge really is about Packs spendingmore time together. Packs can either run anexchange visit whereby each Pack visits the other’smeeting place or hold a weekend camp at a centralvenue. This will involve either two visits or aweekend camp for this challenge.

It is important that Cub Scouts spend time togetherto learn to respect each other’s differences and buildfriendships.

Programme suggestions for the exchange visit maytake the form of running a programme of activitieson County themes or running a traditional sportsday.

Programme suggestions can be taken from the list,or if leaders have other suggestions that fit thepurposes of the challenge please check with theScoutlink team first.

THE CU B S CO U T PAR TNERS H IP AWARD • 6 1


The Cub ScoutCitizenship Award

Welcome to the ScoutlinkCub Scout Citizenship Award

Citizenship is the third Scoutlink Award – the international experience! Cub Packsmake a cross-border link with another Pack and complete the Cub Scout CitizenshipChallenge:

Take part in a cross-border experience with an international theme

Challenge purposes:

• Cub Scouts recognise and respect cross-border similarities and traditions• Cub Scouts find out more about international countries and cultures

Cub Packs can complete the Award in two ways, either by taking part in

1 An activity day plus One visit North and One visit South(three meetings in total)

Or

2 An activity day plus a weekend camp(one meeting plus a weekend camp)

All of the meetings, whether option 1 or option 2, should as far as possible have an international theme.Suggested programme ideas for the activity days and weekend camps (all based on international themes)have been included in the pack.

This pack contains programme ideas for the Partnership Award. It also contains notes that should helpleaders develop cross-border activities with another Cub Pack.

64 • THE CUB SCOUT C I T I Z ENSH IP AWA R D

THE CU B S CO U T C I T I ZENS H IP AWARD • 6 5


International Activity Day Programme Ideas:

1 Europe2 European theme 2.

Visits North and South Programme Ideas:

1 Treasure trail2 Community service project3 International cooking4 Hold a world record competition5 Celebrate Founders Day6 Hold a mini-Olympics.

Weekend Camps with an international theme:

1 Around the world in a weekend2 Tropical Rainforest.

Cub Scout Packs together complete either an activity day plus one visit North and one visitSouth, or an activity day plus a weekend camp.

Activity Day

The Activity Day can be based on virtually anything. It could simply be that both Packs visit a place ofinterest and have a picnic with food from other countries.

Similarly it could be a Scout event such as a district/regional camp visit or a day at an InternationalCamp. Also it may be a visit to a County/Regional/National Cub Scout event run by one of the threeScout Associations.

The following examples are based on a European Theme and can be adapted to suit individual Packs orto suit different types of Activity days.

Activity Day Theme 1: Europe

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out more about the European Community.

The European Community has 18 Parliament committees. They provide information to the Parliamentabout their proposals and intentions.

Provide Cubs with a card with five spaces on it. As each activity is complete they win a ticket. At the end,the ticket is used to get Cubs into a really ‘special’ place or activity.

Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodThey oversee common agriculture and fisheries policy and look at the welfare of animals.Cut out a number of cardboard fish and stick a paper clip on each one. Also place one of the flags of theCountries of Europe on the bottom. Cubs are provided with a fishing rod made of string and a magnet.They have to catch a fish and as many fish as possible in a given time. Also Cubs can only keep their catchif they are able to identify the flag.

Energy, research and technologyThis committee considers technology on land and in space, also they look at energy resources. Make a simple windmill to illustrate how wind power can be used to make electricity.

Youth, culture, education, information and sportThe task of this committee is to oversee improvements in standards of education and sport.Set up a simple fitness gym involving shuttle runs, press ups and star jumps etc. each Cub has to completethe circuit.

Environment, health and consumerThey consider threats to the environment and public health.Cubs must complete a simple trail laid out around the area or in a forest.

Overseas developmentThey look at ways to help developing countries with aid, technology and financial support.Cubs are given a number of drinking straws and have to make a pipe line to supply drinking water. Slitabout 1 cm up the straw with scissors, roll the end up a little so that straws can be pushed together. Whenthe pipe line has been made it can be used to move a cup of water from one end of the room to the other.

The United NationsThe United Nations was established in 1945 and has 160 member states. All member states are part ofthe general assembly that meets once a year to pass resolutions.

United Nations Trading GameThis game illustrates how member countries can help each other through the UN.


Each Six acts as a different country. They are give a simple task to do, in this case the construction of apaper helicopter. In order to produce helicopters each team needs paper, scissors, pencils, a small weight(a one pence coin), sticky tame and a stencil pattern.

At the start of the game these resources are distributed in a way that each country has only one of theitems.

The countries are thus forced to trade so that they can get the things they need to make helicopters. Eachtime a helicopter is made, it can be sold to the World Bank (the leader) for £1. Countries are allowed totrade money or goods, whichever they wish to do. Their aim is to become the richest country in theallotted time. The helicopter can be made simply:

Cut along the solid lines and bend along the dotted lines. Stick a one pence coin where the circle is to actas a weight. Drop the helicopter from a height.

The United Nations (leaders) can help control the game by announcing some resolutions e.g.

• Each country must pay £10 to feed their population as disease has struck countries A and Bin half.

• Unicef have announced a programme of vaccination in country C. All other countries are askedto pay £10 towards the cost.

• Scientific advances have shown that helicopters with longer blades work better. The WorldBank will pay £2 for these improved models. New shapes are available for trading.

• Poor working conditions and long hours in country D have let to a three minute strike byall workers.

If a country gets into financial difficulty, they can turn to the World Bank for a loan. Trading can be donein toy money, countries, dried peas or any other currency. By adjusting the game so that different countrieshave different amounts of money and resources, rich and poor countries can be simulated and the UnitedNations can be shown to help them out. Countries selling consumables such as paper will have a constant source of income, whilst others sellingpencils and scissors will not, unless the UN forces these countries to but again.

Badge Links

Scout Association: Looking after yourself 2 (The Adventure Crest Award),Health and fitness. Outdoor Scouting 5 (The AdventureAward).

Scouting Ireland SAI: Bronze Arrow (track and trail), Athlete.

Scouting Ireland CSI: Bronze Arrow 1, thinking 7, discovery 1, Artist, InternationalFriendship.


Activity Day Theme 2: Europe

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out more about European cultures and customs.

Put the word hello around the room in a variety of different languages:

Denmark – ‘Dav’Holland – ‘Hallo’Belgium – ‘Dag’Luxembourg – ‘Servus’Germany – ‘Güten Tag’France – ‘Salut’Italy – ‘Ciao’Greece – ‘Ceial sou’Spain – ‘Hola’

Leaders walk around with a card that says which country they come from. If a Cub Scout comes up andsays ‘hello’ in the correct language, they gain an ECU.

Buying the ticketEach Cub uses their ECU’s collected to buy an inter-rail ticket, which will allow them to tour Europe.The ticket consists of a grid of squares, one for each country to be visited, so that it can be signed as theypass through.

Crossing the Channel relayNumber the Cubs off in relay formation. Two lines on the floor represent the shores of the Channel. Aseach Cub’s number is called, a method of transport is given as well. Cubs have to cross the channel andback using appropriate movements such as:

Aeroplanes: run, arms stretched out behindFerry: walkHovercraft: hopTunnel: crawlSwim: front crawl stroke

Touring Europe

DenmarkGive Cubs five minutes building time for Lego. Each Cub who visits the country can add their fiveminutes worth to the model.

IrelandBlarney Castle (Cork) is famous for its stone. Visitors are supposed to kiss it, which involves lying backwards,hanging over a considerable drop and kissing it upside down. Make a Blarney stone for Cubs to kiss.

HollandThe land of flowers and bulbs. Each visitor to Holland could plant a bulb in a flowerpot. Each Cub getsto take his/her bulb home.

LuxembourgRadio Luxembourg has broadcast across the continent since t the 1930’s. Hold a one minute interviewwith each visitor and record it. Can Cubs keep talking for one minute?

BelgiumMake a chocolate tray. Make chocolate raisins or chocolate jellies by melting chocolate and dipping thesweets into it.


FranceThe game of boules. A heavy jack is thrown into soft ground. Players have to cast their boules as near tothe jack as possible. The boules are not rolled but tossed up into the air, out of the back of the hand andshould land close to the jack. Indoor boules can be played using beanbags.

ItalyCubs try making a reef knot in a piece of spaghetti.

GermanyMake a Cub Scout Black Forest gateau. Each Cub is supplied with an individual piece of chocolate cakecut in half and spread with cherry jam. Pipe butter cream on the top and spread with chocolate strands.

SpainPlay a simple fruit machine game. Three Cubs are needed for each round. They are given a box containingan orange, a lemon and a peach. The controller of the game blows a whistle and the Cubs pull out one ofthe fruits. If the three fruits are all the same, the machine pays out a sweet to the players. No consultationallowed and all three should pull out their fruit at the same time.

PortugalA messy base. Try drinking Port (blackcurrant juice). The drink is placed in a special container, like awatering can with a long spout. The idea is that Cubs start drinking with the spout close to the mouth,but then have to move the container away so that there is a stream of liquid flowing through the air, frombottle to mouth.

GreeceThe ancient home of the Olympics. Hold a mini Olympic challenge. How far can Cubs throw a paperplane like a discus, a straw like a javelin, a balloon like a shot put? How far can they flick a tiddly wink orhow long can they spin a coin for?

Badge Links

Scout Association: Science and Nature 3, (The Adventure Award), WorldFriendship.

Scouting Ireland SAI: Bronze Arrow, Nature Challenge.

Scouting Ireland CSI: Thinking 7,11, Discovering 3, International Friendship,Sportsman.


Visits North and South

Packs can host their Northern or Southern friends. This may be a good way of introducing the Award andgetting to know each other. Or choose a fun and exciting location, for example a theme park or unusual place. Local tourist officesshould be able to help with ideas. Also ask the Cub Scouts themselves, they may be aware of interestingplaces to visit.

1. Treasure trail

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn more about each other’s community.

This is a great means of helping Cub Scouts find out more about the community that their partner Packlives in. Run the trail in a local park or forest and encourage Cub Scouts to mix together in Sixes or teams.

Basic treasure trailCut out a series of arrows from A4 size card and place into ‘ziploc’ bags or laminate them so that they willstay dry. Also you will need a series of markers to identify where to look for the clues, they could be flags(perhaps from different countries) or paper plates. You will also need 12 small ziploc bags with fluorescentstickers. Each small bag must contain different items and there must be enough items in each bag foreach participant. Suggested items can have an international theme or could be as simple as paper clips,sweets, lollipop sticks etc. Each Six/team will need a plastic bag.

Lay out the arrows on the selected route, placing the markers and small bags with fluorescent stickers atvarious points along the route. These can be as hidden as leaders feel the group can cope with.

Each Six or team is given a plastic bag. They then follow the arrows looking for the bags with thefluorescent stickers. When they find them they take out the treasure. They continue until all the fluorescentbags have been found. The last bag may contain real treasure e.g. chocolate bars. Each bag could alsocontain a task to be completed before moving on to the next bag.

Badge Links

Scout Association: Tracking, The Cub Scout Award.

Scouting Ireland SAI: Adventurer, Bronze Arrow (Track and Trail), Silver Arrow.

Scouting Ireland CSI: Bronze Arrow 1, Explorer.

2. Community service project

Purpose: Cub Scouts recognise cross-border similarities and work together to help others.

Help a local hospital or community group raise funds for a specific purpose. Perhaps the service could befor a charity or organisation that is in both Northern and Southern Ireland e.g. St Vincent de Paul.

Badge Links

Scout Association: Helping Others 4, (The Adventure Award), YourCommunity 1,2,3,5, Helping Others 4, (The AdventureCrest Award).

Scouting Ireland SAI: Silver Arrow.

Scouting Ireland CSI: Thinking 17, Explorer, Good Samaritan.


3. Fire lighting and cooking a meal (international dish)

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn together about different countries and cultures.

Challenge Sixes to light a fire and cook one of the following dishes on it.

Examples of International dishes:

Super Baked Apples (Canada)Ingredients: 1 apple each, butterscotch chips, marshmallows, foil.1. Remove the core of the apple carefully and set it on a square of foil. Then fill the centre of the apple with the

butterscotch and marshmallows.2. Wrap the apple in the foil and bake in hot coals until soft (10-30 minutes).

Baked ClamsIngredients: packet of sausages, cheese, tomatoes, onion, bacon, foil.1. Make two long flat cakes with the sausage meat (skin and use the sausage meat from the sausages).2. On one cake of sausage meat layer cheese, tomato, onion and bacon, then top with the other piece.3. Wrap in heavy foil greased with margarine and bake in hot embers for 20 minutes.

Badge Links

Scout Association: Outdoor Scouting, (The Adventure Crest Award).

Scouting Ireland SAI: Camper 3, Chef, Silver Arrow.

Scouting Ireland CSI: Thinking 7, Silver Arrow 1, Explorer.

4. Hold a World record competition

Purpose: Cub Scouts understand each other better through sharing fun activities.

Try activities such as: boomerang throwing, fastest knot tying, largest bubble gum bubble, non-stop tabletennis/volleyball/dance, hula hooping etc.

Badge Links

Scout Association: Sports and Hobbies, (The Adventure Award), Sports andHobbies, (The Adventure Crest Award), Athlete.

Scouting Ireland SAI: Sports Badge.

Scouting Ireland CSI: Sportsman.


5. Celebrate Founders Day

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn about Scouting worldwide.

• Find out about Cubs in another country, for example in Denmark they are called Minispejder andtheir motto is Vaer Beredt (be prepared).

• Use music with an international flavour e.g. calypso, Greek, Spanish, African, Latin American orreggae. Local libraries may be able to lend music. Try limbo dancing with the Cub Scouts.

• Prepare the Cub Scout promise from a number of countries in code. Help the Cub Scouts tobreak the code to find the promise. At the end of the meeting ask each group to say their promise.

• Find out about uniforms worn by different Scouts across the world – see if Cub Scouts can identifywhere they come from.

• Play world badge beetle.

Badge Links

Scout Association: Countries and Cultures 3, (The Adventure Crest Award).

Scouting Ireland SAI: Silver Arrow, Gold Arrow.

Scouting Ireland CSI: Thinking 7, Investiture.

6. Hold a mini Olympics.

Purpose: Cub Scouts find out more about international organisations.

‘The most important thing about the Olympics is not to win, just as the most important thing in life isnot the triumph but the struggle’ – Pierre de Coubertin.

The following sports were once Olympic events. Try some of them during the day:

• Tug of war (peace)• Discus with both hands• Javelin with both hands• Standing long jump• Standing high jump• Standing triple jump• Rope climbing• Indian club swinging• 200m obstacle swimming.

Badge Links

Scout Association: Sports and Hobbies, (The Adventure Award), Looking afterYourself 2, (The Adventure Crest Award), Sportsman,Swimmer.

Scouting Ireland SAI: Sports Badge.

Scouting Ireland CSI: Growing Up 1, Sportsman.


International Programme Ideas – weekend camp

Weekend Camp International programme 1: Around the world in a weekend.

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn about international countries together.

This programme should allow Cubs to experience changing currencies across the world. It will help themrealise that in each country, money changes value. Sometimes they will get a lot for their money andother times they will not get much. At the beginning each Six is given a set amount of money and mustcall at the bureau de change after each activity to exchange their money.

Game: currencyDisplay flags of different countries around the hall/campsite. Cubs sit in a circle. When the currency iscalled out Cubs run and touch the wall by the corresponding flag and return to their place. The last Cubsits out of the next round, or the Cubs that were wrong. On the call of loose change all Cubs run to a flagin turn.

e.g. dollar – Canada/USAFranc – FranceRouble – RussiaRupee – IndiaYen – JapanDeutschmark – GermanyLira – ItalyKroner – SwedenPeseta – SpainDrachma - Greece

Run a programme of bases throughout the weekend with an international theme. Cubs must pay to takepart in the bases. Also try having their passport stamped after each country visited as a record of theactivity.

Suggested bases for the weekend might include:

EuropeCopy an enlarged map of Europe and cut out each individual country. Each Six has a jigsaw to completein the quickest time, identifying the countries as they go.


Kim’s GameMake a collection of objects from overseas. Instead of remembering the object itself Cubs have to rememberwhere it came from.

The 24 hour clockEach Six must convert ‘time’ into the 24-hour clock format.

Time ZonesEach Six has to complete a series of simple tasks against the clock. For example standing in line in orderof height, all shout hello, all write their name using their left hand, get the whole Six off the floor, all singa nursery rhyme.

TravellingFinding their way in a strange country. Each Six is blindfolded and the Sixer must guide them around anobstacle course.

Badge Links

Scout Association: Scout Family Badge 2, Outdoor Scouting 7 (The AdventureAward), Outdoor Scouting 2 (The Adventure Crest Award),Countries and Cultures 1, (The Adventure Crest Award),The Cub Scout Challenge, Camper.

Scouting Ireland SAI: Camper, Silver Arrow, Gold Arrow.

Scouting Ireland CSI: Sharing 5, 20, Explorer, Camper, Growing Up 6.


International programme ideas – weekend camp

Weekend camp international programme 2: Tropical Rainforest

Purpose: Cub Scouts learn about international countries together.

Tropical rainforests have their own characteristics, plants and animals are linked in a complex web ofinterdependence. As the rainforests are destroyed unique communities of plants and animals are lostforever. Rainforests grow in the equatorial regions of the world between the tropics of Capricorn andCancer.

Run a Cub camp based on the tropical rainforest theme.Explain to Cubs that, just as the different species of trees in the forest depend on each other, all Cubs atthe camp are going to mix together and share activities over the weekend.

Run the Sixes with names of plants, animals or tribes from the rainforest.

Set the scene: explain that the rainforests are home to many people and until recently these people havehad little or no contact with the outside world. People live in primitive conditions, like camp, and live offnatural resources. For example in Brazil there were 500 million people living in the rainforest, now thereare only about 20,000.

Wildlife – half of all plant and animal species in the world is found in the rainforest. One species becomesextinct every 30 minutes. Likewise it is important to protect wildlife at camp and follow the countrycode.

What the rainforest provides:Food – coffee, chocolate, bananas, nutsFruits – pineapples, bananas, oranges, lemons, grapefruitsVegetables – beans (many varieties)Nuts – Brazil, peanuts, coconutsSpices – chillies, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamonDrinks – tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate and the kola extract used in Coca-ColaTimber – mahogany (used in good furniture)Fibres and canes – rattans (ropes), jute (ropes and packaging), bamboo, garden canes.Gums and resins – rubber, chicle gum (used for chewing gum), balata (used in golf balls)Oils – perfumes, oil of lime for ice-cream and sweets, oil for cooking, oil used in soap.

Activity ideas:• Campcraft using bamboo canes and elastic bands;• Cook a meal with some of the above ingredients (beware of nuts) and explain to Cubs that many of

the ingredients actually come from the rainforest;• Cook on an open fire and explain to Cubs that it is important not to cut down trees in this country

just as in the rainforest;• Make a jungle mask (e.g. lion) or a rainforest hat;• Try face painting (jungle animals)• For breakfast have flakes of tree bark in goats milk, toucan eggs and rainforest juice. Other suggestions

might include hot swamp water (gravy), assorted forest leaves (lettuce), leech soup, wild boar(pork).

Rainforest Backwoods Cooking• Pineapple pud: slice off the top of a fresh pineapple and, using a sharp knife and a spoon, carefully

remove the centre of the fruit. Fill this with a mixture of sultanas, pineapple, slices of apple andgrated chocolate. Replace the top of the pineapple, securing it in place with two small sticks andbury it in hot embers for about 30 minutes.


• Orange eggs: for something a little different, cut an orange in half and eat the contents withoutbreaking the skin. Break an egg into the orange shell and place on embers and allow to cook. Whendone eat the egg out of the orange skin.

• Baked bananas: peel the banana and place it in a foil boat. Spread margarine over the banana andsprinkle brown sugar over it. Place the foil boat onto the embers leaving the top open. Removefrom the fire when the margarine has melted and the sugar candied. Alternatively leave the bananain its skin and slice lengthways. Place either a chocolate fudge bar, crumbles of chocolate, jam orhoney in the slit. Wrap the banana in foil and place in embers for 10 minutes or so.

• Tarzan steak: blow the white ash from glowing coals and place the steak directly onto the coals,cooking for about 5 minutes each side.

Badge Links

Scout Association: Scout Family Badge 2, Outdoor Scouting 2, 7 (TheAdventure Award), Outdoor Scouting 2, 7, 8, Countries andCultures 1 (The Adventure Crest Award), The Cub ScoutChallenge, Camper.

Scouting Ireland SAI: Adventurer, Camper, Naturalist, World Conservation Badge,Silver Arrow, Gold Arrow..

Scouting Ireland CSI: Sharing 5, 20, Explorer, Camper, Naturalist.


The Cub Scout Citizenship AwardThe Cub Scout Citizenship AwardThe Cub Scout Citizenship AwardThe Cub Scout Citizenship AwardThe Cub Scout Citizenship AwardLeaders Notes

The Cub Scout Citizenship Award brings together Cub Packs from across the island of Ireland with aninternational theme. In many cases the cross-border element of the Award is international, but the purposeof the Citizenship Award primarily is to help Cub Scouts appreciate that they are citizens of a globalcommunity.

To obtain the Award, Packs have two choices, either

1. The first choice is an activity day plus one visit North and one visit South. The activity dayand visits should have an international flavour of some sort. For example the activity daymay run a European theme, an American theme etc. It is important that the themes arespecial and really give Cub Scouts the opportunity to explore international cultures. Thevisits North and South can simply be outings to particular places of interest.

Or

2. The second choice is an activity day plus a weekend camp. In this instance it is possible torun the weekend camp on an international theme. The weekend camp can be at a centrallocation or perhaps at one of the three Associations camp sites.

Programme suggestions can be taken from those in the pack or if leaders have other suggestions that fitthe purposes of the challenge, please check with the Scoutlink team.

Cub Packs may already have established cross-border links with other Packs and have a good idea of whothey would like to pair with for Citizenship. Packs could also hold on to their Partnership twin and moveinto Citizenship. In effect this will mean that two Packs from the South of Ireland are meeting two Packsfrom the North. This is in keeping with building on relationships already developed. It is also a goodmeans of establishing a network of people to help with organising events and camps for the Awards.

Cub Packs will be twinned on the basis of interests, numbers, mix of young people (gender balance andage ranges) and also perhaps urban/rural considerations. These are not the only considerations – otherswill be specific to individual Packs.

From Partnership to Citizenship

1. Both Packs have completed the Partnership Award and are ready to move to Citizenship.2. Leaders make contact with the Scoutlink team and explain that they are ready to make a cross-

border link.3. Scoutlink team discusses ideas, suggestions, interests, age ranges, numbers and distance between

Packs.4. Contact made with Northern or Southern counterparts and discussion held around interests etc. It

may also be appropriate for leaders to meet at this stage to discuss plans.5. Cub Scouts are kept informed of developments through Sixes. Sixes themselves contribute to the

planning by suggesting activities and places to visit.6. Agreement reached as to first meeting.7. Leaders keep in contact whilst working through the Awards.

Citizenship doesn’t have to run in order. The weekend camp may be the first activity or Packs may decideto host their cross-border friends for the activity day and then move to the visits north and south.


Guidelines:

• Keep the programme simple;• Use leaders own expertise or involve local leaders with confidence in particular aspects of the

programme, for example outdoor cooking. Some leaders will have more experience of camps thanothers – enlist their support for the Award.

• Share the planning and organisation between Packs.• Keep to your agreements.• Priority – have fun!

Share the experience with the other Packs. Invite them to important Pack events such as Parents evenings.Also get as much publicity for the project as possible.

Remember also that leaders and Packs have the ongoing support of the Scoutlink team.


Documents

Scout Link - Cub Scouts