Just had a bit of a cash windfall (got paid to remove a relative’s bathroom prior to the new one being fitted) so, after 2 days of ripping things off walls and floors, I have beefed up my hammock kit. Which previously consisted of… errr… a hammock.

Now I’ve got a hammock and:

·         3×3 DD tarp

·         DD “Snake” cover for the hammock

·         Underblanket

·         Groundsheet

·         Paracord (floro green so that I can see it)

·         30 ltr dry bag to put it all in

·         10 ltr dry bag because I like the idea of having a smaller bag for keys, wallet, torch, book, knife etc.

·         6 carabiners for hanging stuff on.

·         Moraknif 511 in bright yellow because I spend a good 10 minutes everyday on camp trying to remember where I’ve put my Swiss Army Knife.

Kit has started arriving according to my emails from various couriers. Looking forward to trying it all out.

This also means that I’m going to be a Scout Leader for a good few more years to get the use out of it all.

It also, also means that as it will be stashed in the 30 ltr “grab bag” it is going to get borrowed by my kids for Explorer / DoE duties.

I do much prefer hammocks to tents. A lot less faff and, by their very nature, you end up taking less kit.

because I spend a good 10 minutes everyday on camp trying to remember where I’ve put my Swiss Army Knife.

Tut tut “a Scout is careful with possessions and property” 😉

I was in possession of it. I just couldn’t see the ****er.

If you’ve not used one before, the hammock underblanket is a nice & toasty.

Sounds like some nice kit Harry, have fun!

Another interesting group in front of my AAC committee last night

– a couple who have just retired back to the UK after 20 years running a successful overseas unit for what they admitted were privileged ex-pats, but who have come in to restart a troop that has been closed for two years.

– a guy who has spent years doing expeditions for mental health charities and wants to help pass on his outdoors enthusiasm to kids

– a bloke who started as a parent helper at Beavers with his daughter and has enjoyed it so much he wants to carry on, as it’s “given him the chance to do activities his family were too poor to do” when he was a kid and he wants other kids to have those opportunities.

Great we’re seeing such a mix of experience and enthusiasm coming into the district.

Absolutely!

Just got my girl on the waiting list for joining the squirrel scouts when she turns 4 in November. I thought that I’d got in early but I’ve just had a reply that because it’s such a long waiting list that they can’t guarantee she’ll get in until she’s at the age of 6 for the Beavers.  I’d be gutted if she doesn’t get in as I know that she’d love it.

it’s such a long waiting list that they can’t guarantee she’ll get in until she’s at the age of 6 for the Beavers

We have a similar issue, as do the local Guiding units that the female half of the family are involved in.

We can only ever do what we have enough volunteers to do. Here, fill in this DBS form….And so it begins!

We’re the same, our group has 2 cub packs and 2 scout troops. Only1 beaver colony due to lack of leaders. Most kids on the beaver waiting list end up going into cubs direct.

There’s been a few questions from parents and district about setting up squirrels but no volunteers.

There’s been a few questions from parents and district about setting up squirrels but no volunteers.

We were incredibly fortunate to have two former leaders offer to set up and run Squirrels for us almost exactly a year ago, the first in our district.

Due to their conflicting work patterns, we’ve now split into two slightly smaller Dreys, with more Squirrels over all. Short term, our Beaver colony can cope, longer term we may have issues.

Another group in the district has just opened a Drey, but again, a team of people asked to do it, the two leaders having experience of that age group. I wouldn’t be rushing to get a Squirrel unit up and running without specific people willing to run it.

The thought of looking after pre-schoolers just doesn’t appeal to me. Much happier with the Scout age group.

When you look at our leaders across the group you could probably tell which ones belong to which sections instantly.

Combats, parkas, bobble hats, too much kit – Scouts.

As a dad of a 3.5yo if our group started a Drey I’d be there helping….a bit! I know he’d love it.   I’d…. do my best!

I enjoy helping at beavers and am concentrating a bit more effort their although I would like to do some more adventurous stuff with my eldest in Cubs,  and scouts in time. However I’ve got one in beavers and the youngest to come plus each term the colony leader finds several of the more experienced helpers move up as their kids do…. so I’m keen to try and help keep the colony cooking on gas. (Or firewood)

numbers are good.  Not aware of a wait list currently for the beavers but it’s got 4 pretty full lodges and all works well.  Cubs numbers they manage carefully I think.  A few times beavers have had to wait a little before moving up,  until a cub moves up to create a space.  I’m not sure how other groups across the district fair.

My 6yo is also in rainbows and that’s a smaller group,  although much better than the different Brownies pack my eldest tried for a little while…. they just didn’t have any kids interested.

Whoop whoop! Beavers science night was a success!  I’m wrecked now!  21 Beavers made rubber band cars,  slime!, and Bath bombs and they loved it!  I spent the last few weeks convinced my slime would fail ( thanks for the stw chemists support it was brilliant) and utterly sure the cars would be too hard and that a car made of lolly sticks and milk bottle tops would fail to engage a modern day 6-8yo.  They loved it all and although busy helping with rather tricky cars I could hear the shouts of ‘ I wanna do slime!’ And ‘cars next!’

Superb.  I feel relieved and very happy.

I even got presented with my own scarf, cripes!

One of our Explorers did a chromatography based murder mystery thing with the Cubs tonight, then one of the mums helped them make ooblek which was dyed the colour of their woggles and finally they played Colditz for the first time, run by the other Explorer. We don’t do much in the way of badges but they’ll get their Science badge after doing Space stuff last week.

I had chromatography lined up as a 4th fill in if my timings were way way off and they finished early.   Use kitchen paper and the water rises up the sheet in a few seconds.   Did it with my 6yo yesterday and she was happy holding each sheet just dipping into the washing up bowl….10 minutes later the kitchen had half a roll of damp sheets with psychedelic patterns from splitting various felt tip pen colours strewn out to dry.

Intrigued by the murder mystery game though….coloured dyes as clues to the murderer in some way?

Beaver slime and Bath bombs were of course turquoise.

As for space stuff…. the cubs did their Astronomy badge michelmas term,  did some really fun stuff from what I heard. My daughter missed one session as we were away for my wife’s birthday and was the only cub to miss out as she missed a couple of elements.   So I’ve helped her earn those at home and she had a riot doing one task I devised,  had Arkela in stitches with the photos.   We learnt about space suits and then made an ‘experience costume’ …. strapping various things to her to represent the many layers and elements of a suit,  watching her try to scratch her nose inside the helmet we made was superb! (Nasa stick velcro patches inside,  Harrison schmitt swore by it).  I reckon it would work great in the pack.

Took my eldest daughter off to cubs tonight and got roped in as they were one adult short. It was hilarious watching them do relay races in the style of the Easter bunny,  a spring lamb and a spring chicken 🤣  I always enjoy the end of term badge awards too…. got her badges sewn on already and the youngest daughter’s beavers badges 2 weeks ago…. just the experiment badge to add when she picks that up tomorrow…. oh and the blooming rainbows badges and a beaver sleep over badge.  Still she wants to learn to do that one… she must know its a task she needs to tick another badge off!

and got roped in as they were one adult short

Sucker! That’s how they got me.

🤣 now you do it to others I’m sure.

I got truly suckered in this half term.  Having said I’d do once a half term at beavers and same at Cubs I’ve done 2 +1 and completely designed/ organised one of those beavers nights. Now designing a summer outdoor science session and another indoor science session for autumn!

Just finished our third week of knife and axe. Got them safely splitting logs last night.

Week off next week, then we are off to the woods to put up hammocks.

All of this is leading up to “Dump Camp” in May, where kit pre-selected by the Scouts is dumped in a clearing at the campsite and they have to sort themselves out. If it wasn’t on the list then it doesn’t turn up.

Kids are really up for it.

We had eight of ours do their expedition hike/camp over the weekend – hiked with their kit from our hut in Disley via a couple of checkpoints to my old hut in Poynton, stayed there overnight and then hiked back via a different route. Did a bit of a hastily arranged local knowledge task into Poynton on Saturday afternoon too, as the pretty horrific weather on Saturday morning (hail in forty mile an hour winds tends to make you want to get of the hill quick-smart) meant they didn’t mess around on the hike and really cracked on, and arrived about two hours before we thought they would.

Great weekend, they were a really fun bunch.

Off to Macclesfield for bowling and laserquest tonight for the end of term trip.

Did a map reading treasure hunt with the cubs this week. Printed a simple map of the church hall grounds, over aid a grid then hid clues around. Each clue has da question to answer and grid ref for the next clue. Had to get all answers to earn their easter egg. Barring one incorrect grid ref (DOH!) and one wind blown clue, all went well! My first proper session I’ve organised 😊

Did a combined Colditz/Easter Egg hunt last night, and a second run at making ooblek after only one Six succeeded in not adding too much water last week. Two weeks off now before starting to prep for a camp in early May.

Two weeks off now before starting to prep for a camp in early May.

Ditto- tho last night got asked if I could take a few of our Scouts to meet the Archbish of Canterbury whose in town tomorrow

Gecko, haha!  You found why I was leery to do oobleck and battled through various issues to do slime instead 🤣

I’m visiting family in Liverpool and while at a playground with my kids today (southport) saw a load of beavers or cubs in grey sweaters,  shorts, long socks and garters.  Who?/what? I thought.   Bit of googling…. British Boy Scouts.  Its set me reading in Wikipedia about their history, and how they criss cross with boy scout association,  boys brigade and various others…. politics,  good heavens!

Has anyone experience doing a team sport with turquoise ninjas? I was looking at the sport badge requirements

‘Team Sport
Play a team sport with the Beavers in your Colony. This could be a game of football, basketball, rounders, cricket, netball, rugby or volleyball.’

As we come into better weather and can get outside some bigger team games seem worth doing but which? It seems like kids do so little ball games these days,  at least my kids school doesn’t, that a simple ball game would be worth a try but needs to be fairly simple as a lot of the kids are so unfamiliar with even simple catching,  throwing,  hitting,  maybe something like touch rugby might be best?

We invented a team ball game.

Dave Ball (Sorry, I had 1 second to come up with a name)

Equipment

One ball (football sized, but not heavy enough to cause injury)

One room to play in

Rules

Split into two teams of 4 or 5.

To score a team has to bounce a ball off a wall and it has to be caught by another team member. Alternatively, you can use four targets instead of the walls. We prop up tables on their ends in the corners.

Players have to throw the ball between themselves, no running with it.

We play best of 3 and have a mini tournament.

Mad game. Has them running about like loons. Usually over in a couple of minutes so they get a rest between rounds. Because there are four goals to score in it is impossible to “park the bus”, so the game flows nicely.

Sounds good. Might try that, ta.

What do you do for the competition element?

‘Competition

Take part in a match, competition, show or pass an exam or achieve a grading for that sport.’

Do you play for a few weeks and just tick it off? Arrange to play another colony? Something else?

We just play it. Usually 4 matches. Semi finals, runner up final, grand final.

We were thinking of hosting the Dave Ball World Championships, but decided that the rest of the District wouldn’t be arsed.

We shall maybe start the Daveball southern league.  Perhaps we can meet up for the world series. Its that our Dodgeball I reckon.

Did you play it?

We had our first outdoor session. Did hammocks and tarps.

Still on half term break, start again next week.   Might be a while before the park dries out too… it currently has never seen before lakes on it.   Planning session with Hawkeye and the other leaders/ helpers tomorrow.   I’m mainly aiming to bolster the STEM content and have aims for an outdoor science session later this term (need time to build kit and practice my experiments) but also seeking to bring some new ideas to the syllabus/programme,  particularly trying to generate ideas around badges that AFAIK aren’t done.   So I’m thinking sport would suit outdoor sessions (although daveball and dodgeball could be indoors too). I’m thinking of combining STEM with the Photographer badge buy building camera obscura…. plus wondering if parents have a few old phones in drawers that have working cameras and if they’d donate…