September 2009 - Cub Scout Pockets - Character Connection: Compassion
What can possibly be in a Cub Scout's pocket? What is in a boy's pocket can tell a lot about who he is and what
he likes. The boys can share and show off their collections and maybe even start a new one! Put some marbles
in the boy's pockets and teach him how to play the game of marbles. Pick an interest of the boys and go on a
field trip to explore and learn about it. Maybe a trip to a rock quarry in search of fossils, or a nature hike
around the den meeting site to pick up items. This is also a great month to educate the boys on what can go on
their uniform and then make some goals to accomplish their rank advancement, special awards, belt loops and
pins, and involvement in camps and council events. This might be a good month to work on the Collecting or
Marbles belt loop and pin.
October 2009 - Jungle Safari - Character Connection: Resourcefulness
Help boys discover fun and adventure in the wilds of Scouting. Take them on a month-long safari.
Learn why Africa is special to our founder Lord Baden-Powell. Find out how the Jungle Book story
connects to Scouting. Use it and its characters to highlight den meeting games, crafts, and costumes
for the pack meeting. Learn about the things you need if you are going on a safari and how would
you survive. What do Scouts in Africa do? What are their uniforms like? Take a den trip to a
local zoo, animal rescue facility, or wildlife refuge. Work on the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity
Award or the Wildlife Conservation Academic belt loop and pin.
November 2009 - Cub Scout Salute - Character Connection: Respect
This month Cub Scouts salute those heroes who help keep us safe and secure each and every day. Can only adults
be heroes? Heroes are often ordinary kids who did something out of the ordinary! A den can decide what makes
a hero and who the heroes of tomorrow might be by looking at people they know today. Learn about heroes in your
own community, as well as Scouting heroes who have earned BSA heroism awards. Have your Cub Scouts invite their
hometown heroes to a den or pack meeting. Perhaps your den can become "silent heroes" by performing service
for others without seeking any recognition. Visit a fire station, veteran's hospital (Veterans Day is this
month), police station, or teacher's classroom and learn about their heroic deeds and reciprocate with a
"Scout salute" for their contributions. You might work on the Citizenship belt loop and pin.
December 2009 - Works of Art - Character Connection: Faith
December is a time of celebration and giving. This is a perfect month for involving friends in doing good deeds
and creating holiday magic through art. Cub Scouts use their artistic abilities to create holiday decorations,
gifts, or cards. This artwork might be put on display in nursing homes, in churches, schools, or homes, and
at the pack meeting or at a meeting of the chartered organization. Boys can make cards and ornaments and
share them with residents of a local nursing or retirement home, children's hospital, or community center and
do a "Good Turn for America." Boys can discover different forms of art, write poems, attend a musical or
performing art show, or visit a local art museum. Works of art can become gifts for family members. The
Academic belt loop or pin in Art or Music could be worked on in conjunction with these projects.
January 2010 - Power Up! - Character Connection: Responsibility
Boys explore the science of energy through solar, electrical, and wind power and how this energy is used in their
everyday lives. They can explore different ways to conserve energy and protect the world we live in. Work on the
Science or Weather belt loop and pin. Boys can invite friends to join in the pinewood derby and discover the
power behind those little cars. What types of things are powered up by the flip of a switch? A field trip to
the local water works or power plant might be part of the den's monthly plan. Finish up the month with a real
power-packed pack meeting. The boys can power up by being physically fit and working on the Physical Fitness
belt loop and pin.
February 2010 - Happy Birthday BSA - Character Connection: Honesty
It's time to celebrate with a big birthday bash. Boy Scouts of America is 100 years old this year. Learn the
history of how Scouting came to the United States. Find out about those who have given us this great Scouting
legacy such as Daniel Carter Beard, James E. West, Ernest Thompson Seton, Waite Phillips, and W. D. Boyce.
Let's play birthday games, make party decorations, and have birthday cake for our blue and gold banquet.
March 2010 - Take Flight - Character Connection: Courage
The Wright brothers had a lot of courage to accomplish their dream to fly. Air has power to push and pull objects
so that they can fly. This month learn all about air, what it consists of, and why it is needed to fly. Learn
about gravity. Make your own flying machines as you hear about the Wright Brothers and their invention. Explore
different types of paper airplanes. Figure out which ones fly farther, higher, faster, longer, and why? Hold
a pack-wide paper plane derby fun night! How many things can you name that can fly? Study birds and their
flyways. Why do some fly in a V formation? Take flight outdoors with a den or pack kite derby this month and
enjoy that air! Take a field trip to the airport, hobby shop, or a science museum. Earn the Science belt loop
and pin.
April 2010 - Spring Into Action - Character Connection: Positive Attitude
This month is a good time to spring into action with outdoor activities such as hikes, sports and games,
cleaning up litter along ponds, parks or roadsides, or planting some trees for improved habitat. Make plaster
casts of the animal tracks you find on your hike. Visit and talk with someone who works with wildlife conservation
and visit a fish hatchery, zoo, animal shelter, or wildlife sanctuary. Bring along food and supplies that they
might need as part of your "Good Turn for America." Build bird houses, bird baths, feeding stations, or boxes
for nesting materials. Do a community service project with your chartered organization to show your positive
attitude in doing your best. This would be a good month to work on the Conservation belt loop and pin.
May 2010 - In The Spotlight - Character Connection: Cooperation
It's time to perform and be in the spotlight! This month spend some time making musical instruments to be used
in the pack meeting variety show. The variety show could be skits, songs, puppet shows, magic trick - you name
it. Have the boys and their parents and families participate in a variety show and have some adults record the
show. Dens can create posters announcing the show and make programs to let everyone know what's coming.
Commercials could be videotaped by the den during their den meetings and then be shown between acts. (Get
the parents involved) Take a photo for the local newspaper or a video clip for the local TV station for
recognition of their achievements and put Cub Scouting in the spotlight. Visit a television, radio, or cable
station to see how they prepare and produce their shows. Attend a play or musical production. The Cub Scouts
can earn the Music belt loop and pin.
June 2010 - Hoop-De-Doo! - Character Connection: Health and Fitness
This is a good time to learn and play the game of basketball while you learn about sportsmanship. Have a member
of the high school basketball team (preferably a Boy Scout) teach the boys the rules of basketball; then play a
game in the pack with older boys and younger boys balancing each team. Play other games such as ring toss, hoop
games, soap bubble contests, and hoop obstacle course. Start working on the National Summertime Pack Award or Cub
Scout Outdoor Activity Award. The boys will be able to earn the Basketball belt loop and pin or another Sports
belt loop and pin of their choice, including the Physical Fitness belt loop and pin.
July 2010 - Celebrate Freedom - Character Connection: Citizenship
Celebrate America's freedom established on July 4, 1776, with patriotic songs, games, and family fun. Discover
what makes America so special to us. Decide on a birthday present your pack can give to America by doing a service
project and a "Good Turn for America." Participate as a den or pack in an Independence Day parade. Enjoy the
beauty of our country by participating in outdoor activities. Have a pack barbeque or family gathering and share
some family heritage about coming to our great nation. Design and serve a birthday cake and sing to America!
Earn the Citizenship and Heritage belt loops and pins.
August 2010 - Waves of Fun - Character Connection: Perseverance
Jump in and make a BIG splash with fun activities that explore water and waves. There is an adventure waiting in
one of Earth's final frontiers, the depths of the ocean floors. Creatures never imagined before can be found
there. What kinds of animals do live there? What does the ocean floor look like? The den could discover what
makes a boat float, learn about different sea vessels, and even make their own boats. The pack can celebrate
this month with a beach party (no beach required) and family picnic as they enjoy the great outdoors. Top it
off with a raingutter regatta. Complete the requirements for earning the National Summertime Pack Award.
This is a fun month to bring a friend! This is a wonderful opportunity to teach water safety and practice the
buddy system while having fun and earning the Swimming belt loop and pin.
September 2010 - Cub Scout Investigators
What happened to the cookies in the cookie jar? Let's find out. Learn techniques that the police use to solve crimes. Use microscopes, dust for fingerprints, and learn observation techniques. Visit your local police department and find out how to contact them in an emergency. Show your respect for law enforcement by thanking them for what they do. This would also be a great month to use your investigative skills to find friends to join Cub Scouts.
October 2010 - Under the Big Top
"Ladies and Gentlemen," welcome to the Cub Scout Circus. It will be a month of entertainment. Dens will practice stunts, skits, songs, run-ons, and cheers as part of their advancement and just for fun. They can share their talents at the monthly pack meeting, with the Cubmaster serving as ringmaster. The focus will be the magic of the circus with a center ring set up for performances. Be sure to have lots of balloons, peanuts, and popcorn for the audience, as well as spotlights on all dens as they perform.
November 2010 - Cub Scouts Spread the News
Cub Scouts spread the news about the fun that they are having in Cub Scouts. They learn many different ways to communicate. Plan a field trip to the local radio station, television station or newspaper office. Dens can publish articles and pictures in a den or pack newsletter or make their own commercial about a service project to be shown at the pack meeting, or on a local cable or school access channel. They can email a friend to join Cub Scouts. This would be a good month to work on Good Turn for America as well as the Communication belt loop and pin.
December 2010 - Winter Wonderland
The excitement of the holiday season brings magic to the eyes of Cub Scouts as they prepare decorations, make gifts, and sing songs of the season. Den or pack activities may include a Good Turn field trip to bring some holiday magic to the lives of others. Northern Cub Scouts will enjoy winter games in the snow. Southern Cub Scouts might play games with paper snowballs or take to the beach for a Klondike derby in the sand. This might be a good month to work on the Ice Skating or Snow Ski and Board Sports belt loop and pin.
January - Road Work Ahead
What does it take to build our roads and bridges? Who builds our roads and what materials and equipment are used? Find out this month as you put on your construction hats and dig in! Arrange to tour road building equipment. Have a construction company foreman/owner come visit at your pack meeting. What vehicles travel the Cub Scout roads? Why not have a pinewood derby this month and find out?
February - Turn Back the Clock
"Turn Back the Clock" and see what the world was like in the past. Learn about an era of your choice with songs, games, and transportation from the time that you choose. Whether it is the Space Age, the Wild West, rock-n-roll, or the Ice Age, each time period had something special about it. Construct a pack "time machine" to help introduce the den's era skits or demonstrations at the blue and gold banquet. Whatever you choose, find the "best" in your time period and share it with others. The boys can work on the Heritages belt loop and pin this month.
March - Forces of Nature
Behold the awesome forces of nature. Discover how wind, rain, fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, avalanches, and glaciers can alter and shape the earth. Cub Scouts learn now to prepare themselves and their families to meet the challenges associated with these forces. Each Cub Scout can work on preparing an emergency kit to keep in his home or car. Explore a different force of nature at each den meeting, creating models of these natural powers or their results. This is a good month to work on the Emergency Preparedness BSA Award and the Heritages belt loop and pin.
April - Scouting the Land Down Under
Scouting is alive and thriving in Australia. Let's learn about the earth's smallest continent, its animals, and its Scouting program. What kind of games do the boys play? What is a Joey? What kind of outdoor activities do they do in the Australian Scout program? Learn about Australian art work and ancient musical instruments. Come on mate and have a g'day. This would be a great month to work on the Language and Cultures belt loop and pin.
May - Acorns to Oaks
Nature provides a miraculous wonder in the life cycle. This month the boys can discover how plants grow from seeds. They can build and grow a terrarium or plant a garden. Here is the opportunity to assist nature by building birdhouses, bat nurseries, or squirrel feeders. This theme also can be used to assist the leaders in helping the boys learn about their own growth and health. They can make goals using a food pyramid. This would be a good month to work on the Physical Fitness belt loop and pin. All these things will help them grow strong and healthy much like a sturdy oak tree.
June - Cubs In Action
This is a great month for outdoor or indoor activities with focus on ACTION. Hikes, games, or relay races using Scout skills would all be good activities. The boys can learn and grow through sports, practicing good sportsmanship and team building. This might be a good time to work on the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award and any of the team Sports belt loops and pins
July - Splish Splash
What could be better than a water carnival complete with games, skits, and a fishing derby? Create a water adventure trail with plenty of opportunity for boys to get wet. Stations could include a sponge toss, sprinklers, water slides, and raingutter regatta. Or plan a pack outing to a local swimming pool or beach. Be sure to teach the Cub Scouts the buddy system before you go and use Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat. Cub Scouts could work on their Swimming and Fishing belt loops and pins. The pack could also work toward the National Summertime Pack Award
August - On the Wild Side
Imagine being shipwrecked on an island of wild adventure! What kinds of wild animals and fauna might they encounter? Go on a hike and learn about the wild side that might be in your own backyard. And if that isn't enough, help the boys release some of their "wild side" fun with exciting games and creative projects. This is one month you'll enjoy the wild side. This will be a great time to invite a friend to come and join in the Scouting adventure!
