Category Archives: Scouts

Aims, Methods, and …Fun!

Posted on by • Posted in Character, Citizenship, Ideals, Just fun, Leadership, Methods, Scouting, Scouts, Values • 2 Comments

While we constantly talk about the Aims and Methods of Scouting, I think it is important never to forget FUN!
Even though it is not listed as a specific Goal… if you are not having fun then you are not doing right.
I’ve been doing some Scoutmaster reflection lately and came to the understanding that 12 year old boys are 12 year old boys. By and large they joined Scouting to get out in the woods and do nothing but have fun. The leadership stuff develops as they grow and the values creep in as we teach, but at the end of the hike it was all about fun… not citizenship, being a good steward of the land, or development of character. While they got all of that, when you are 12 you just have fun.

I think BP said it best when he talked about “the game with a purpose”. It’s just a game, how we, the adult leaders, develop the values in the Scouts is less important to the Scouts than having fun. We need to do it throughout the program, but never loose sight of the 12 year mind. He’s thinking fun.

Last night at the Troop meeting, I took and informal poll. Sort of a Troop reflection. I did not require an answer, but if any Scout wished to speak up he was welcome.
I asked two questions: First. Since you have joined the Troop, have you learned anything?
That is a broad questions, but I wanted to give them plenty of room.
And second. Are you having fun? Pretty simple.
The answers were refreshing. More than half of the Troop raised their hands to comment. To a Scout they all answered Yes and Yes… most adding phrases like, Learned a ton!!! Some of the older Scouts talked about skills, some of the younger Scouts talked about doing something for the first time. I was glad to hear that they all were having fun. And to me that means we are doing it right. Learning while having fun.

The Aims and Methods of Scouting are great tools to guide you and your Troop to developing strong young men, leaders, future Dads and citizens. When they look back on their days in Scouting and all they have achieved in life, I want them to remember how much fun they had.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

It’s the same all over…

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Since I started the “podcast thing” I have received emails from around the country commenting on some of the topics, sharing ideas, and generally talking about their units.
What I have found is that it is the same all over.

The Scouts in our Troops still love the out doors..they love to camp, they love the taste of adventure, and love the association of hanging out with their buddies.

I think that this is the essence of Scouting..or at least from the Scouts point of view. I don’t think they really care to much, or at least give it a lot of thought, about the game with a purpose. They are receptive to the purpose… but they really want to play the game.

I said in a previous post, that we need to get out of the way and let them do it. This weekend and the climb instructor course, I learned more about the Scouts we teach, coach, train, and mentor.
There were a group of Scouts that were helping us out, they became our test subjects on the climbing wall and they fed us well.
These were average Scouts, they were helpful and curious, they were playful and serious, they were respectful and in some ways weird like 13 year olds are. In short, they were the Scouts you find in every Troop in America.
The point is that they taught us, by teaching them, that these Scouts of ours want to be challenged. They want to push them selves beyond the X Box… they want to be apart of an adventure, not stuck in a meeting hall.
I had an interesting talk with one of the boys. He is a life Scout… 15 years old. He has one requirement left to earn his Eagle award and is in no rush to get there. As he told me.. I have till I’m 18.. as long as I get to keep coming on cool stuff like this.. I’ll get it [Eagle Scout].
His attitude was great. He gets it, and will be an Eagle Scout one day.. but its not about that. Its about Adventure and learning, Skills and fun, Service to others and hanging out with his best friends. Friends he knows he can Trust, that are loyal, that are Friendly and kind, Courteous and Cheerful, helpful and brave, obedient, Clean in their thoughts, Thrifty and Reverent.

These Scouts, we love them because of who they are. They are kids looking for adventure and fun.. and structure along the way. They want to led, they want to challenge, and they want to push themselves… Give them a program that does all of that and you will never have a retention problem, a membership drought, or a Troop lacking in fun.

Happy Scouting!