Gathering Supplies for Projects and Activities

After I volunteered to be den leader, I was planning out my first couple meetings and it suddenly occurred to me exactly how many materials I would need to provide.  Because my family and I are on a pretty tight budget, that means I can't just run out to the craft store, teacher supply store, or home improvement store every time I needed something.  So I've had to get inventive in gathering supplies for our projects and activities.  Here the things  I've done.

Following the Handbook?

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I realized at some point in mid-November that trying to follow the Wolf Handbook too closely was going to bore my boys and make me a little crazy.  So, upon the advice of our Bear Leader, who has a Webelos 2 and a Bear Cub, and our Tiger Leader, who earned his Eagle Scout 5 years ago, I ditched the book.  I didn't ditch it completely, but I have learned I need to make the book work for me, not the other way around.

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If I worked for the book, many of our meetings would be discussion and answer rather than getting the boys active.  They get enough discussion and answer at school.  Plus children, boys especially, learn better when they have hands on.  In addition, there are too many woodworking projects in the Wolf Handbook for special needs kids like mine.  There is no way I'm going to let my 3 boys near saws.

So rather than talk, talk, talking each week for an hour about what to put in a first aid kit, or how to fold a flag, I changed gears right before Thanksgiving to more hands on activities and activities that I think will interest the boys.  Then I see how I can fit those activities in with a requirement, elective, or belt loop.  And if it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit.