Scouting at Home
The Merits of At-Home Scouting:
Councils Get Creative as Scouts are Required to Stay Home
Across the nation, councils are finding ways to help keep their youth members engaged and Scouting. These out-of-the-box, in-home activities are centered around providing advancement-related content to help keep kids safe, engaged and to help them make the best of home time. Here are just a few examples of what councils are doing:
30-Day Challenge
Hawkeye Area Council, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
As
communities are practicing caution and social distancing, the Hawkeye Area
Council developed a 30-Day Challenge for each Cub Scout rank. Use this at home
to help keep Scout’s skills sharp.
https://hawkeyebsa.org/30-day-challenge/
Advancement Academy: Virtual Resources for Keeping Scouts Advancing, Connected & Having Fun
Cascade Pacific Council, Portland, Oregon
Can’t get together as a group? Visit the Advancement Academy for a digital den meeting or merit badge class. Digital den meetings are offered through Zoom and promoted through Facebook. Participants are asked to sign up in advance. There is also great content for Scouts BSA, including sessions on How to Run Successful Digital Scout Meetings as well as online Merit badge sessions on Coin Collecting, Personal Fitness and more. The site also includes Facebook groups that anyone in the country can join: Cub Scout and Scouts BSA.
https://www.cpcbsa.org/advancement-academy
Scouting at Home
Atlanta Area Council, Atlanta, Georgia
If you’re looking for a comprehensive list of things that Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA can do to Scout at home, this is it. The page features content directly from Scoutbook and includes ideas of other activities Scouts can do. Plus, suggestions for video platforms – and of course, reminders about the importance of following youth protection standards.
https://www.atlantabsa.org/scoutingathome
ScoutShare
Seneca Waterways Council, Brighton, New York
Seneca
Waterways Council has set up a site to share ideas on how to do Scouting
remotely, plus suggestions on how to work on documents together, and how to
hold meetings together if you’re not in the same room.
http://scoutshare.org/Resources/Articles/category/remote-scouting
At Home
Scouting Activities
Spirit of Adventure Council, Boston, MA.
This web site features an entire selection of content designed to let Scouts have adventures without leaving home. The site includes links for youth of all ages, from live cams at zoos, to a range of support resources and videos to help Scouts work on merit badges. https://www.scoutspirit.org/at-home/
NOVA/STEM
Capitol Area Council, Austin, Texas
The council’s STEM Nova Committee is putting together a series of remote Scouting activities tied to the Nova Award and Hornaday-related merit badges. You can find out more at https://www.facebook.com/events/555955978607128/
National STEM in Scouting Committee
The committee has developed an online Nova for remote Scouting. You can sign up athttps://forms.gle/wnu6csPv4kmbGstx9
Looking for other free resources for youth? Here are just a few:
Find projects you can create from home and stories that will take young readers’ minds on adventures all over the world. In addition to the website, an entire year’s worth of issues is free in the BL apps. Download from the iOS/Apple or Google Play stores to read it all.
Khan Academy
Especially good for math and computing for all
ages but other subjects at Secondary level. Note this uses the U.S. grade
system, but it’s mostly common material.
Futurelearn
Free to access 100s of courses, only pay to upgrade if you need a certificate in your name (accounts require users to be at least 14, but younger learners can use with a parent).
Openlearn
Free taster courses aimed at those considering Open University, but everyone can access it. Developed primarily for adults, but some courses, e.g., nature and environment, could well be of interest to young people.
Blockly
Learn computer programming skills – fun and free.
Scratch
Creative computer programming
Ted Ed
All sorts of engaging educational videos
National Geographic Kids
Activities and quizzes for younger kids
Duolingo
Learn languages for free
Mystery Science
Free science lessons
The Kids Should See This
Wide range of cool educational videos
Crash Course
YouTube videos on many subjects
Crash Course Kids
As above for a younger audience
Crest Awards
Science awards you can complete from home
Tinkercad
All kinds of making
Prodigy Math
Good for elementary school ages
Big History Project
Aimed at Secondary age, multi-disciplinary
activities
Geography Games
Geography gaming!
The Artful Parent
Good, free art activities linked to from this
Facebook page
Red Ted Art
Easy arts and crafts for little ones
The Imagination Tree
Creative art and craft activities for the very
youngest
Toy Theater
Educational online games
Amazing Educational Resources
List of Education companies offering free subscriptions
due to COVID
WeAreTeachers.com
Online education resources
http://scoutshare.org/Resources/Articles/virtual-scouts-handbooks
