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Start early with your program for the first
year boys to get all of them to Arrow of Light (Arrow of Light).
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Do not wait for September to start new
Webelos den into active program.
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Get together during the summer months to do some
special activities. The Aquanaut can be completed right away.
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Pull the den together during the summer by doing
small and simple service projects for school, church, or community.
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While doing regular programs with boys add those
requirements for 'joining Boy Scouts'.
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Get boys into the outdoors as soon as they
start the Webelos Program.
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Do as many activity pins outside as possible.
Plan around a patio, yard, Garage, Park, Pool, a business or any other place.
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Have special Visitors over for den meetings to
talk about specific skill activities.
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Spend sufficient time with each activity pin. Not
one week, but two to four weeks.
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Try to get all the boys in the den to the Webelos
badge at the same time. Make it special for them at their recognition pack
meeting.
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Attend the monthly Roundtable meetings and
'Cub Leader Pow-Wow' to get activity pin ideas and help.
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Once into the program start planning ahead, up to
six months, those activities you want to do.
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Work your program into your schedule, the seasons,
the weather, the Boy Scout Troop and sudden changes. Always have a back-up
plan.
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If a leader feels uncomfortable about doing an
activity with the boys get help, but do not pass up.
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Give boys a sample of the skills, activities,
requirements that the Boy Scouts do.
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Start early to get boys ready for camping.
Have a backyard Day Camp or overnighter.
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Look for Troops in your area that the boys may
go to and visit. Go Camping with them. Have skills demonstrations with
them.
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Take boys on meaningful tours and trips. Those
more special than their earlier Cub outings.
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Now is the time to take boys out for hikes
- in neighborhood, park, construction site, open field.
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Know what your boys want and give them all they
can take. Every Activity Pin if they so desire.
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Realize that the second year for Webelos is a
short one. Know when to Graduate them ahead of time.
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Plan well ahead for the Arrow of Light and get an
O.A. (Order of the Arrow) ceremony schedule. Contact Troops for help.
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Be sure to fulfill all the requirements for Arrow
of Light
and those to get the boys started into boy scouts.
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Get parents involved, even more than
before, so they will help carry boys into Boy Scouts.
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Visit more than one Troop in your area -
early. Have parents go along. Also to get a better understanding of the Boy
Scout Program.
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Having a Boy Scout Handbook to work from, refer
to, show boys, get ideas from and get them prepared with is a great training
aid.
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Be aware that boys are lost from the Boy Scout
Program during the first year if not properly prepared.
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It is very important that boys experience camping
before they join the Boy Scouts to make it more comfortable for them.
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Remember that a parent must be with a boy on
campouts as Webelos but, let the boys live the experience themselves.
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Boys joining Boy Scouts are expected to be
familiar with the outdoor exposure.
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Having and using a trained Den Chief will
add to the program and help leaders, too. The Webelos will enjoy having an
older boy there.
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Use as many assistant leaders and parents as
possible to help with any and all hands-on skills activities. A good safety
factor, too.
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Get outside experienced help to give boys the
'Whittling Chit' Requirements and Demonstrations.
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Boys should start working towards proper
uniforming for the Boy Scouts. Proper insignia placement is important.
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Having a den doodle for the boys is a good
tracking and incentive tool to get them all into Boy Scouts.
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Work with the Webelos at the beginning of their
second year, a little at a time, so that they know the Boy Scout Joining
Requirements.
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Have them start working towards the Boy Scout
Tenderfoot physical fitness requirements. This is the hardest requirement to
fulfill.
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Get boys started in making out duty rosters and
menus for campouts soon. They will have to do these on their own as Boy
Scouts.
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Get all of your boys to Webelos Summer Camp
after their first year. This will be their best Outdoor experience as a
Webelos den.
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Games, Skits, Songs, Stories, Competition with
each other and a den flag are very important parts of the Webelos Program.
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Letting the boys pick a patrol name, with a
patch, instead of a den number will bring the boys closer to the Boy Scout
Program.
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The most important part of the Webelos Program is
having well trained leaders to pass on all those new skills to the
boys.