Space it is!

Our cubs continue their voyage through outer space and today they launched their space missiles! (Paper aeroplanes)

Forest has become the Cub Mascot. He is so well behaved - and at times even more so than the cubs!

Till next Time

Keep Cubbing

Akela Joy

Blast off! - 20 July

School holidays are over and it is Cubs as usual!

This term the Cubs are "Space Invaders" and today there 'blasted off" on their journey!

They first of all had to make their space outfits for the trip.

During the flight, they met a lot of other spaceships .....
2 paperplates stuck together and decorated as an Alien Spaceship.

Our Cubs have really been working hard and collecting all sorts of books and stationery for our National Cub Challenge. This will be donated to the poor. We are truly very honoured to have such generous cubs who always think of those less fortunate than themselves.

We invested 2 new leaders today. This is Paula and she will be our new Pack Helper.

..... and this is Chris. Welcome to you both - we hope that you will have a long and enjoyable stay at 9th Benoni Bambanani.

Till next Time

Keep Cubbing

Joy

Memory Game

This is a Memory Game with a difference - enjoy!
Till next Time

Akela Joy

What has Roger forgotten at Camp?

I am having a great time paging through Scout Annuals dating back to 1960! They really have some wonderful stories, activities and puzzles - of which I will download a few in the weeks to come.

This is a lovely crossword puzzle. Each word you fill in must run from left to right.

Do you need a clue? I am sure it is easy enought for you all to work out. Once completed, the word you are looking for will run down in the white blocks. Let me know if you need the answer!

Enjoy!

Till next time

Akela Joy

Observations from 1963

People who should know what they are talking about declare that the majority of folk only use their brains at half throttle. In other words we could be twice as alert, twice as clever and twice as successful as we are at prent. BP was well aware of this fact - and he was equally well aware of the remedy. From the earliest days of Scouting he was constantly stressing the vital importance of developing our powers of observation to the fullest possible extent.

The Chief was not one to preach what he didn't practise himself. He was already polishing up his powers of observation when only about Wolf Cub age. And he got some fun out of it too! He made himself familiar with the number on the collar of every policeman in the district where he lived. Then, when out for a stroll with a pal, he would shade his eyes with his hand and peer intently at a polieman on point-duty several hundred yeards away. To his friend's amazement he would "read" off the number on the polieman's uniform. And, of course, it would prove to be absolutely correct!

Another thing he did was to carry a little notebook and make sketches of all the weather-cocks in his town. All day and every day he was training his eyes and mind to observe and remember details that most folk would overlook. During his career as a soldier he would often amaze his fellow officers by taking in at one brief glance a mass of detail which took them several minutes to note.

How observant are you? If asked how many steps in your staircase, how many lamp posts in your street or the number of your neighbour's car, would you be stumped? These things may not be important in themselves, but it is important that we make observation - keen observation - an everday habit. So much so that we do it automatically and without effort.

Make a start this very day! Take mental notes of the people you pass in the street or who you pass on the way to school.

You are familiar with Kim's Game, which BP considered a valuable part of Scout and Guide training. This test can be varied in many ways. Study a bookstall for a minute and see how many magazine titles you can remember. Memorize house names and numbers, gaze at shop window displays etc. At first your brainpiece mechanism may give a few protesting rusty creaks at being made to bestir itself, but constant practice will oil the bearings.

Seriously thought, each one of us can improve our powers of observation enormously. The "course" won't cost a penny, but you stand to gain Pounds. But only you can make the actual decision to set the ball rolling and only you can press on with the good work. Don't drift through life on half throttle with your brain functioning on only one cyclinder. Open up the throttle and give your power of observation the chance to show its paces - and get you places!

Taken from : The Scout Annual 1963: Observation - The Key to Success by Trevor Holloway.

An Idea

In South Africa we have government school holiday till mid July. Cubs reopen again on the 20th July so till then, I will be posting a few ideas for all Cub Leaders.

This little helmut / hat can be adapted and decorated for any theme. (Click on the image for a larger view)

Should you have any ideas you would like to share, please drop me a line via my email address.... would love to hear from you all.

Till next time

Akela Joy

An idea!

Thought this was a cute little idea.

Click anywhere on rabbit to enlarge.

Till next time

Akela Joy

Cub Party 22 June 2007

Today was our last Pack Meeting for the term. We asked the cubs to dress up in anything beginning with a "B".

Look who arrived at the Party!A Buccaneur and Batman! ... or perhaps a Power Ranger with a lost identity?

A Barbarian!

Baloo the Bear!

A Beautiful Butterfly

and there were many, many more...

a burglar! a Bad Boy, a Boy Scout, a Boss,... the list is endless.

Till next Time

Keep Cubbing

Akela Joy

An Idea!

This is a lovely yarn that I came across. Click anywhere on the yarn to enlarge it.

Till next time...

Akela Joy

District Cycle Rally 16 June

Our District Cycle Rally was held on Saturday 16th June. We had a great turn-out and the cubs had a marvelous time riding around the Korsman's Bird Sanctuary in Benoni. One lap around the sanctuary was nearly 3 km! .... and some of the cubs completed 11 laps. We are so proud of them!

We have attached a number of photos for you to browse through...

The Winners for the day were:

Cheetah Cup : 4th Benoni

Leopard Cup : 4th Benoni

Lion Cup : 9th Benoni

Overall Winner : 4th Benoni

Well done to all the cubs and friends that made this day so enjoyable.

Till next time

Keep Cubbing

Akela Joy

Meeting 15 June

It was time for some creative fun!

This week we made a soapbox cart and a jungle woggle.

Cutting out the woggle from leather.

Putting the soapbox cart together...

Working hard...

.. a completed soapbox cart.

Made from pre-cut pieces of wood, string, screws and cool-drink bottle tops.

and our elephant woggles!

We also had a very special visitor on Friday - Forrest - who joined us for the meeting.

Till next Time

Keep Cubbing

Akela Joy

An idea

I thought it might be good to sometimes put an idea on the blog for all the Leaders out there! A Guider colleague of mine made up this "heart basket" and presented it to me with a few biscuits - really cute. An idea would be to make it for Father's Day with some fudge or nuts or even some biltong inside. Enjoy!

Till next time

Keep Cubbing

Akela Joy

Red Flower - 8th June

Today in the Jungle we learnt about Red Flower - the fire!Fire is very dangerous! and here the cubs are making sure they avoid the fire!

The cubs stand in a cirlce while the leader swings a bottle around on the end of a rope while the cubs jump over it.

While telling the cubs the story of the Red Flower, they learnt that Mowgli had to get the Red Flower from the Village. Cubs were blindfolded and lay on the floor around a lit candle. A chosen cub had to take an unlit candle and work his way to the centre to light his candle without being heard. If heard, the cub must put out his hand.

With our fire we decided to do some cooking ..... in a shoebox! We made delicious bananas and marshmallows!

Our little oven!

Cubs preparing their feast!

While their food was cooking, the Lions checked that they knew all the safety rules for fire.

Making sure of Fire Safety.

The Cheetahs were learning to tell the time.....

while the Leopards were learning what to do in an Emergency.

..... and then the food was ready!

Scrumptious, mushy marshmallow and bananas.

Time to eat!

Till next week...

Keeep Cubbing

Akela Joy