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Ideas for Fall


Field Trips
Crafts
Games
Den Activities










Field Trips

Fall field trips are the best. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, the Scouts are looking forward to Halloween and anticipating the upcoming winter. School has just begun for another year and we have a new group of Scouts. This is a great time to show them some fun and get outdoors while we still can. Following is a list of field trips specifically for the Fall season!

  • Hayride - When you think of Fall field trips, this one ALWAYS comes to mind. There are a few different places you can take the Scouts and have a great Hayride:

    1. Roselawn Stables - in St. Francis will take you for a Hayride on one of their wagons pulled by horses. They have a pumpkin patch where you can pick pumpkins for an extra charge. They also will allow the Scouts to see their farm animals and have a bonfire. Call (763)753-5517, to book your Hayride and they will send you a flyer with their schedule, prices and directions to the farm. Visit the     Roselawn Stables website for more information.

    2. Berry Hill Farm - in Burns Township (right on the edge of Ramsey) will take you for a tractor driven hayride, allow the boys to visit their farm animals, pick pumpkins for an extra charge, pick apples, make their way through the maze, or have a bonfire. Call (763)753-5891 to schedule you hayride, or visit Berry Hill Farm on their website for more information.

    3. Honey Bear Farm - located in Otsego, will take you for a tractor driven hayride through their pumpkin patch. They also have a haybale maze, and a few farm animals to see. They cater to the schools, so you will have to call (763)441-2761 and book in advance. As far as I can tell, they don't have a website.

  • Nature Hike - Look for different fall leaves and signs that winter is on the way. Explain birds migration and flyways to the Scouts.

  • MN Twins Baseball Game - Spendy field trip, but lots of fun if the Parents are willing! You might want to go see them while we they still exist! Don't forget to have a hot dog!

  • Apple Picking - Apples and Fall go hand in hand. Take the boys to an orchard for some hands-on picking, homemade apple cider, honey, jams caramel apples, pumpkins, etc. etc. Usually orchards offer all of the above and then some! What a yummy field trip this is! Here are a few local orchards:

       1. Pine Tree Apple Orchard - White Bear Lake, (651)429-7202.

      2. Apple Jack Orchards - Delano, (763)972-6673.

      3. Minnetonka Orchards - Minnetrista, (763)479-3191.



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    Crafts for Fall

    Fall is all about cleaning up and getting organized and ready for winter. Now that the weather is turning colder, you'll want to have indoor things to do, and crafts are perfect for Fall. Here's some ideas:


  • Den Doodle! - Den Doodles are a fun way keep track of your Den's advancements. Some good examples of Den Doodles are in the Old How-To Book page# 3-13.

  • Handyman's Helper - Old How-To Book page# 3-18. Have the Scouts make this for their Dad now, for a Christmas gift. You can never start too soon! Good way to organize all those nuts and bolts!

  • Suet Log Bird Feeder - Suet is the cold weather favorite of lots of birds. It provides them the energy they need to make it through our cold winters. Old How-To Book page# 3-23. Make sure this is taken down before the weather warms up.

  • Pumpkin Carving or Painting - You can find small pumpkins pretty cheap this time of year. Don't paint pumpkins with poster paint, it chips off when it dries. Use Acrylic paints. If you are carving, make sure you use tools made for carving pumpkins, that are safe for the scouts to handle. NO BIG KITCHEN KNIVES ALLOWED! They sell blunt end carvers at any discount store this time of year for about 99 cents each.

  • Leaf Booklets - Collect beautiful fall leaves and press them. Glue them into a scrap book.

  • Halloween Neckerchief Slides - Old How-To Book page# 3-63.

  • Masks - Making masks is easy with a few cheap household things. Old How-To Book page# 4-24.

  • Puppets - You can make puppets out of old socks, paper bags, construction paper & craft sticks, etc. etc. Don't forget to make that Puppet Stage and have the boys do puppet shows afterward. There is an entire section in the Old How-To Book just for Puppets! Beginning on page# 5-6.

  • Make a Snow Gauge - It's inevitable and it's right around the corner, we WILL get snow in Minnesota during the winter. Make a Snow Gauge and keep track of how much we get! Old How-To Book page# 8-33.

  • Spiderweb Prints - Old How-To Book page# 8-19.

  • Home Depot - Don't forget that now that fall is here, Home Depot offers FREE Kids Workshops, throughout the school year. They provide wood projects, instructions, instructors, tools and the space to do the project! What a great deal! They also give the kids an orange Home Depot apron to wear and a 'Kids Workshop' pin. They do a different project each month, so for those of you who need to do a toolbox (Bear) or a Birdfeeder (Wolf) or a wooden stool (Webelos) call ahead and ask what project is coming up! You will need to book your Den in advance, they book up quick! They hold Kids Workshops on Saturday mornings, and the projects are always easy to do and quick, maybe a half hour at the most. Be sure to use this valuable resource!


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    Games for Fall


    Games are a little harder in the fall. They are going to be mostly indoor games, unless we have a little warm weather. There are a lot of games for ANY time of year listed in the How-To Books, and here are a few that are 'themed' toward Fall holiday. Also, be sure to check with Ramsey Elementary if you want to use the gymnasium for games that require space, they will let you use it if it isn't being used already, but they will charge you $5.00. They will also let you use the floor mats if you ask ahead of time.

  • Spiderweb Game - This is a 'get to know you' game. Have the boys sit in a circle. One boy holds a ball of yarn. The boy holding the yarn asks a question of another boy of his choosing. The boys take turn asking each other questions such as: "What's your favorite food?", "What's your nickname?", etc. etc. When the boy holding the yarn decides who he wants to answer the question, he throws the ball of yarn to him, but holds the end of the yarn string. The boy who answered the question now holds the string and asks someone else a question, tossing the ball to him. And so on and so on until you have a 'web' of yarn strung between the boys, who hopefully have gotten to know a little more about one another.

  • Disc Football - Football is a fall ritual. This is a friendlier version of game. If you have warm weather take advantage and get the boys outside to play. Old How-To book page# 2-7.

  • Leaf Bag Hot Potato - Fill a garbage bag with leaves and tie it off. Toss the leaf bag back and forth between the boys. Periodically, the Den Leader blows a whistle or calls "STOP!" Don't get caught holding the bag or you're out!

  • Tug-Of-War - Have a tug-of-war. Use a Leaf pile as the center. The losers end up in the pile of leaves!

  • Ghosts & Witches - Old How-To Book page# 2-11.

  • Deadly Circle - Old How-To Book page# 2-12.

  • Owls & Crows - Old How-To Book page# 2-28.

  • Ghost Train - Old How-To Book page# 2-24.

  • Broomstick Wrestle - Old How-To Book page# 2-30.

  • Witches Brew Relay - Old How-To Book page# 2-41.

  • Turkey Feather Relay - Old How-To Book page# 9-28.


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    Den Activities for Fall

    Fall is usually the time when we get new Scouts in our Pack. We should spend the time to make sure that each new Scouts feels at home and welcome in the Den. Use 'getting to know you' games and activities to help the boys do this. If you don't get any new Scouts in your Den, you can use this time to get to know one another BETTER! The Old How-To Book has a section in the back called "Ethics In Action" which has good lessons learning activities that the boys can do, and have fun doing it. Make sure you take the time to do the 'reflecting' at the end of each lesson.

  • Pumpkin Carving contest - Make sure you use blunt end pumpkin carving tools that are safe! Have your Den Chief be the judge!

  • A What is 'THAT' box! - Take several small boxes and put things in them for the kids to reach inside and feel. They have to guess what it is by feeling, not by seeing. You can use a Halloween theme here too. eg, peeled grapes (eyeballs), cold Spaghetti strained (guts), chicken bones (bony fingers), etc. etc. Really fun and FUNNY!

  • Halloween Party - You can get as elaborate as you like. Have the boys come in costume.

  • Pie Eating Contest - Old How-To Book page# 9-27.

  • Corn Shelling Contest - Old How-To Book page# 9-27.

  • Weinie & Corn Roast BBQ - Make the most of the last days of warm weather.

  • Leaf Jump! - Have the boys rake up a BIG pile of leaves and jump in it.

  • Plant Trees or Bulbs - You can get bulbs cheap from a discount store or nursery and plant them on park trails and walkways. Be sure to ask the city before planting. They will let you know where you can plant bulbs. The same goes for trees.

  • Rake Leaves - Volunteer your Den to rake leaves for a person who cannot do for themselves, or for a nursing home.

  • Hayride - See the field trips section for places to go for a Hayride!

  • Pumpkin Picking - If you have found a hayride location, then you have found a place to pick pumpkins too! (usually).

  • Volunteer at a Food Shelf - With Winter coming, the Food Shelves will be busy getting ready for the holidays and stocking up (hopefully). There is nothing that will make your boys appreciate their Thanksgiving dinner and the true meaning of the holidays more than handing out food or helping at a Food Shelf.

  • Make Birthday Bags - Another project the boys can work on for the ACBC Food Shelf are 'Birthday Bags'. A Birthday Bag consists of: a brown paper bag decorated with a birthday theme, a cake mix, a frosting and a toy (around $10.00). They told me the Girl Scouts do this too and they are overwhelmed with 'girl' toys. They need bags for boys too! The bags are grouped by age 1-3, 4-6, 7-10. This can be done as a Den project or individually, whichever your den can afford. After the bags are done, you can make arrangements for the boys to drop them off at the Food Shelf and the people there will give the boys a tour and info session. This is sometimes the only gift a child receives for their birthday, so these bags are very important any time of year. This counts as a service project or a 'Good Turn'. Let's see if we can't help out.

  • Donate a Turkey Dinner - If working at the Food Shelf doesn't seem feasable right now, maybe you could ask each member of your den to donate one part of a Thanksgiving turkey dinner. Then the Den Leader could bring it to the food shelf and donate it in the name of your Den. Even small things help.

  • Hold a Winter Coat Drive - Most people have an old coat or one that doesn't fit their child any longer hanging in the closet. A warm coat is a necessity in Minnesota and lots of people don't have the money to buy one. Collect coats, hats and mittens and donate them to a homeless shelter or bring them to a food shelf and they will see that they get to people who need and appreciate them.

  • Work on a Skit - Each Den will have it's turn to do a Skit. Be prepared and work on one early, check your yearly Pack schedule to see when it's your Den's turn! Stumped for skit? There are over 500 Skits on the Resource page. You need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to open this pdf document. Get the Adobe Acrobat Reader here.


    I'm sure you can think of more things on your own. Don't forget to use your How-To Book and the Program Helps book for themed and seasonal ideas as well!


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