Help! Craft activities for Beaver group

papoosue

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but here goes :-)

My OH needs to find a creative activity for the Beaver Scouts he helps with. There are about 15 boys and the activity should last for about 20 minutes. We have tried to think of loads of things - spiral paper snakes, racing paper fish, making masks etc but they have already done all these things and we are getting desperate. We would be really grateful if anyone has any ideas of something they could do?

skylight

Our lot make biscuits thingies every so often.

Basically, value biscuits, with some icing sugar on top (with the water to make it a bit runnier) and sweets on that. They use different colours on the icing and the sweets used are licourice or laces to make up different flags around the world.

wilko10

Is there a theme it needs to be based around? I am a Brownie Leader so have quite a few ideas of different things we have done in the past, but they are generally based around themes - monster door hangers, pirate hats, etc.

papoosue

Thanks Skylight for your idea - I think it's a great one but OH says there are quite a few 'troublesome' boys who would have a field day with this sort of activity, if you get my drift. I've been trying to think of things with paper/card etc, but as i said before, they've done most of them before. Driving my OH mad - he is getting very grumpy!!

buyitall

How about paper planes? They all make a plane and then have competitions to see whose goes the furthest?

wilko10

I have got a recipe for Armpit fudge - it should appeal to all (especially the troublesome ones) but not be too messy. Let me know if you want me to dig it out.

papoosue

Wilko10 - No, it doesn't have to be themed, they seem to be a bit more 'loose' than that, but I don't see why it couldn't be that they made pirate hats one week and monster door hangers the next kind of thing - any suggestions would be fantastic. With regard to the Armpit Fudge - now that sounds like something little boys would love to make, I'd love the recipe if you don't mind. Thank you so much for your help :-):j

papoosue

buyitall wrote: »

How about paper planes? They all make a plane and then have competitions to see whose goes the furthest?

This sounds like a great idea, I think the boys would have great fun from this activity. Thanks!

wilko10

Ingredients: (single serve version)

2 oz. icing sugar (1/2 cup)
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp cream cheese
dash of vanilla essence
2 tsp cocoa
What to do :

Place all ingredients in a sandwich-size plastic zipper-bag (Ziploc (tm), etc).
Squeeze out all the air.
Squish and moosh (under the arm!) the bag until all the ingredients are well mixed and there is a creamy consistency.
Add any favourite flavours or other stuff (raisins, M&M's, peanut butter, chopped nuts, etc).
Take out a spoon and enjoy.

It doesn't set hard like normal fudge but our Brownies love it so I'm sure little boys will!!

I have a great book with 365 craft ideas in which has lots of monster themed crafts - we are having a monster night in a few weeks using it. PM me if you want me to send you some instructions for these.

papoosue

wilko10 wrote: »

Ingredients: (single serve version)

2 oz. icing sugar (1/2 cup)
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp cream cheese
dash of vanilla essence
2 tsp cocoa
What to do :

Place all ingredients in a sandwich-size plastic zipper-bag (Ziploc (tm), etc).
Squeeze out all the air.
Squish and moosh (under the arm!) the bag until all the ingredients are well mixed and there is a creamy consistency.
Add any favourite flavours or other stuff (raisins, M&M's, peanut butter, chopped nuts, etc).
Take out a spoon and enjoy.

It doesn't set hard like normal fudge but our Brownies love it so I'm sure little boys will!!

I have a great book with 365 craft ideas in which has lots of monster themed crafts - we are having a monster night in a few weeks using it. PM me if you want me to send you some instructions for these.

Thanks, Wilko10 - the fudge sounds fantastic fun! I've PM'd you about the book. :-)

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Gigantic snakes and ladders -Get rolls of cheap lining paper, 1 per team/six/whatever the collective noun is for beavers (a pestilence, perhaps?). Get them to make giant snakes with big markers, water soluble paint on mini gloss rollers, printing stripes, etc with washing up sponges. Most probably won't want to be bothered with boring old ladders, but someone wanting a bit of quiet might like drawing them. Mark out strips of squares about a beaver leap wide. Again, might be harder to get them to do this, but someone might like it. Next time, when snakes are dry, lay out strips of squares, put up ladders and snakes, then race the teams rather than each individual child.



Making a giant picture using several strips of lining roll might also appeal to the 'more expressive' boys, as sitting down and doing little tiny sticky things just might not be their thing. As your OH probably knows, boys tend to get a testosterone rush at about 5 which makes it harder for them to behave, just at the time they are expected to start sitting down quietly and doing as they are told.

Another one would be very messy - outside game - make 'snot rags and bogies' from papier mache and green/blue/purple and yellow paint. Make target of a picture of a bloke with a nose (very large). Make sure protective floor covering surrounds area. Have beavers well covered and parents pre warned. Idea of game is to get your bogies as near to his nose as possible!

Done Rainbows and Brownies myself, but these ideas are purely due to having 3 revolting brothers (all respectable members of society now they are in their 40s) - it should appeal to your little darlings big time!