Scouting at Home - Denver Area Council, Boy Scouts of America

Keep Scouting Going

Denver Area Council Online Merit Badge Classes

The Denver Area Council (DAC) offers staff-led, hands-on virtual Merit Badge classes to small groups of participants so as to ensure maximum quality and support. Participants have provided positive feedback on their experiences in these classes. Check here for new classes.

Previous Online Merit Badge Classes

Email Homework for any previous Merit Badge classes taught by Colorado Adventure Point staff.

Merit Badge Classes at Donald E. Scott Colorado Adventure Point (CAP)

CAP has begun scheduling on-site Merit Badge classes at Hamilton Scout Headquarters. Visit their web page for details.

Fall Virtual Retreat for Denver and Norther CO Catholic Committee on Scouting

Learn more and sign up here.

How to Conduct Remote Scouting Meetings

Thank you to Pack 34 for developing and sharing a handbook on how they conducted a virtual Pinewood Derby.
Thanks to our Scouting friends on the Western Slope for this presentation on how to conduct Remote Scouting Meetings.
One of our Cub Scouts from Pack 237, Charlie S., created a detailed and helpful PowerPoint presentation on how he finished his Wolf activity loop.

Online Resources:

Be sure to check the DAC Facebook page regularly for examples of how Council youth and leaders Keep Scouting Going!
25 Projects you can do from home
Blog for Adult Leaders
COVID-19 FAQ from National BSA
Camp Skill Videos
Coloring sheet to gather Scouting stories
Cub Scouts projects you can do from home
Cyber Chip Requirements
Digital Safety & Video Conferencing
Download-able Merit Badge workbooks
Goal setting for Scouts, leaders & families
Guide to Awards & Insignia
Guide to Safe Scouting
How to conduct a board of review through videoconferencing
Restart Scouting Checklist
Scoutbook & Advancement Information
Scouting Activity Blog
Scouting at Home ideas including 58 Merit Badges Scouts can complete at home
Voice of Scouting

Cub Scouts 30 Day Challenge

Cub Scouts can take place anywhere – even in the comfort of your own home! National BSA continues to add Cub Scouting activity ideas online. The 30 Day Cub Scout Challenge is a great way to continue with Scouting adventures and achieve elective requirements. Use these calendars as a daily checklist and road map for rank advancement.

Scouts BSA at Home

Conduct virtual Patrol Leaders Council meetings via teleconference or web video conferencing. Ensure to maintain two-deep leadership throughout the virtual meeting.
Encourage Patrol Leaders to communicate digitally with their patrol members.
Conduct online merit badge counselor meetings using web video conferencing tools such as Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype, FreeConference or Facebook. Ensure to maintain two-deep leadership throughout the virtual meeting. Note completing a worksheet and emailing it does not constitute a “virtual discussion”, rather use interactive video or phone conversations.

Merit Badges that can be completed at home include:

Other Activities:

Plan and cook a meal for your family.
Encourage Scouts to post online stories from history and how humanity was able to overcome such difficulties and give people hope. Use #ScoutingFromHome when posting on social media.
Hold a virtual gaming meet. Or use Kahoot to host an online quiz.
Encourage Scouts to communicate with Scouts around the world. Learn about the World Organization of the Scouting Movement (WOSM). Introduce JOTA/JOTI.
Coordinate a community-based support network. Work with your Chartered Organization to develop a plan. Offer your unit assistance in helping the needy.
Post examples of how Scouts are helping the community on social media. Make sure to tag us in your post using #DACScouts

Hold Scoutmaster Conference using web video conferencing. Ensure to maintain two-deep leadership throughout the virtual meeting.

If needed, conduct Eagle Boards of Review via videoconferencing. Units can administer BORs up and including Life rank but should follow the guidance in The Guide to Advancement Section 8.0.1.6 Boards of Review Through Videoconferencing. District Advancement Chairs will provide directions on Eagle BORs. Ensure to maintain two-deep leadership throughout the virtual meeting.

Venturing at Home!

Learn ideas for Venturing at home from the Venturing 30 Day challenge.
Videos to complete the Venturing 30 Day challenge.
Start working on the Quest Award.

STEM from Home

Science, technology, engineering, and math have never been so much fun, especially when they join forces with Scouting! With families spending more time at home together, STEM Scouts brings fun and educational activities for kids to enjoy. STEM Scouts offers all kinds of free resources and activities so kids can perform exciting experiments, watch cool videos, and more. Information and ideas are located online.

Watch and Learn

Check out tons of experiment videos on the STEM Scouts YouTube channel, then try them out for yourself with an adult. Learn about even more STEM topics with these cool videos from STEM Scouts of Central Texas. Explore NASA STEM.

Youth Protection Reminder

It’s critical that we all continue to keep youth protection top-of-mind whether our Scouting activities are taking place in person or through a digital platform. Of note, remember that BSA prohibits any one-on-one interaction between an adult leader and a Scout – in person, online, through a web conference, over the phone, via text, or in any other form.

Detailed youth protection information is available here. To ensure you are following safety standards for all Scouting activities, please reference the Guide to Safe Scouting.

The BSA’s Social Media Guidelines serve as a complement to our youth protection policies.