When parents start with ‘yes, and’ to their kids’ ideas, their child is empowered to take the lead, explore new skills and discover their thing. In preparation for Kids Yes Day, Scouts Canada surveyed a focus group of 145 youth (between the ages of 5 and 14) and 368 parent members to determine what activities Canadian kids wish their parents would say ‘yes’ to.

What Kids Want:
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When asked which activities they wanted to do the most, kids had many creative responses:

• 55% want to blow stuff up
• 50% want to do extreme outdoor activities (like winter camping, paddling to remote sites or staying a night in the woods alone)
• 44% of kids want to light fireworks
• 44% want to fly an airplane (or spaceship!)
• 42% want to do ‘wacky science experiments.’
• 41% want to ride a dirt bike
• 40% want to get close to a lion or other animal (some even want to pet them.)
• 36% would like to light a fire themselves

Kids’ Craziest ideas:

• “Follow a bear to its lair.”
• “Juggle daggers.”
• “Trap a wild animal, pat it … and bring it home.”

How to pre-empt potential parental panic:

Don’t knee-jerk a ‘no’ to your kids’ ideas. Find ways to come up with equally fun, modified activities with your kids…

Scouts Canada suggests it’s important to talk to your kids and find out what the most interesting part of the activity is to them. If it’s blowing things up? Do they love the BOOM sound? Is it the visual part they love? Is it seeing what’s left of an exploding object?

Identify obstacles, plan ahead, set safe parameters, and set yourself up to problem-solve in real time.

Most importantly, find a pivot idea that helps your kids still experience the ‘main draw’ in a safe, practical way that is age and skill appropriate.

“While parents may have reasonable concerns about cost, time or even mess, there’s no reason that a version of adventure-based requests can’t be done in a completely safe way,” said Mike Eybel, a volunteer Scouter of nine years with Scouts Canada and father of two. “Scouts start from a place of yes; youth can take the lead in coming up with the ideas, planning and actioning them with volunteer Scouters there to support them along the way. This gives youth the opportunity to develop confidence, problem-solving skills and the ability to assess and manage risk for future adventures. Kids Yes Day brings these benefits and pro-tips to all youth in Canada; we’re hoping it catches on for years to come.”

To jumpstart the yes’s, Scouts Canada has curated suggestions on how to keep things safe for some of the most popular kid ‘asks’.

1. Kabooms for kids
Make sure that you start small! There are lots of completely safe ways to deliver explosive excitement, such as:

• Colour Burst kaboom: You’ll want to Enjoy this ‘exploding lunch bag’ activity outside.
• Erupting Soap: Easy and affordable to do indoors with a microwave, minimal mess and all the fun ‘pop!’
• Kaleidoscope Volcano: A colourful twist on the classic ‘lavapalooza’.
• Blast-off Rocket: Power up your thrusters! How high into the sky can you launch it?
• Watermelon Bomb: How many elastic bands does it take to make this big fruit go ‘boom’?
• Magical Fire: Don’t just light a campfire—add a ‘spark’ of fun!

Scouter Certified Hacks:

• Don’t forget to wear eye protection like goggles.
• Ditch the apron and wear something white when making colourful items explode & splatter— it’ll be a fun souvenir!
• Add a twist to your classic, explosive science experiments by adding a splash of colour to the ingredients.
• DIY fire starters to get your campfire going easily and quickly.

2. Wild Things

• Instead of winter camping, do a Snow Fort Sleepover. Build a quinzhee with snow in your backyard, and use winter gear for a super fun night outside!
• Rather than diving into a solo night hike, have your kid(s) lead the way on a night hike while the parents hang behind, using walkie-talkies to keep in touch; your child gets to feel the independence of ‘going it alone’, knowing support is nearby if needed.

• Meet the animals: Visit a conservation area, rehabilitation centre or local animal shelter as an introduction to wildlife. Explain that petting is only allowed in clearly marked places and with adult supervision.
• Depending on your kid(s)’ level of experience, remote camping can be worked towards in stages. Do a dry run before embarking on the real thing!

Scouter Certified Hacks:

• New to camping and finding trails? Try these apps to locate hiking and camping destinations near you and tips!
• Gear isn’t cheap. Try renting from a retail outlet or borrowing from friends.
• Winter camping hacks, here

3. Stay Sharp

• Dagger Daredevil: Build prop daggers to juggle and kid-friendly ‘axes’ to throw.

• Carving Master: For kid(s) age 7 & under, pick up new carving skills by starting with a nylon knife and hard soap instead of wood (use gloves with a studded grip, as soap can be slippery).
• Mega-Fort: Don’t have access to power tools or the skills to supervise safely? Skip the tools and make an awesome A-frame fort using joints and rope lashing, or cardboard castles!

Scouter Certified Hacks:

• To make your prop feel realistic, tape coins or other household objects to the item for added weight.
• Knife Safety Tip: For youth ages 8+ who are using real knives for carving, check out our safety tips here.
• Fort variations using different materials and skill levels, here.

EXTEND YOUR ADVENTURE WITH THESE ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES & SAFETY TIPS:

• Explore 150+ activity ideas for all ages on Scouts Canada’s Activity Finder.
• Catch helpful Safety Tips from the Scouts Canada experts here.

The post National ‘Kids Yes Day’ Set To Pre-Emp Parental Panic With Pro Tips appeared first on Muskoka411.

Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts will be handing out apples on October 7th & 8th at locations
throughout Bracebridge for the 2022 Apple Day. All donations received from the public will go directly to 1st and 3rd Bracebridge Scouting to help offset the costs of camping and educational programs for the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, and Venturers.

WHEN: Friday, October 7 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Saturday, October 8 9:00am – 1:00pm

WHERE: Independent Grocer, Walmart, Food Basics, Canadian Tire, Circle K, Dollar
Tree, Staples, Rexall in Bracebridge

WHO: 1st and 3rd Bracebridge Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Scouts

The first Apple Day was held in Saint John, N.B. on January 30, 1932. Despite the rain
and sleet storm, 21,000 apples were handed out. Since that time, Apple Day has become one of Scouts Canada’s most visible fall activities.

Scouts Canada, the country’s leading youth organization, offers fun and exciting
outdoor adventure for boys, girls and youth ages 5 – 26 in communities across
Canada. Over 74,000 young people enjoy Scouts Canada’s programs, which are
provided by over 23,000 caring and dedicated volunteers.

Parents can register their children for Scouting year-round, to take part in safe great
Scouting adventures at www.myscouts.ca

For further information about Scouting in Bracebridge please call 705-645-2171 or 705-
646-0474 or go to the Whispering Pines Facebook page
www.facebook.com/WPScouting

The post Support Apple Day In Bracebridge On Oct. 7 And 8 appeared first on Muskoka411.

All donations received from the public will go directly to 1
st Gravenhurst Scouting to help offset the costs of camping and educational programs for the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts,
and Venturers.

WHEN: Friday, September 30 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Saturday, October 1 10:00am – 2:00pm

WHERE: Independent Grocer, Sobeys, Canadian Tire, Home Hardware, and Shoppers Drug Mart in Gravenhurst

WHO: 1 st Gravenhurst Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Scouts

The first Apple Day was held in Saint John, N.B. on January 30, 1932. Despite the rain and sleet storm, 21,000 apples were handed out. Since that time, Apple Day has become one of Scouts Canada’s most visible fall activities.

Scouts Canada, the country’s leading youth organization, offers fun and exciting outdoor adventure for boys, girls and youth ages 5 – 26 in communities across Canada. Over 74,000 young people enjoy Scouts Canada’s programs, which are provided by over 23,000 caring and dedicated volunteers.

Parents can register their children for Scouting year-round, to take part in safe great Scouting adventures at www.myscouts.ca
For further information about Scouting in Gravenhurst please call 705-687-4260 or 705-238-1558 or email maryjanereid@bell.net

The post Support Apple Day On Sept. 30 And Oct. 1 In Gravenhurst appeared first on Muskoka411.

Apple Day is one of Scout Canada’s oldest fundraisers, spanning back to 1932. Scouts handed out 21,000 apples for the first event in Saint John, New Brunswick, and troops have been carrying on the tradition ever since. Bracebridge Scouts will be out at locations like Walmart, Independent Grocer and Canadian Tire from 5 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 8 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 9. Shawn Forth is a local Beaver Scouts leader, known as a Colony Scouter, and he said it’s an important event because all donations directly support activities like camping and educational programs.

“Apple Day is huge for our local Scout groups because, unlike things like Scout Popcorn or Scout Coffee, 100 per cent of the proceeds from Apple Day go directly to our local group,” Forth said. “Other fundraising initiatives over the year, we keep a percentage of what’s raised, but with Apple Day, it truly is a 100 per cent donation to our local group for our programming to directly affect the youth.”

The event is a great chance for Scouts to connect with their fellow community members, including some that participated in scouting themselves. Many people have fond memories of Apple Day from decades ago when they were Scouts, Forth said, so it’s a way for locals to reminisce while also supporting local youth.

“Apple Day really is a chance for us to get out in the community, to be seen and to remind people that yes, we are here, we’re still very active,” Forth said. “The apple basically is our thank you to members of the community for making donations to support our local group.”

Scouts Canada helps over 74,000 young people across Canada get involved with outdoor adventures, community projects and other learning opportunities. It’s a leadership movement and a way to foster community, Forth said, and it’s especially important after more than a year and a half of mostly virtual events and online engagement. He encourages anyone that’s interested in scouting to reach out and learn more, whether it’s on Apple Day or any other time.

“We have two groups in Bracebridge, one meeting at the United Church, one meeting at the Rotary Centre, different nights of the week,” Forth said. “People are welcome to contact any of us and we’ll make sure that we connect them with a group that matches their needs and their schedule.”

To learn more about Scouts Canada, visit their website. For local scouting updates, visit the Whispering Pines Area Facebook page.

The post Scouts Canada Apple Day Coming To Bracebridge This Week appeared first on Muskoka411.

Breakfast with Bunnies includes all-you-can-eat pancakes as well as the chance to take keepsake photos with rare bunny breeds at Gravenhurst Scout Hall from 8 to 11 a.m. on March 7. The pancake breakfast fundraiser is the group’s biggest fundraiser of the year aside from Scout Canada’s annual Apple Day, which sees troops across the country canvassing their neighbourhoods and handing out apples to thank their communities. Breakfast with Bunnies has been running for five years and the money raised helps cover the costs of being a scout.

“We’re a parent-sponsored group, which means that the parents themselves cover all of the costs of scouting from registration to uniform to going to camps to activities,” said Michelle Desmarais-Hodgkinson, event organizer and fundraising chair for the 1st Gravenhurst Scouts. 

Sometimes families are unable to cover the costs, she said, which can range from $25 to hundreds of dollars depending on the camp or activity. “[Fundraising] allows us to get the kids their sleeping bags or get them their uniform or cover the cost of the camp for them, so that all the scouts get a chance to go and participate without it being a drain on the families or being left behind because the families can’t afford it.”

For some families, they choose to participate in scouting because it’s all they can afford to do, Desmarais-Hodgkinson said, so the fundraising is often what allows kids to fully participate.

“It’s great that all the kids can participate, and they all bring something different whether it’s a story or a skill or a unique talent,” she said. “It’s great to see all these different kids go and share everything they can do with each other.”

The fundraiser costs $25 per family or $20 with a donation for the food bank. Individuals and couples can get in with a food donation or cash donation of their choice as well. Parents and volunteers will be cooking up the pancakes while the scouts deliver food to guests, which can be pretty cute when it’s the five to seven-year-old Beaver scouts, Desmarais-Hodgkinson said.

“You see them puttering around with a plate trying to keep the pancakes from falling off and trying to clear a table with people that are only half done eating,” she said. “But for the most part, [the scouts are] really good and people love seeing the younger ones.”

Desmarais-Hodgkinson’s four kids raise the bunnies that appear in the photo booth and show them at events like fairs along with bringing them to schools, daycares and senior living facilities. Her daughter Liora, 14, has been coming to Breakfast with Bunnies for years, overseeing the handling of the rabbits and ensuring that everyone gets a chance to take a picture with them.

Desmarais-Hodgkinson said it means a lot to her year after year to see guests enjoy the breakfast and to see the impact the bunnies have on the children. She encourages locals to join the fun and support the scouts by showing up on March 7 for pancakes and pictures.

“We see the donation bucket filling up and we see the food basket getting bigger and bigger and we see smiles, especially when people post pictures online after,” she said. “You can see the kids have just a look of wonder in their eyes that they’re holding a live bunny and, as a parent and as the event coordinator, it’s really a source of pride.”

To RSVP for Breakfast with Bunnies, visit the Facebook event page. To learn more about the 1st Gravenhurst Scouts or for updates on the group, visit their Facebook page.

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