backyard mini-golf · 2020-05-15 · using materials readily at hand, create an obstacle course...

Who doesn’t like to play mini-golf? It’s fun, right? And part of the fun is the crazy

course with the obstacles and the things you need to go around, over, under and through!

Go ahead and design your own 3-hole (or more!) back-yard mini-golf course. This is

a great opportunity to be super-creative. You, too, can create obstacles that you have to go under (like a lawn chair), or over (build a ramp), or through (a tube) or

around (a planter). Really, your imagination can go wild on this one. You can even decorate your course if you want.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Ball: golf, ping-pong, tennis, small rubber ball or such

Putter: a real one, a toy one, a hockey stick, a broom/mop stick, a cardboard tube from wrapping paper, or even a pool noodle

Course design: could be on grass or concrete, obstacles, and boundaries (can be

marked with chalk, rope, pool noodles, or an agreed-upon line of sight)

Holes: Plastic cup, tin can (on its side, milk/juice carton cut open to widest spot, bucket/pot on its side

Players should agree before-hand on what counts as “in the hole” – whether the ball needs to STAY in the hole (harder) or merely enter the hole (even if it rolls out again).

BACKYARD MINI-GOLF

GAMEParticipants: 2 or more

Time: 30 – 45 minutes

Materials:

Nothing specific; up to your imagination!

Engage with us on the Circle Ten Council Faceebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/CircleTenCouncil/) by sharing your photos and videos using

#HandPickedFun. Weekly winners, deterined by the number of "likes" and reactions, receive a $25 Scout Shop gift card. Each week starts when the

rooster crows on Saturday and ends when the cows come home on the following Friday for a total off 6 weeks!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/CircleTenCouncil/

Like to watch crazy obstacle courses on TV? This will be for you!

Using materials readily at hand, create an obstacle course with at least ONE obstacle for year of age of the Scout (a 7-year old would have 7 obstacles). This can be done

in your backyard or at a nearby neighborhood park.

Run the course at least 3 times per player and see if times improve! (Most cell phone “clock” apps have a stopwatch feature).

Things to consider in designing your course:

• Something to go OVER, UNDER, THROUGH• Something to go AROUND• Using playground equipment available at the park (slide, swings, monkey bars)

• Hula-hoops• Drawing circles on the ground (with chalk or a rock) to represent foot placement

(such as a football player’s “tire-running” drill)• Adding an element of a “dash” between 2 marked places• Adding exercise, such as a set number of jumping jacks

• Adding an “aim and toss” element such as tossing a ball/rock into a bucket/can

The sky’s the limit with what you can have in YOUR obstacle course, and of course, if you created it, you should get to NAME IT!

BACKYARD/PARK OBSTACLE COURSE



Materials:

Nothing specific; up to your imagination!

Engage with us on the Circle Ten Council Faceebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/CircleTenCouncil/) by sharing your photos and videos using #HandPickedFun. Weekly winners, deterined by the number of "likes" and reactions, receive a $25 Scout Shop gift card. Each week starts when the rooster crows on Saturday and ends when the cows come home on the following Friday for a total off 6 weeks!


Got a driveway? Then you’ve got an awesome game area! Below is a list of some popular

driveway games. An advanced challenge would be to see if you can adapt your favorite board game into a driveway game.

DRIVEWAY GAMES (page 1)


Time: 30 minutes

Snail Hopscotch

Draw a large circle on the ground (about 10-12 inches) and then draw a very large spiral board on the concrete starting at the circle and

spiraling out like a snail’s shell. Make your spirals about 8-12” apart. Make 3 or 4 large spirals around the center circle (pictured is 3). Divide the spirals into spaces about 12-14” apart and number them.

The first player hops on one foot from the center circle to the outside and back. If they make it without stepping on a line or losing their balance, they can use sidewalk chalk to mark ANY space they want

with their initials. No one is able to jump on that space the rest of the game.

The next (and continuing) player(s) must hop on one foot from the center and back, jumping over any space(s) marked with initials. If

successful, the player writes their initials on any space they choose.

This is a simple game, but it gets fun as “squares” get taken out of play! By the end of the game, kids have to hop all the way across the board to an empty space. The person with the most initialed

spaces wins.

Twister®

Draw a giant Twister® board on the sidewalk, grab your spinner and use the pavement to stretch out those muscles. No spinner, no problem. Create flash cards with the instructions (right foot

red, left hand yellow, etc). Shuffle and draw. Take turns until you just can’t do what the card says!



Time: 30 minutes

Box Them Out

Draw a very large square, about 10 feet x 10 feet. Divide the large square into a grid 10 spaces wide x 10 spaces deep (100 spaces in all).

You can make the initial large square smaller, but the grid spaces need to be big enough for kids to stand inside them. Or, you can use a

smaller number of total spaces (pictured is 25 spaces).

Give each player a piece of chalk and assign them a corner to start.

The first player will move to a connecting square and then cross out the square they came from with their color chalk. Players take turns

moving from one square to the next, crossing out boxes as they go. After a box is crossed out, no one can step in that box again for the entire game. If a player is stuck and cannot move, they must

forfeit their turn.

The winner is the one who can move last after all the players are “stuck”. Use the same grid over and over by using an X to cross out the squares for the first round, an O for the second round and color in

the square for the third game.

Pictionary ®

Take your Pictionary ® cards outside and use the sidewalk as a giant canvas. If you are not familiar with Pictionary ®, it is a game like charades, but instead of “acting”

out the clue, players take turns drawing out the clue for the other players to guess. You can also make up your own “clue” cards.



Time: 30 minutes

Four Square

Draw a large square (over 10‘ wide) and divide it into 4 equal squares. Number the squares 1 to 4 and then

draw a diagonal line in square 1 to be the serving line.

The player in square 1 serves by bouncing the ball in his square and then hitting the ball into any of the other squares.

Players have to allow the ball to bounce one time in

their square before hitting it into another player’s square. Players can be eliminated from the game by hitting the ball out of bounds, letting the ball bounce

more than once in their square, hitting the ball more than once during their turn, or holding or catching the

ball.

All remaining players on the court move up to the next

highest square and a new player from the sidelines moves to the lowest square (4 is the lowest). The winner

is the one who can stay in the #1 square the longest without being eliminated.

You can play this with 2 or 3 players, but the more the merrier!

Checkers

Draw a checker-board on the sidewalk. Color in alternating squares. Use paper plates, rocks, toys, or whatever you have to make two different types of playing pieces.

Typically, checker-boards are an 8 square by 8 square grid, with colors alternating, and each player starts with 12 “checker” pieces.



Time: 30 minutes

Corners

This game requires at least three players but can be played with many more. Draw a large square court with smaller

squares drawn in each corner in different colors. Draw a circle in the middle of the court.

One person is designated the “counter” and stands in the circle in the middle of the court. The counter

closes their eyes and counts to ten. While their eyes are closed, the other players skip around the court and choose

a corner to stand in (more than one person can stand in the same corner). With their eyes still closed after counting to ten, the counter calls out one of the four corner colors.

Whoever is standing in that color is out. The game continues until all players are out.

No chalk. No worries. Make some!

Pour equal parts cornstarchand water into a mixing bowl. Stir until thick and smooth. Separate into smaller bowls

and add food coloring to make different colors. Stir until evenly colored, then pour into a mold (paper cups work

well as well as muffin pans). Let dry for 12 hours. Remove from mold and you are ready to play!


#HandPickedFun. Weekly winners, deterined by the number of "likes" and reactions, receive a $25 Scout Shop gift card. Each week starts when the rooster crows on Saturday and ends when the cows come home on the following Friday for a total off 6 weeks!


This is a great choice to play on a sweltering day--you'll want to keep the chilly t-shirt on

even after the race is over!

FROZEN T-SHIRT RACE


Time: 30 minutes

Make it a relay:

1. Set out the frozen t-shirts in two lines. Then, partner kids

and split them into two teams. Have each pair of

children stand in front of a shirt.

2. On go, the two players on each team will pick up their

shirt and begin to melt the water with whatever means

possible. When the first pair melt the shirt enough, one

player will put on the shirt.

3. After the first shirt is on, the next two players melt the

shirt until one player can wear it. The winning team is the

first team to be wearing all frozen shirts!

Materials:• T-shirts – 1 for each participant or team• Gallon size bag or shopping bag• Water• Freezer

Resources:• https://www.ehow.com/how_4493247_plan-frozen-tshirt-game.html• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkW9r0DQW5o

Race:

1. Give each player (or team) a bag with a frozen shirt.

2. They need to thaw the shirt by whatever means in order to put it on.

3. The first person to get their t-shirt on wins the game.

4. If playing by yourself, time yourself, then try to beat that time with the

next shirt.

5. Next time – scrunch shirt into a bundle before freezing (instead of

folding neatly).

6. For more fun, video yourself! Watch with friends and family.

Preparation:

Soak all of the shirts, wring out the excess water (as much as possible). Fold each shirt neatly and place in a plastic bag. Place the bags in the freezer overnight.


#HandPickedFun. Weekly winners, deterined by the number of "likes" and reactions, receive a $25 Scout Shop gift card. Each week starts when the rooster

crows on Saturday and ends when the cows come home on the following Friday for a total off 6 weeks!


There’s an old joke -- there are two seasons in Texas: this summer and next summer! Yes, it’s hot. Here’s a fun way to get wet and cool off!

WATER BALLOON PINATA


Time: 30 minutes

Materials:

• Balloons

• Water and small funnel (optional)

• String/rope

• A plastic “bat”/cardboard tube

• Neckerchief as a “blindfold”

• Someplace to tie the balloons

Find a spot where you can tie the water balloons, so they

hang down at an appropriate height for the players. If you don’t have a tree branch, you can string a rope between 2 upright objects, and then hang balloons on

the rope.

Fill balloons with water. Using a small funnel can make

this part easier. The “fuller” the balloon, the more quickly it will burst. Put balloons in a bin or on a tray to keep them from bursting ahead of time.

Using the string, tie each balloon to the string, and then, tie the loose end of the string to your overhanging

branch (or structure). You can vary the heights of your balloons as you hang them up.

Now, you are ready to play! Use a neckerchief as a

blindfold or let the youngest take aim without it. For blindfolded play, be sure to remove any tripping

obstacles in range.

Resources:• https://ziggityzoom.com/water-balloon-pinata/• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roqgB6XZdmQ

˜


https://ziggityzoom.com/water-balloon-pinata/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roqgB6XZdmQ


FOSSIL FINDS!Texas used to be underwater! Believe it or not, 265 million years ago, the ocean covered

where we are now. That makes for some very interesting fossils around today. Rocks are interesting and come in all sorts of varieties! Go to a neighborhood park and see what you can find. If there is a stream running through the park, that is generally a good place

to look, but don’t fall in!

ACTIVITYParticipants: 1 or more


Materials:• Bucket or sack to carry your “finds”

• Rock identification guide (for Webelos Earth

Rocks 3a)

• Magnifying glass (for Webelos Earth Rocks 3b)

Resources:

• http://www.dot.state.tx.us/env/pdf/publicat/gempostr.pdf• https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/can-you-identify-my-rock-or-mineral?qt-

news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MvXv66b5h4



http://www.dot.state.tx.us/env/pdf/publicat/gempostr.pdf

https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/can-you-identify-my-rock-or-mineral?qt-news_science_products=0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MvXv66b5h4


Service to others is a key attribute of Scouting. As part of your family's day camp experience, please consider adding an element of service to others. Here are some ideas to get you started.

HELP OTHER PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES


Time: 30 + minutes

• Organize a neighborhood food drive to benefit a local food pantry, homeless shelter or such.

• Making cards/placements for senior living residences.

• Making “thank you” letters/cards to hospital and healthcare works, police and firemen.

• Offering assistance to neighbors who might be at higher risk. Grocery pick-up and delivery,

weeding their yard, sweeping sidewalks, general chores and such.

• Trash pick-up as you go on a walk (wear gloves).

• Doing odd-jobs to earn money to donate to charity of your choice (wash windows, clean

dumpsters, wash cars)

• Make a “no-sew” blanket to benefit Project Linus.

• Make bathroom toiletry kits for shelters (baggie with soap, toothpaste, toothbrush,

deordorant, etc.)

• Make and donate sandwiches, cookies, chips to Soupmobile, a service reaching homeless

persons in Dallas. Check out details at https://www.soupmobile.org/

• PACK-A-PACK” of food to feed a family for a weekend and donate to FASTPACS or similar

organization dedicated to providing meals for children who qualify for in-school meals.

• Leave thoughtful notes of thanks for trash pick-up workers, mail and package delivery services.

• Leave a surprise (cookies, card, painted rock!) on a neighbor’s door to brighten their day.

If your project involves an outside agency (food pantry/hospital, senior residence), ask your parents

to call first to see what they need and any requirements they might have regarding items they will

accept and how to deliver anything you collect/make.



https://www.soupmobile.org/


NATURE PHOTOGRAPHYTake advantage of the golden light of sunset or sunrise! Look closely at the world of

nature and see what small wonders there are all around you! Explore the glories of nature through the lens of your camera and create a portfolio of 10 or more photos that have nature as one feature of each snapshot.

Most phones with a built-in camera have built-in photo editing software, so experiment

with different techniques, such a cropping, recoloring, changing contrast levels, etc.

Pick your favorite and post it to the Circle Ten Council Facebook page so we can all enjoy

your artistic efforts.



Materials:

• Camera• Photo-editing software (optional)




A scavenger hunt can be very simple, or you can make it complex! No matter how you play, it gives a purpose to the walk around the neighborhood.

NEIGHBORHOOD SCAVENGER HUNT



Materials:Nothing specific; up to your imagination!

Easier version:

Before setting out, make a list of common items you might see on your walk. How many? Up to you, the older the Scout, the longer the list can be. Example: Blue car,

squirrel, blue jay, fire hydrant, rose bush, etc. Then, keep your eyes on the lookout for those items.

Harder version:

This takes some advance planning. A parent can “scout-out” the neighborhood beforehand, taking note of very specific items and their address. You can even take a

photo with your phone of some things, like a specific planter with flowers. Then, pick a handful to the be

objects of “today’s” scavenger hunt.

The older your Scout, the harder the items can be to

find: decorative flags, signs, scrollwork on doors or fences, specific rocks or plants, interesting items of

architecture, garden decorations, etc..

Team version:

Have enough family members to split up into teams? Add an element of competition by seeing who gets finished with the list first. You can ask that everyone “demonstrate”

their finds with cell phone photos.

Engage with us on the Circle Ten Council Faceebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/CircleTenCouncil/) by sharing your photos and

videos using #HandPickedFun. Weekly winners, deterined by the number of "likes" and reactions, receive a $25 Scout Shop gift card. Each week

starts when the rooster crows on Saturday and ends when the cows come home on the following Friday for a total off 6 weeks!


SODA BOTTLE TERRARIUM (page 1)

Recycle that soda bottle into something good!


Time: 30 minutes

1. Empty and wash out/drip dry your 2-liter clear plastic

soda bottle. Be sure to save the cap.

2. Draw a line around the bottle at about 6-inces up from

the bottom. HINT: use a cup to balance the marker and just rotate the bottle around.)

3. Cut along the line until the bottle is in 2 pieces. Adult help may be needed. Lay the top with cap aside.

4. Place a 1 – 2-inch deep layer of small rocks/pebbles in the

bottom (used for drainage).

5. OPTIONAL: If using activated charcoal, place a ½ inch layer of it on top of rock layer. (Activated charcoal is available at most pet stores that sell fish; it can help purify the water).

6. OPTIONAL: If using Spanish Moss, place a layer on top of charcoal. The moss acts like a screen to keep soil from slipping down to bottom between the rocks.

7. Fill up the “bottom” with potting soil, stopping about 1 inch from the “top” of the bottom piece of the bottle. IF you are using moss, stop a bit sooner, and add another THIN layer of moss (because it looks nice!) after planting seeds/seedling plants.

8. Plant 6 – 10 seeds, and after they sprout, you can thin

them out by keeping only the best ones.

9. Alternatively, you could use seedling plants to get a “head-start”.

SODA BOTTLE TERRARIUM! (page 2)


Time: 30 minutes

Materials:

• An empty, washed out clear plastic 2-liter soda bottle with cap• Marker/scissors• Pebbles/rocks

• Potting soil• Activated charcoal (optional)

• Spanish Moss (optional)• Seeds OR Seedling plants

10. Place top back on bottom of bottle. Best to do it so the

top fits INSIDE the bottom. If squeezing doesn’t work, try cutting a short slit into the bottom so you can stretch the bottom open enough to slip the top inside.

11. Leave your terrarium where it receives sunlight and watch for growth in just a few days!

12. After your seeds have sprouted, reduce sunlight to a few hours/day (as the closed environment gets quite hot).

13. The soil should continue to look moist but not too wet or

dry. Beads of water should form near the top and drip down sides. If soil looks too wet, you can always remove

top to let it “air” for a day or so.

Resources:• http://www.stormthecastle.com/terrarium/soda-bottle-terrarium.htm -- source of this activity

• https://jugglingwithkids.com/2012/04/soda-bottle-terrariu.html



http://www.stormthecastle.com/terrarium/soda-bottle-terrarium.htm

https://jugglingwithkids.com/2012/04/soda-bottle-terrariu.html


“CORN-Y” SCARECROW (page 1)

CRAFTParticipants: 1 or more

Time: 30 minutes

1. If dried, soak corn-husks in water for 10 minutes, and dry

off with a paper-towel.

2. Lay 4 or 6 husks (use an even number) in a stack.

3. Using thin twine/string, tie husks together about 1-inch

from top.

4. Using the “long” loose ends of the husks, fold them down

OVER the tied off portion from step 3, and using the twine/string, again tie husks about 1-inch down, creating

a head and a neck (where the string is).

5. Roll a single husk length-wise and tie at both ends; this

forms the arms.

6. Position arms below knot at the “neck” in middle of the long hanging husks with an equal number of husks front

and back of the arms.

Every vegetable garden needs a scarecrow, right? Make your own “mini-me” scarecrow from corn husks, and, as an added bonus, you can boil or roast the corn for a delicious side dish!

3.

2.

4.

5. 6.

Engage with us on the Circle Ten Council Faceebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/CircleTenCouncil/) by sharing

your photos and videos using #HandPickedFun. Weekly winners, deterined by the number of "likes" and reactions, receive a $25 Scout Shop gift card. Each week starts when the

rooster crows on Saturday and ends when the cows come home on the following Friday for a total off 6 weeks!


“CORN-Y” SCARECROW (page 2)

CRAFTParticipants: 1 or more

Time: 30 minutes

Materials (per scarecrow):

• 1 ear of corn in the husk• String or twine (could use twisty-ties, dental floss )• Markers

• Fabric, felt, colored paper or other scraps to make clothes

7. Using string, tie around the “waist”.

8. Separate husks below waist into legs. Use string to tie at

knees and ankles. Trim husks below ankles neatly.

9. Decorate your scarecrow with bits of fabric, felt, yarn, colored paper, markers, etc.

Resources:• https://www.marthastewart.com/968909/harvest-time-corn-husk-dolls --- source of activity

• https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Corn-Husk-Doll

7.

8.

https://www.marthastewart.com/968909/harvest-time-corn-husk-dolls

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Corn-Husk-Doll

Many campers know that if you want a meal with little cleanup, you can cook it in a foil

pack. Most foil packs contain some type of meat, a starch (potatoes or rice), and fruits or vegetables. These are oven instructions, but foil packets are typically cooked over hot coals of a campfire (or charcoal grill).

SILVER TURTLES

COOKINGParticipants: 1 + an adult

Time: 30 minutes + cook time

Change up your ingredients to suit your taste! You can also just let

everyone “mix and match” to build their own.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Tear off a piece of foil about four times the size of the food you

want to cook.

3. Fold the foil in half.

4. Pick your protein, pick your veggies, and pick your flavors!

5. Place a cabbage leaf in the middle of the foil and add your foods of

choice.

6. Bring the opposite sides of the foil together.

7. Fold the sides over, one half inch at a time, crimping the foil

together as you go.

8. Fold the open edges toward the center, crimping together.

9. Place on a cookie sheet and into the oven.

10. Cook until packet puffs up with steam – usually about 50 minutes

to an hour.

11. Open carefully! You don’t want a steam burn.

Materials:

• Heavy-duty aluminum foil• Your favorite proteins all chopped up

• Your favorite veggies or fruits, chopped up

• Flavorings such as herbs, spices, BBQ sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, etc.

• Head of cabbage (or cooking spray)

Resources:• https://scoutermom.com/1260/foil-pack-dinners/• https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g3394/foil-pack-recipes/

Pro Tips:

• Always layer your foil with a cabbage leaf to prevent burning and sticking (you don’t HAVE to eat it).• Make sure meat and potatoes are cut into smaller pieces to cook faster.

• Try it for dessert with bananas and chocolate chips or apples and cinnamon!


https://scoutermom.com/1260/foil-pack-dinners/

https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g3394/foil-pack-recipes/


They say it gets hot enough in Texas to fry an egg on the sidewalk! Well, maybe so or

maybe not, but it surely will get hot enough for you to make some super-yummy solar S’mores.

SOLAR S’MORES (page 1)

COOKINGParticipants: 1 or more

Time: 30 minutes + cooking time

First, you will need to make your solar oven:

1. Using ruler and marker, draw a line about 1-inch from edge

of 3 sides of the box top. The “back” edge of the top should stay hinged to the back of the box. With adult

assistance, cut along the lines as marked. When done, your box top should now have a FLAP that can be raised.

2. Line both the inner side of the flap and the entire box interior with foil. Use the glue stick to adhere the foil and

try to keep the foil as smooth as possible.

3. What remains of the box lid (excluding the cut flap) is a

small EDGE, but it can still lift out of the box. Tape a layer of plastic wrap to cover the hole left by the flap, both on

the OUTER side and INNER side of the lid. Think of this as a double paned glass window.

4. Test out the stick or other device selected, to see if it can properly prop open the flap. You may need to use tape to

make it stay in place.

5. Put your oven in direct sunlight, angled to catch direct sun

on the inside of the flap so it reflects down into the box. You may need to adjust your oven periodically as the

Earth’s position moves relative to the sun.

6. Let your oven “pre-heat” in the sun for about 30 minutes.



7. Break graham cracker into squares and place 4 squares

in pie tin.

8. Place a marshmallow on each square and put tin in

oven and shut the lid. DO NOT ADD THE CHOCOLATE NOW. IT WILL MELT TOO QUICKLY!

9. Check on your oven over the next 30 – 60 minutes, adjusting it to capture sunlight, and seeing when the

marshmallows are nice and squishy.

10. When “squishy,” top marshmallow with a section of chocolate bar and a graham cracker “top” and bake with l id closed for another few minutes until the chocolate

just starts to melt.

11. ENJOY!

SOLAR S’MORES (page 2)

COOKINGParticipants: 1 or more

Time: 30 minutes + cooking time

Materials:• A sunny day!• Cardboard box, with flaps on lid that fit INTO the box, minimum of 3 inches deep, and big

enough to put a pie tin inside• Clear plastic wrap & aluminum foil• Glue stick, tape, pen/marker, ruler/straight edge• Box cutter or knife (adult use)• 12-inch long stick or object to prop open oven reflector flap. Could use a skewer, long

plastic straw, etc.• Pie tin• Graham crackers, marshmallow, thin chocolate bar

Resources:• https://climatekids.nasa.gov/smores/ -- this is the source of this activity

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl7BqRhLpWE

https://climatekids.nasa.gov/smores/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl7BqRhLpWE

backyard mini-golf · 2020-05-15 · using materials readily at hand, create an obstacle course...

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