Soap-Boat Regatta
(completes Bear requirement 19b, 19c, 21g)
*Note: The week before we had this den meeting, we completed requirements 19a ("Know the safety rules for handling a knife", requirement 19d ("Earn the Whittling Chip card"), and the "know" par of requirement 21g (Resourcefulness character connection). Click here to see an idea for that den meeting.
Teach the boys how to take care of their pocket knives. (Requirement 19b)

Click here for info on how to sharpen a knife. (You can purchase an inexpensive sharprning stone at Walmart, or any sporting goods store for about $3).

Making the Soap boats (requirement 19c):

1. Get one bar of Ivory soap (or any other brand of soap that floats) per boy.

2. Whittle (a sliver at a time, to prevent the soap from breaking) the bottom part of the boat. To minimize clean up, have the boys whittle on top of a cheap shower curtain (we got ours at a dollar store) or table cover that you can just throw away afterwards.

3. Using the pocket knives, outline the part that will be dug out to make the hole on the top surface. Use a plastic spoon to dug out the middle.

4. Fill a plastic sled with an inch or two of water and have the boys race their boats, two at a time, by blowing on their boats. (other material you might need: Ziplock bags-some boys wanted to take their boat home, and baby wipes for soapy hands).

You can now complete the "commit" and "practice" part of requirement 21g (Resourcefulness character connection).