...to be disapointed with beavers?

[morecoffeemorecoffee]

A few weeks ago I posted a thread about Beavers here

My Ds was really keen to go. He's been 4 times and he and I are really disappointed. I was not expecting them to be pond dipping/den building/ cooking etc every week, but what they've done so is quite boring. These are the activities they've done-

Colouring in pattern sheets torn out of a colouring book
Write a prayer
Drawing (whatever they want)
Write a list of activities they want to do in future sessions (non of which they've fone yet)
More 'free' drawing
10mins of free lego play.

I have stayed for a couple if the sessions as Ds didn't want me to leave so I have seen what they do. The leader seems to struggle keeping the children's attention and they all seem really bored (the children). The sessions last for an hour and a half, so if the only activity is colouring, you can see why the children may loose interest!

Ds says its boring and doesn't want to go anymore which is fine but I wondered if this was typical of the sort of stuff they do at other Beavers groups.

Also, they have asked parents/carers/relatives if they can help out. They have said that we don't need to be crb checked if we only help out for 1 session a term. Is this right.? I would not be happy about leaving my son with someone at a club who hasn't had a crb check.

Well, it certainly seems that our beaver group is not typical. I'm very of the activities others are doing. That is what I was expecting tbh. There's nothing wrong with colouring/drawing (ds loves it) but for an hour and half couped up in a hall when you could be outside playing isn't great.

Can I ask, there are generally 12/15 children in the group with 3/4 adults is this size/ratio typical? What do others have? I thought it was really good but do they need more adults than this to do better activities?

The more adults that can regularly help out equals more fun activities and trips/hikes for the kids. Ask for a CRB check and offer to help regularly, you can then get more things happening. Remember all Scouting leaders are volunteers, generally parents like yourself or ex-Cubs/Scouts/Network that want to give something back. Our Beaver colony is oversubscribed, the Cub and Scout packs full to bursting and still we struggle to get parent help.

Do the leaders involve parents in the planning sessions?
At the start of every term we have a meeting where we discuss what the Beavers have asked to do, what annual events we would usually do in that term, what badges and challenges we want to cover.
For a usual meeting I'd expect a ratio of 1-5 or 6, for outdoors I prefer as many extra bodies as possible.

Yes, we have lots if volunteers. We do a rota and the leader requests one parent/carer helps out every week. There is also the leader and 2 other uniformed helpers. So that's a ratio of 1 adult to 3 or 4 children. How many adults do they need to have more interesting activities than colouring/drawing as that seems like a good ratio to me! I've agreed to help and have also said I can help if they want to do anything where they need extra helpers, but so far nothing.

I feel so glad our leaders are as good as they are!
DS1 is now in cubs, both cubs and beavers very inclusive of his ASD.
He's visited Pets at Home and a landfill site amongst other things.
He's built shelters at the campsite, tied knots, camped amongst sooo much other stuff.

But apparently this lot 'don't do colouring'!

weblet I'm not aware of any meeting with parents about activities. If Ds wants to give it another go, maybe I will bring that up and also suggest some of these ideas.

ArcticLemming

Beavers is only going to be as good as the leaders, I've heard a lot of variation in the groups my friends dc go to.

@ glitterknickaz " ours don't do colouring"

I think you have been unlucky. The group that ds goes to fantastic, he has an amazing time. I would feedback your comments to the district leader because it shouldn't be boring. You say that you don't expect them to be pond dipping, cooking etc each week, well they manage to do this at the group ds goes to.

When you say he's been to 4 sessions: have these been in the last 4 weeks? Because here (at least) the weather has been horrible, so you might find that they have just been pulling outdoor games for backup indoor activities.

I'd give it a few more weeks at least.

I 'dont do colouring' either, would drive me mad

Hope you can sort this OP, such a waste of everyone's time otherwise.

The weather has been dry and sunny for 3 of the sessions and had been all day. One of the sessions was sunny with heavy showers.

I think we have been unlucky. Just asked Ds if he'd like to go again and he said he said "if I have to go, can I bring my own colouring book because Beavers colouring in pictures are boring"

It depends entirely on the leaders. It is easy to be boring. We made a great effort to provide an exciting programme, doing a whole term in advance and getting a variety. We found that at after a day at school they wanted to be as active, hands on as possible. Getting them to write would not have gone down well! I think that you are unlucky but beyond you going in as a leader and pepping it up I can't think of any other suggestions.

that's a bad sign :(.
They are volunteers, though, you're best off rolling your sleeves up & making a difference.
DS does SJA Badgers; his is a rowdy high-strung group of brats, including DS & even they seem to do more variety than that.
SJAB insist on 1 adult for every 4 kids, btw, meanwhile Brownies had 2 adults + 2 teen helpers for 24.

ragged what is SJAB?

When my boys were beavers they did hikes, kite making, canoeing, camp making, cooking (camp fires and kitchen), treasure hunts, model making, first Aid, visits to police/fire stations, visit to pets at home, climbing church tower as well as the indoor games like paper hockey. bowling, and many run around games. There was always 2 adult leaders plus 2 parent helpers. It is so dependant on the leaders and the facilities available, but police/fire/st john/paramedic/vet etc can usually be booked for talks and demos and are usually very interesting for the kids.

St John's Ambulance?

We have 3 beaver leaders and 2 young leaders with 15 boys.

We have 3 Cub leaders with 2 young leaders and around 14 boys at the moment.

Our scouts have 3 leaders with 8 boys.

In guiding it's recommended 1:5 for rainbows, 1:8 for brownies and can't remember guides but dd has 14 girls with 3 leaders.

Mine did Woodcraft www.woodcraft.org.uk/ and the LOVED it.

Indoor ratios for Beavers are for a minimum of 1 adult with a Scouting appointment (eg a leader) plus one other adult. Outdoor ratios are 1:6 plus leader in charge.

I have run a group of 18 Beavers with just one helper, it's hard work but not impossible. However on those nights I would be playing games or doing something straightforwar rather than craft or cooking.

The activities your son has done so far are a bit restricted, although as he has been to 4 sessions he must have done a couple of them each time. It could be that the leader is stretched for time and can't do loads of preparation for the meetings at the moment.

It's not a bad idea to ask what they have planned for future meetings. Also offer to help in other ways - you don't have to be there on a weekly basis to make a difference. For me, having someone that could go shopping for the craft materials/ingredients/printing or photocopying stuff was invaluable.

You should have a crb done If you don't you will only be allowed limited contact with the children. They are free for charities so the group has no excuse to not get them done - unless of course they don't have someone that can organise collecting, checking and submitting the forms. perhaps another job you can volunteer for!

Good luck with it anyhow.

Ds1 is at Beavers and most weeks they play physical games, like tag, football, dodge ball ect. They also did a science badge involving making a circuit the other week. He started in November and they have already had a trip to the police station for a tour around it, a trip to the local soft play area and a trip to the cinema. We are working on earning his second badge by growing tomato plants from seeds.

It's a shame that this Beaver colony isn't the right one for your child, the are all different so I would visit another one. DS is at a very traditional one, with raising the flag, prayers and things, the other local one is much more casual. recently DS has: cooked on a campfire, done his safety badge, completed his fitness badge, been to the police station... He has just signed up for the Beaver sleepover.
As for the CRB, you need one of these if you are a regular helper (more than once a month). If you aren't, you don't have to have one- although you shouldn't be alone with a child or go into loos/ get them changed etc. CRBs cost the organisation money, which explains the system for non- regular helpers. HTH.

My 7 year old did a year in one colony and has been at a new one since February when we moved house. I was very surprised at the different atmosphere and approaches , even though the first one was ok, he love it and was sad to leave, second one is leagues better IMO. So really depends on colony and leaders I think so may be worth moving?

Mind you even in the first one within the first couple of weeks afte he joined at 6 they were doing round the own hikes, spotting things, cooking, making bird feeders, and football at the beginning which he loved. Also did night games with torches.

Some of the badge activities are quite good , maybe they haven't kicked in yet?

Both do sleepovers , he didn't go last year as we felt he was too young, is going to new one in a couple of weeks, today they went on a hike at local beauty spot annd he bought me a selection of wild flowers back.

Old one annoyed me as was very disorganised as leader "didn't do email" so never knew what was going on, but great with the kids. New one sends regular emails and communications which I find much better as a friend drops him for me while I am at work wouldn't know why hapenneing otherwise.

When did he start? Surely is nearly end of year isn't it would have thought activities would be in full swing by now?

Doesn't sound like they are doing a lot. Perhaps the leaders have just run out of ideas or are losing the will to live!

Perhaps you could be one of the parent helpers and help them think of some more interesting stuff to do.

And yes, you don't need to be CRB checked if you are just helping occasionally.

OP its such a shame to hear about your experience with Beavers. It certainly doesn't sound like my DS's Beaver group. However, our local Rainbow group sounds very similar, so we suddenly got an influx of girls joining Beavers.

Could you look for another group? My DS absolutely loves Beavers and is very excited every times he gets a new badge. My DS is an only child and is quite quiet and shy, and Beavers has really boosted his confidence. They have a variety of activities, some evenings may be mainly craft based but they will have a game of dodge ball or something similar first to wear them out . Other evenings they are outside.

Our group (including cubs and scouts) welcome any help from parents. In addition certain activities are based on parents skills/occupations eg trips to farm and riding stables, visits from vet and dentist.

We always get a schedule at the beginning of term detailing what activities are being planned and what badges they will be working towards.

I can't imagine that they can be working towards many badges if all they are doing is colouring in Can you check whether they have a timetable and how they get their badges? Can you offer to help run a particular session or chat with other parents and see if you can come up with some suggestions for some future sessions.

CRB checks are unfortunately not free for charities, although they are normally low cost for volunteer roles - around £10. If a volunteer in a setting like that doesn't have one, they must always be supervised by someone who does.

OP at least your son got into the group. I have been trying for a year to get DS onto a waiting list and now find out, as his 6th birthday approaches, that they lost his details, communication from the local group is appalling, and I think I am going to give up before we start as the terrible lack of response doesn't fill me with confidence!! Hopefully the 4 weeks you have had so far aren't going to prove typical.