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Original poster

Beavers/ Other activities for young boy?

28 replies

Goodbyetonsils · 19/10/2012 15:47

My ds will be 5 soon and I was oping to get his name down for Beavers (I'm not sure if this is how it works, do you tend to need to put their name down?). I just looked on their website and it says it starts age 6, is this a strict policy? I think my ds would get so much out of it.

If this is the case and we have to wait until he is 6, can anyone suggest any other activities for an energetic boy? I am a single mum and so really want a male led activity, ds is at his happiest with other boys! My ds loves anything outdoors, but I'm unsure about anything overly instructed and he has delayed speech/understanding.

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NickNacks · 19/10/2012 15:54

My son is 6 and goes to beavers (and yes he had to wait until 6). He also does Judo and swimming lessons.

NickNacks · 19/10/2012 15:56

Sorry just re read and saw the 'not overly instructed bit' Which both of those are!

ObiWan · 19/10/2012 15:57

Beavers will take them at 5 3/4, but there will be girls there too you know . There may well be a waiting list, so it's worth asking now.

If you really want a 'boys' thing, Boys Brigade might be better, but very churchy.

Your local country park might have a 'young rangers' type of thing.

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Ragwort · 19/10/2012 15:57

It depends where you live as to whether they is a waitiing list or not, I would make enquiries now. Bear in mind that many Beaver leaders are female and Beavers is open to boys and girls.

Original poster

Goodbyetonsils · 19/10/2012 21:26

Thank you for your posts! It seems unfair to me that girls can join beavers/scouts etc but boys can't join rainbows/brownies... Sad there's nowhere ds can go where boys can be boys so to speak and get that male bonding. Primary school has all female teachers and I can't help but feel boys are being short-changed

We are not religious and live in a small city so I doubt the Boys Brigade would be an option

Hmm I'm struggling to think of anything else!

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Bigwheel · 19/10/2012 23:46

I have a 5 year old ds. He's very active and needs lots of stimulation :-). He goes to swimming lessons, gymnastics lessons (male coach who's excellent with him), tennis, Sunday school, football and karate. I to was unsure about anything to structured, because of his general wild behaviour more than anything else, but actually the karate and the gymnastics, which are the most structered, seem to be the making of him. Do they do young fire fighters in your area? Or cadets, or climbing etc? I wouldn't limit yourself to just 'boy' activities though, just let your ds try lots of different things out and you'll soon discovered what he does and doesn't enjoy.

BackforGood · 20/10/2012 00:11

A large majority of Beaver Colonies do have waiting lists, so I would certainly make enquiries about putting his name down.
The girls that join Beavers/Cubs/Scouts are not going to restrict him or his fun in any way you know - they want the fun too!
If there is good reason to, then a Beaver Colony can take at 5 yrs 9 months, but, as I say, most have to wait for someone to leave to open up a space at all, and then it will be someone on the waiting list aove them.
My ds had boundless energy, and swimming made a real positive difference to him. Again, not a 'male only' thing, but I'm not sure that a 5 yr old is bothered what sex his peers are.

Original poster

Goodbyetonsils · 20/10/2012 10:40

Thank you for replies. Gymnastics sounds great, will look into that. I just arranged for some swimming lessons, although I am skeptical as when he last attended these he just wanted to play in the pool- anytime there was any "task" he'd scream as it took him away from free play. He was the only boy also! But this is a different place and he's a little older...

Ds' co-ordination isn't developed so tennis/football I'm unsure of, I wonder if anywhere does taster sessions to see if he enjoys it/follows.

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Floralnomad · 20/10/2012 10:45

I think you need to realise that most Beavers are very structured and the children need to listen to and take instruction ,it's not just running about in a wood! If your DS has issues with this sort of thing you should go along to a few local Beavers and see which would suit him best , they do vary dramatically in what is offered .

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 20/10/2012 10:50

No girls in our Beavers but one of the leaders is female and the parent helpers invariably female. It does have a waiting list and you have to be 6.

DS plays for the local youth football club, they have squads down to age 5. There is also an after school football club which although it is open to girls rarely has any and has an all male coaching team. My DS is sufficiently uncoordinated to be under occupational therapy and still manages, these clubs are very inclusive. He has also done a couple of years of tennis coaching (given up now) and coped just fine, it has helped his coordination a great deal IMO.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 20/10/2012 10:51

Also most activities are happy to offer taster sessions in my experience.

BlueChampagne · 20/10/2012 23:28

Totally against the brief (instructed and girly) BUT would he qualify for horse riding with RDA? Just a thought.

lljkk · 21/10/2012 14:29

St. John's Ambulance takes them from 5yo, Badgers. Lots of craft.

PhyllisDoris · 21/10/2012 15:01

I wouldn't bank in Beavers being male led. A lot of leaders in the Scouting movement are women these days. Big mistake on the part of the Scouting org IMO. So glad Girl Guides haven't made the same mistake (ie opened the org up to boys/men).

visualarts · 21/10/2012 15:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GimmeIrnBru · 21/10/2012 19:16

DS is 5 and enjoys his swimming lessons, but I'll be looking for him to join the Beavers next year when he turns 6. Had no idea girls go to Beavers! Thank you to whoever pointed this out - makes it even better for everyone if it's mixed gender.

Sirzy · 21/10/2012 19:19

I was just about to suggest St John Ambulance badgers. It isn't necessarily male led but most units will have male adults in attendance to help with things and they tend to be pretty even with boys and girls to.

Doshusallie · 21/10/2012 19:22

Girls in my ds's beaver pack and it is run by 2 women. My ds also does swimming and gymnastics.

MrsJohnDeere · 21/10/2012 19:22

Our Beavers takes them from 5 years 9 months. It has no girls but also is run only by women. Very structured and strict in terms of discipline! Ds1 loves it.

MrsJohnDeere · 21/10/2012 19:24

What about football or rugby if he likes outdoorsy things with mainly/only boys?

Mine also do tennis and gymnastics but they have more girls than boys attending.

cece · 21/10/2012 19:29

Our pack you have to be on th elist before the age or 3 or 4 otherwise it's too late - it gets full up...

cece · 21/10/2012 19:30

DS1 started rugby at the age of 5.

Bigwheel · 22/10/2012 23:00

Don't worry about Him having poor co ordination, I think most 5 year olds boys do. Things like tennis and football will help impove it anyway. Our tennis centre just has a pay as you go sessions, same as karate. With the football he just joined the school team, although they do seem to do a lot of football camps in the school hoildays. Don't worry about what he's good at, he doesn't have to be good at some thing to enjoy it.

OrangeLily · 22/10/2012 23:09

Our beavers are over subscribed and many kids are on the waiting list from birth as we are a popular group. However, if you're not fussed about the group the best person to speak to would be the district commisioner or the assistant district commisioner for beavers who will know which groups are you're best bet.

50% of our leaders are male. (But up until now it's been 1/3 male).

Programme is not changed because girls are involved at all. Tends to be less girls that boys. Somewhere between 2 and 4 girls in a colony of 24.

It's very rough and tumble at times and involves overnight stays and some great outdoor activities. As the weather worsens we tend to rely more heavily on indoor things like games and crafts. However, it's a really varied programme so you'd be best to look online for details of the programme.

Other things our kids enjoy are football, climbing, rugby, music lessons, art lessons, swimming in a big way and language lessons. Clever nippers

joanofarchitrave · 22/10/2012 23:13

Look at the individual group - they vary a lot.

Round our way Woodcraft Folk is great.

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