Planning the Main Event
The Highlight of the Month
Scouts don’t join a troop because they like to go to meetings. They join because they like to do fun activities! The troop’s goal is to have at least one activity each month. While it can sometimes seem like a lot to plan, it’s a great way to ensure that everyone stays interested, active, and has a good time.
Luckily, the Program Feature information is once again there to help out. The BSA’s site calls these monthly outings the “Main Event”. Regardless of what the troop calls them, the goal is for the Scouts to call them FUN!
Different Levels of Commitment and Fun
We’ll continue with our previous Camping example from the previous pages. As the Program Feature page describes, the 4th link at the top of the page is titled Main Event, and as expected, it contains the information that will help the youth leaders plan their activity.
As with the Skills Instructions in the troop meeting plan, the website provides 3 levels for the Main Event: Essential, Challenging, and Advanced.
ESSENTIAL is beneficial for Scouts just getting started, or for Scouts who have not yet experienced the subject of the Program Feature. For example, if many of the Scouts have not experienced an overnight camping event in tents, the “Essential” option might be a good way to start. If, on the other hand, the Scouts are experienced at camping, you’ll want to step up one or two levels in order to ensure that everyone has a good time.
CHALLENGING is probably the level at which most of the activities will fall. They give the Scouts an opportunity to learn something new, yet it’s not going to scare anyone away due to being overly complicated or challenging.
ADVANCED is for the Scouts that have “Been there – Done that”. Typically this includes the older Scouts that have been in the troop a while and have attended many activities in the past. If that group is looking for something more, this is a good place to start.
The youth leaders should keep in mind that this doesn’t HAVE to be a troop event. Each patrol could plan their own event. Doing so definitely takes more effort. However, in some situations, it may make sense. While it’s probably not something we want to do each month, the PLC should keep in mind that it IS an option they can use if needed.
Planning The Event
Each Program Feature Main Event page has sample Event Planning Sheets that show an example of plans for each of the levels described above. These are just samples, so their content is not overly important. The key takeaway is that the youth leaders should FILL ONE OUT for every activity.
In the same way that meetings are MUCH more productive when there’s a plan, activities and campouts are the same. Don’t just assume you’ll “figure it out” once you get there. Have a plan! Use the provided blank Event Planning Sheet to plan out the event.
Every Main Event Has a Purpose
When planning an outing, especially a weekend campout, there is a tendancey to simply plan some meals, schedule a hike, and call it a weekend.
The youth leaders are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to ensure that each event has a purpose, and that it’s an opportunity for the Scouts to learn and do something new. The Program Feature information is a great way to ensure that happens, so don’t be tempted to just dismiss this information and plan things on your own. Use it to try something new!
Planning In Advance
The PLC needs to remember… Planning the Main Event isn’t like planning a troop meeting. These must be done in advance…sometimes MONTHS in advance. The troop will have their annual plan, so you will know what Program Features are coming each month. Don’t wait until the last minute to plan the events, otherwise, they won’t happen. Just start talking about them, and you’ll find that the plans will slowly come together, especially if you utilize the information you have available, such as the Program Feature information on the BSA’s site.