Art in the Out of Doors

Before the meeting:

1. Locate a meeting place outside where Cub Scouts can observe the outdoors and have a variety of items to draw. This can be a neighborhood park, in someone’s backyard, or on a trail.
2. Gather art supplies.
3. Become familiar with the different types of pencils and drawing techniques with a pencil including: hatching and crosshatching, stippling, scribbling, circling, shading, highlighting, and rendering. Reference pages 130-133 in the Webelos handbook.
4. Make samples of hatching, crosshatching, stippling, scribbling, circling, shading, highlighting, and rendering with pencils to use as examples.
5. Notify parents and legal guardians of the den meeting time and location. Remind them that the Cub Scouts should be prepared for the weather and dress appropriately.
6. If doing this activity away from your regular meeting location:
   1. Gather copies of the Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record on each participant (youth and adult)
   2. Review Annual Health and Medical Records for any restrictions that may impact participation

During the meeting:

1. If doing this activity away from your regular meeting location bring copies of the Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record on each participant (youth and adult)
2. Gather the Cub Scouts and show them the different techniques of using pencils for art. After you demonstrate a method have Cub Scouts try the method on their own.
3. Share with Cub Scouts that they will be drawing what they see outdoors. Tell them to look up, down, and all around before deciding what to draw. They may choose to draw a landscape or choose a small item such as a leaf to draw.
4. Have Cub Scouts buddy up.
5. Distribute supplies.
6. Locate a spot where the Cub Scouts can sit and draw. Allow time to draw.
7. Have everyone pick up their supplies and move to a second location. Allow time to draw.
8. Ask Cub Scouts to share their work. Ask them how drawing outside differs from drawing inside.

Tips: If Cub Scouts have problems identifying what to draw, encourage them to start small. Drawing the bark on a tree or pebbles on the path can help get them started.