The original Klondike is a region in the Yukon Territory of Canada where gold was discovered in 1896. The area is roughly centered on the town of Dawson. A Boy Scout Klondike Derby is based on the real life struggles across the frozen Klondike by men and dogs in search of wealth in the gold fields. It typically lasts an entire day and tests their outdoor and survival skills. Boy Scouts will actually build a sled and pull it from town to town, at each town there is a challenge, such as First Aid/Ice Rescue, Nature, Knots, Shelter Building (provided with tarp, twine and poles), Ax and Knife Safety, and perhaps a Compass Course. The Cub Scout Indoor version of a Klondike Derby is a fun filled winter-time competition featuring Cub Scout skill challenges. It won't be all day, actually it will fit in a 90-minute Pack meeting slot; it won't be outdoors, it will be in the school gym; and we won't have sleds. Our towns with their challenges will be designed by each Den.
Some of the things they could be tested on include:
Life skills (button sewing; map reading; knot tying)
Cub Scout oath, law, motto, or slogan
Basic first aid
Citizenship (knowledge of the flag/pledge, school, or city)
Coordination (bean bag toss, ring toss, pie-tin washer toss)
Cooperation (walk on "foot racers"; two-person challenges)
Nature (leaf, poisonous plant, animal track, or fish identification)
Each Den is a team and proceeds to the various stations to try their abilities. The Cubs journey around the gym and stop at different activity stations where they are tested on different Cub Scout skills. When they arrive at these stations they are timed and/or tested on their Cub Scouting knowledge, their team work and their problem solving skills.
Each Den devises a station - part of it can be easy, but part should also be a challenge, it's about having fun while learning something (if you can't decide what to do, just ask and I'll come up with something for you). There will be about 8-10 minutes per station, so don't devise anything too lengthy, and be prepared to accommodate a Den of 8 boys. Also, someone, a parent perhaps, will need to be left behind to be the Mayor of the town and administer the challenge and reward the teams. No points this year, the Scouts get rewarded for trying and doing their best - reward the Scouts based on how hard they tried, not on how well they did.
The Den should also try to incorporate a graduated level of difficulty based on the age or grade of the other Scouts. For example, a test on citizenship may be:
Tiger: color the U.S. flag, tell what the stars represent, name one state (besides Missouri) on map that borders Illinois
Wolf: color the U.S. flag, tell what the stars represent, name two states (besides Missouri) on map that border Illinois
Bear: color the U.S. flag, tell what the stars represent, name three states (besides Missouri) on map that border Illinois, properly fold a paper flag
Webelos: color the U.S. flag, tell what the stars represent, name the four states (besides Missouri) on map that border Illinois, properly fold a paper flag, name the Mayor of O'Fallon
Suggested equipment to bring:
Den Flag
Cub Scout Handbook
Scouting Skills