The mission of Boy Scouts is to instill in young boys moral and ethical ideals. They do this by offering boys the opportunity to train in leadership, character development, service and citizenship. All of the activities that a Boy Scout troop participates in are geared towards developing these traits in a fun and meaningful way.
Charity - There are all kinds of national and local organizations like Goodwill and The Salvation Army that are always accepting donated items to help families get back on their feet. Have the kids in your troop go through their own homes and rooms (with their parent's permission, of course) to come up with a box of items like toys and clothes to donate. This will teach kids the value of the items they own, giving them the chance to see how a toy of theirs they thought was old would be a new and exciting toy in the hands of somebody less fortunate. You could also organize a donation pickup by having the troop post fliers on the doors of their neighbors asking for donations to be left on their doorsteps on a certain date. On that day the troop will go around and pick up the donations and take them to a local shelter.
Service - While Thanksgiving and Christmas are wonderful holidays for families to come together and have huge feasts and exchange gifts, many families are not so fortunate. Have the Boy Scout troop ask for toy donations at their schools or in their neighborhoods. Organize a gift wrapping activity where the boys can wrap the donated items. They can then deliver these toys to those children who are less fortunate. On Thanksgiving, have the entire troop sign up to work at a soup house to serve the homeless. During Christmas, the troop can sing carols for the cancer ward at a children's hospital or at a local nursing home.
Tradition - Time capsules are a fantastic way to have kids learn more about their families. Have the troop come up with different items to put in a time capsule (the time capsule can be something as simple as a plastic shoe box with a lid). Let them know that the items should represent their own lives. Pennies with their birth year etched on them are great, as are magazine articles or newspaper clippings from the year they were born. They can put items in there that represent their hobbies and interests. Have them write a letter in their own handwriting that summarizes their live to that point and put this in the time capsule, as well. They should also write another letter that gives the details of where the time capsule will be buried or hidden. Seal the envelope and on the seal, write out the date when the time capsule should be recovered. Have the boys keep this envelope in a location where it can be easily found.
Leadership - Organize a hiking trip and give each of the boys a compass and map of the trails. Assign a different part of the trail to each boy. When that part of the trail comes up, have the assigned boy lead the others using only the compass and map. A scout leader should always be available for questions.
