Sonoran Desert Kids Club

Cub and Brownie leaders--Need some good outdoor programming? Don't forget about the Sonoran Desert Kids Club activities at Agua Caliente park. It's 9:30 AM to noon on the second Saturday of the month, which means the next one will be August 14, plenty of time to pre-register!

Also, the prickly pear harvest is coming up in August. Again at Agua Caliente they are having an activity. You can also do harvesting in your neighborhood, be sure to wear leather gloves. The dark purple native prickly pear fruit isn't quite as tasty as the lighter-colored version. You can remove the spines by burning or cutting them off (not for cubbies!) you can eat it or juice it. Prickly pear lemonade is especially popular.

This is a good opportunity to combine cooking lessons with native plant lessons!

Just a REmInder...

REI has some fun classes for Girl Scouts and other kids of scouting age this summer. You'll need to sign up on their website.
The next class is on the 21st of June, it is about camping and called "What to To When You Get There".
REI also has their Family Adventure Program, which is continually adding activities in AZ. It's also a nice reference for trips elsewhere to easily find a family-friendly outdoor activity. You can even win a $50 gift card in their outdoor photo contest!
Don't forget, of course, that Summit Hut is still here in town and they do still offer a scout discount (membership card required--still got that?) They offer in-store events as well, some of them kid-friendly but most of them general. Is it coincidence that they now offer free ship-to-store, just like REI and  Wal-Mart, I wonder? In any case, they also have a nice community page with links to a lot of local organizations and information.
Enjoy!

Summertime and Scouting

For Boy Scouts and older Girl Scouts, summertime usually means scout camp. All the work and fundraising and learning they've done goes into a week-long (or longer!) adventure, somewhere out in nature. Tucson has in-council camps, but remember there are also some great Grand Canyon Council camps--not to mention, all the great places in AZ to get out there and have a great time!

For Cub Scouts, Daisies and Brownies, summer means a break from pack and troop meetings, and usually some more casual summertime activities. In Tucson that often means some indoor activities. Here are some fun ideas:

• Bowling (don't pay full price, there are too many coupons out there to count!)
• Roller Skating
• Gymnastics (check with the gym--many are swamp-cooled and are a better choice for early summer when it's dry)
• See a play at Gaslight Theatre or Live Theater Workshop
• Indoor Rock Climbing (yes, this is OK per G2SS)
• The Mineral Museum at the U of A
• Flandrau Observatory is also open this summer
• Biosphere II
• Bookman's and the local libraries have some fun programs

Keep an eye on Tucson Kids and Tucson on the Cheap for some good deals on all sorts of activities. Many of these are appropriate for a den or a small troop, even if you can't take a large group of kids.

More later on outdoor stuff! Enjoy the summer!