Advancement (“Scouty”) Activities:
Canoeing/Kayaking/Paddleboarding: Can rent kayaks/canoes from Camp Pigott or the REI Boathouse (which is more expensive, but also has paddleboards) for skills building.
Orienteering: Navigation sport, where you use a compass and, primarily, a map, to find periodic checkpoints. Cascade Orienteering Club does many events throughout the year: they’ll be doing summer events on Wednesdays, some in Kirkland and Bellevue. Some events are themed (corn maze, vampire, etc), and usually they have a cookout after. There are permanent orienteering courses in Bellevue at Robinswood Park and Wilburton Hill Park, and of course there is a permanent course at Everest Park built by Pack 532 Eagle Scout Gavin M. Cloverleafing would make for a fun Troop competition.
Geocaching: Visit the Geocaching HQ Visitor Center in Fremont, Complete the Geocaching HQ GeoTour in Fremont (9 caches, takes ~3 hours to complete, once you complete, bring your passport to them and they’ll give you a gold stamp of completion. We did this in 2022, and the Community outreach director worked with us to teach a Geocaching Merit Badge Clinic.)
Camp Stove Cook Off: Teams (two or three Scouts, maybe an adult team, too) get the same set of ingredients, pots, and a stove, and the challenge to make the best meal, Iron Chef style. A Scout favorite.
Minute to Win It Games: Quick skills contests for all the Scouts (“Tie a bowline behind your back!”; “Pump a liter of water!”)
Rockhounding: We did this at Hansen Creek in 2020, digging up quartz crystals off the Hansen Creek Trail.
Patrol Competitions: e.g., Duct Tape challenge (creating something only with duct tape), water bottle rocket launch, bicycle Olympics, Kim's Game
Star Parties: The Seattle Astronomical Society organizes monthly star parties at Green Lake and Paramount Park which are free and open to the public. These events offer to all the opportunity for telescopic viewing of sky objects as well as educational interaction of experienced, knowledgeable astronomers with each other and with participants who may have limited or minimal understanding of astronomy. A typical star party gathering features observing through at least two or more different types of telescopes provided by SAS members along with the opportunity to ask questions, to discuss the observation process, and to learn about many astronomical topics: solar system objects, deep space objects, constellations, types of telescopes, and any other topic of interest.
Fishing: Easy to do at Kirkland Marina or at Marymoor Park.
Bicycle Maintenance: We have several leaders who have a lot of bicycle skills. We could also work with a local bike shop or possibly the Cascade Bicycle Club to run a class or merit badge clinic.
Auto Maintenance: Again, we have several leaders who know a LOT about cars and are willing to teach you. I know that there are local auto shops who have hosted troops in the past for Merit Badge work.
Ham Radio: The Lake Washington Ham Club is willing to host Radio Merit Badge workshops for scout troops (and also Electronics Merit Badge workshops). This club also has helped youths earn their Morse code interpreter's strip and has sponsored many Eagle projects.
Troop Picnic/Banquet: Could have a competitive theme (e.g., chili cook-off) or a holiday theme (e.g., Troop Thanksgiving dinner) or just be a pot-luck. These are great for welcoming new families to the Troop and builidng community.
Coin Collecting: The Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association offers Coin Collecting Merit Badge workshops periodically
Stamp Collecting: Each year in the beginning of September, the Seattle Philatelic Exhibition offers a Stamp Collecting merit badge clinic during their event
Life Skill Building
Etiquette meal: A formal meal (Home? Restaurant? Under the dome at Everest?) where politeness rules rule. Cloth napkins, how to pass food, what silverware to use, etc. Can be done for different cultures, too.
Sewing: Learn how to sew on a button, stitch up a small tear, and sew on a patch. Possibly we could contact local sewing stores (Quality Sewing & Vacuum offers free on-demand classes) to see if they would work with a group of scouts. Could include the creation of gear repair kits (Build a small packable gear repair kit, including needles, thread, nylon patching tape, safety pins, button(s), a tiny bit of duct tape (optional), small baggie. Requires about $20-$30 of troop funds (total) and a trip to the fabric store.
Meal Planning: Field trips to Fred Meyer and H-Mart to look for Backpacking/Camping food options
Sports & Games - Outdoor
Mini golf: Willows Run (first-come, $13/teens, $9/kids) and Interbay ($12/adult, $8/kid, with group discounts and full course rentals) both have mini golf courses. Can be combined with a driving range at Interbay. Can be combined with gourmet Red Mill Burgers (vegetarian options available) at Interbay.
Snowshoeing: Would likely be done as a day trip, unless we can find someone who wants to be trained in snow camping. Can rent equipment and do the trails at Paradise (Mt. Rainier).
Sledding or Snow Tubing: Could be combined with winter camping (Paradise at Mt. Rainier has a snowplay area) or done as a day trip (for example at the Snoqualmie Summit Tubing Park)
Whitewater Rafting/Kayaking: River Recreation runs Whitewater and Kayaking Merit Badge Classes that are 8 hours long and $139/class (includes gear).
Cycling day trip: For example from Marymoor to Seattle, trips on the Sammamish River Trail (10.1 mi from Bothell to Redmond), the Burke-Gilman Trail (20 mi across the northern half of Seattle), the Centennial Trail (30.5 mi through Snohomish to Skagit county, or our Troop's traditional annual trip on the Iron Horse Trail. Other ideas available here. Lots of options, especially for Scouts working on their Cycling Merit Badges.
Clamming or Crabbing: This has equipment costs and regulations that would have to be followed.
Cross Country Skiing: Expensive if renting equipment.
Frisbee Golf: Scouts could play for the price of a frisbee disc. Local courses include Blythe Park (Bothell), Terrace Creek (Montlake Terrace), and, further afield, a course on Crystal Mountain where you can take the gondola to the top of the mountain and then play 30 holes down the side of the mountain. (You WILL lose your frisbee. You will also find lots of frisbees that other people lost.)
COPE/High Ropes Course: at High Trek Adventure or Camp Pigott.
Rock Climbing: Contact the CSC Climbing crew for opportunities to outdoor rock climb. Marymoor Park has an Outdoor Sport Crag where you can free climb (would need to bring our own equipment.)
Downhill Skiing: This would be an expensive one--Steven's Pass, Snoqualmie, or Crystal Mountain.
Horseback Riding: Another $$$ trip, troops have recommended Equine Escapes for trail rides. Lang's Horse and Pony Farm in Mt. Vernon has a 3-hour Merit Badge class for $70, which is very easy to organize.
Track Cycling: The Velodrome in Redmond has Try-, Ride-, and Race-the-Track community outreach days.
Frisbee Games: Ultimate Frisbee, Can Slam, or other frisbee games.
Magic: Lessons in magic taught by a magician (~$15/scout)
ATV Riding: Camp Parsons has an ATV riding course that costs $50/person and takes most of a Saturday (not during the summer). Only for Scouts aged 14+.
Sports & Games - Indoor
Speed Cart Racing: very $$, but can be done at K1 Speed Raceway in Redmond.
Rock Climbing: Edgeworks (which also does a Climbing Merit Badge class monthly), Vertical World, Seattle Bouldering Project, and the REI Climbing Wall are all options for indoor climbing.
Escape Room: An expensive outing, but possibly good for team building: there are many local escape rooms including Reality Breaks, Conundroom, Flee, and Puzzle Break. A free alternative is for Scouts to create their own escape challenges for the other patrols.
Dodgeball: Elevated Sports (has group rates for 10+ scouts), Vertex Arena (an entire indoor sport complex, also has group rates), and Defy Seattle are all options.
Card Game/Board Game Night: Possibly at Mox Boarding House, which has private rooms for rent, or you can use their public tables for free and borrow games from their extensive library.
Movie Night: watch an inspiring movie together
Whirlyball: Generally expensive, but Whirlyball Seattle has a Sunday afternoon deal.
Rock Climbing: Indoor Rock Climbing available at Vertical World, Edgeworks, the Seattle Bouldering Project, and the REI Indoor Climbing Wall.
Ice Skating: Seasonal pavilion at the Bellevue Downtown Park, and also Kirkland Snow-King Ice Arena
Curling: Seattle's Granite Curling Club has group lessons (expensive) and Learn-to-Curl classes (more reasonable)
Swimming: Many indoor pools, including Rainier Beach Pool (slide, lazy river, hot tub, and sauna), Lynnwood Recreation Center (same features, plus a water-play area), and the North Shores Lagoon at McMenimins (warm saltwater pool).
Corn Mazes: Many local options, including Carpinito Brothers in Kent, Bob's Corn Maze in Snohomish (has a night maze option), and the Thomas Family Farm (has a haunted trail)
Broomball: Can Play at the Sno-King Ice Arena in Kirkland or Renton
White Elephant Gift Exchange: Fun holiday meeting plan: everyone brings a pre-wrapped gift with a price limit, can do it swap style (gifts can be "stolen" up to 3 times)
Spectator Sports
College Games: Pro sports in Seattle are very expensive! However, there are great options available for the local colleges—soccer, basketball, baseball, softball.
Aquasox Game or Scout Night Campout: Watch a game, followed by fireworks, optional hot dog meal for dinner, and then overnight campout and movie on the baseball field, followed by light breakfast in the morning. Tickets are $10/person, food is $6/person, and campout and patch are free.
Burger and a Soccer Game: A 577 favorite and tradition. Dinner at Red Mill followed by an SPU soccer game (walking distance) at Interbay Stadium. Can be preceded by Mini-golf, which makes for a much longer outing.
Demolition Derby: The Evergreen Speedway in Monroe (at the Fairgrounds) has demolition derbies, school bus demolition derby, figure-eight racing (yes, as ridiculous as the name suggests), and regular oval-track racing. Discounts for Scout troops—typically, a Scout troop signs up to do the flag ceremony for the entire stadium crowd! (Optional, obviously.)
Arts and Crafts
Glassblowing: Expensive: Art by Fire offers large-group Glassblowing events: expensive at $45/person. Tacoma Museum of Glass has Fusing and slumping workshops at $35/person (small groups only).
Metalworking: Expensive: Lawless Forge has group classes (3 hours, 6-10 people $80/pp, 11-20 $70/pp, 21-30 $65/pp) to make horseshoe knife. Includes work with belt sander.
Museums & Attractions
Hiram Chittenden Locks: Can organize a free behind-the-scenes tour with a ranger
UW Planetarium: This would have to be on a LEAP day, as the planetarium is only available on Fridays, but the astronomy students at UW give great (free & private) planetarium talks.
WA State Capitol Visit: Can organize a tour.
Bangor Base: Possible to organize a tour of the submarine.
Fleet Week: Scouts have traditionally been invited to ride aboard the parade of ships (vessels from Navy, Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy) at Fleet Week. (Aug 1-5 2022)
USS Turner Joy: Naval Destroyer Museum that can be toured.
Seattle Underground Tour: Troop visited in 2021 as part of a Seattle Urban Adventure day trip: expensive but fun.
Fort Lewis Military Museum: At teh Joint Base Lewis-McChord, free admission, with collection of uniforms, weaons, etc. associated with the US Army
Museum of Pop Culture: November is Scout month, and Scouts receive a commemorative patch. They will work with troops to plan troop activities at the museum.