A troop of kids decked out in uniform with the iconic orange neckerchief, lined up in the middle of a forest following a guide. That is the image that comes to mind when we say Boy Scouts. American families will be familiar with the Boy Scouts of America, and also their younger counterpart the Cub Scouts. We are happy to discover that the Boy/Cub Scouts exist here in Beijing, China as well!

Any overseas passport holders in Beijing are able to access Scouting through both the Boy Scouts of America and the USA Girl Scouts Overseas.

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes through a combination of monthly outdoor activities – hiking, camping, as well as weekly evening indoor meetings where we emphasize citizenship, fair play, leadership, ethics, fitness, and other skills.  The USA Girl Scouts Overseas has a similar curriculum that focuses on building girls of courage, confidence & character who make the world a better place.

Don’t worry if you’re not outdoors-savvy, everyone pitches in where they can. Parent involvement can range from cooking at campouts, leading indoor games and crafts, to coaching sports.

Please contact below for more information:

Cub Scouts (grades K-5) – pack3944@gmail.com
Boy Scouts (grades 6-12) – beijingtroop943@gmail.com
Girl Scouts (grades K-12) – beijinggirlscouts@usagso.org

Scouting is a highly involved family event and parents should be ready to actively participate in and lead sessions for the group. If you are interested to sign up, make sure you are truly ready and able to commit to weekly and monthly events and activities where you will be called to action! Share your skills with the future generation and help to shape young minds.

This Wednesday, the Cub Scouts Pack 3944 are organizing a get-to-know-you session as well as a Olympics-style event where kids will take part in various sporting events and compete together. This event is open to boys from ages 5 to 11. Attending parents will be invited to volunteer and help out, so be prepared! Please register in advance by scanning the QR code in the poster below as no walk-ins will be entertained.

KEEP READING: Getting Into That Back-to-School Mindset

Images: Pexels, Cub Scouts

It’s back to school once more, but this shouldn’t mean all study and no play for children! Luckily there’s no shortage of seasonal or afterschool activities for kids of all ages in Beijing, and perhaps one of the most valuable activities is scouting… even (or especially) for the smartphone generation.

We’ve caught up before with leaders of these organizations, and they explained how scouting develops leadership and empowers young people through opportunities which teach them responsibility and outdoor survival skills — things children cannot learn effectively even if they’re using the most sophisticated smartphone available.

Here are some details about the scouting registration events happening later this month.

Beijing Cub Scouts Pack 3944 Registration, Aug 18
Boys and girls aged 5 to 11 who are looking for excitement, fun, and to make new friends are invited to sign up for Cub Scouts at International School of Beijing (ISB). Cub Scouts work through a series of “adventures,” earning awards until they’ve succeeded in graduating their year group. Membership is open to all boys and girls, regardless of nationality or school attended, with one important proviso: under Chinese law, the child must hold a foreign (non-Chinese) passport with a valid visa in order to join. This rule is strictly enforced and there are no exceptions. You’ll also need evidence of your health insurance, and annual fees of RMB 1,200.

Kids 5+. 10am. ISB. (www.beijingcubscouts.com)

Girl Scout Registration, Aug 25
This year’s Girl Scout registration event takes place at Western Academy of Beijing (WAB). on August 25. Troops meet downtown and in Shunyi at various locations. The Girl Scouts team will also be recruiting leaders for newly forming troops. Girl Scouts is open to foreign passport holders only.

All ages. RMB 2,000 (new members), RMB 1,700 (girls who don’t need a uniform). 11am-1pm. WAB. (Amy Kennedy: 185 1505 3922, beijinggirlscouts@usagso.org)

Photos: Girl Scouts of the USA; courtesy of Beijing Cub Scouts Pack 3944

It’s back to school season again and aside from books and homework, classroom lessons, and outdoor stuff, scouting is one of the activities that brings out the best in young people. Last week, we mentioned the registration for the Girl Scouts of Beijing – next week, it’s the boys’ turn.

On September 5, Beijing Cub Scouts Pack 3944 will open their doors for foreign boys in Grades 1 to 5. There will be two locations for the registration events:
– 3e International School: 6.30pm
– International School of Beijing (ISB): 7pm.

Cub Scouts members are put into “dens,” or groups of about six to eight boys. The dens usually have boys of the same age or experience levels (Bobcats, Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and “Webelos,” or “We‘ll be loyal scouts”). A group of dens are called a “pack.” Steve Hubbar of Pack 3944 said the Cub Scouts promotes character building, community, and outdoor skills in young boys. The pack has been supporting hundreds of families in the Beijing community for over eight years, he added.

Meanwhile, boys from Grade 6 and up are eligible to join Boy Scouts, in which they can be assigned to a patrol. The patrols are placed under a troop, which has at least 70 boys.

Both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts participate in numerous community and charity events throughout the year, as well as hiking/camping and other outdoor activities that promote bonding and brotherhood. In recent years, Beijing Boy Scouts have done at least 1,000 hours of community service like cleanup drives, clothing exchange and collection for the homeless, and construction of a library for an orphanage.

READ MORE: Throwback Thursday: Leader of the Pack

Beijing Cub Scouts Pack 3944 Registration Event, Sep 5
Boys in Grade 1-5 and adults. Registration at 3e International School starts at 6.30pm; ISB at 7pm. For more information, contact Steve Hubbard via WeChat (sthubbar) or email Pack3944@gmail.com

Photos: sasint (1, 2) and jclovis3 via Pixabay

More stories by this author here.
Email: andypenafuerte@beijing-kids.com
Instagram: @coolkidandy

Young girls out there, our friends from Girl Scouts of Beijing are inviting you to join their renowned organization. This coming Saturday, August 26, a registration event will be held at the Elementary School Cafe of Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) from 9.30-11.30 am.

Laura Lyman, president of Girl Scouts of Beijing says registrants will be placed in a troop, meet troop leaders, and have a chance to ask any questions they may have. She also advises girls or parents who wish to fill out the registration forms in advance to visit their website at www.girlscoutsbeijing.com or email them at info@girlscoutsbeijing.com. Forms can also be downloaded here.

Joining the scouting organization brings many opportunities for young girls, including volunteering work or even starting their own troop. Girl Scouts also help in events like charity collection drives and of course, cookie making to fund their activities.

Girl Scout Registration Event, Aug 26
Young girls from kindergarten to high school and adults. Learn about the registration process for the 2017-18 Girl Scouts in person. The registration is open only to foreign passport holders due to Chinese regulations. Free. 9.30-11.30am. Girl Scouts of Beijing. (Laura Lyman 186 1381 6110, info@girlscoutsbeijing.com) Western Academy of Beijing, 10 Laiguangying Donglu, Chaoyang District.

Photos: Girl Scouts of the USA; courtesy of Girl Scouts of Beijing; OpenClipart-Vectors via Pixabay

More stories by this author here.
Email: andypenafuerte@beijing-kids.com
Instagram: @coolkidandy

Wow, didn’t the new school year just start? I can’t believe we’re already facing the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which is just over three weeks away. Everything will grind to a halt from September 19-21, so signups for activities are beginning in earnest now. From fitness and sport activities to Mandarin classes, parenting courses, and activities you can do with your kids, there’s something for everyone. Don’t delay!

Books, Books, Books
This is a one-off event but bears mentioning because it is one of the biggest Beijing fairs and takes place right here in our ‘hood. The 2013 Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF), now in its 19th year, brings together over 2,000 publishers and vendors in a 53,000sqm exhibition space. (No, the Chinese are not big on modesty.)

BIBF aims to “introduce excellent books from around the world into China and leading Chinese books to the world.” Despite the number of printed books on display, this year’s edition of BIBF will highlight its Digital Publishing Zone. Other areas to look out for are the Children’s Book, Cartoons and Animation Zones, Periodicals Zone, Publishing on Demand Zone, the Rights Center, and the Library Acquisition Zone.

We love books, but we don’t love the heavy traffic that will inevitably descend on the China International Exhibition Center. Both Pinnacle Plaza and Europlaza attempt to deter vendors and fair attendees from hogging their parking lots (and rightly so). In the past, parking fees at both malls cost as much as RMB 200 per day – and this for normally free parking zones. This tends to keep away not only potential long-term users, but also regular customers. Shunyi residents can usually plan around this by going to both places in the evening whenever possible.

The 2013 Beijing International Book Fair will take place at the China International Exhibition Center from August 28 to September 1. Admission is free; you just need to fill in a registration form at the gate to get a ticket. I recommend walking over!

China International Exhibition Center
88 Yuxiang Lu, Tianzhu Airport Industrial Zone, Shunyi District (6586 6995) 顺义区天竺开发区榆祥路88号

Ladies’ Golf Program
This five-week golf program combines fitness, professional coaching, and socializing in a relaxed environment. Each group is limited to six ladies and offers two make-up lessons (30 minutes each) if you miss a regular class sometime within the five weeks.

Programs run from 10 to 11am. There are two groups; the Wednesday group begins on August 28, while the Thursday group begins on August 29. All equipment is provided. The cost is RMB 2,200 for five weeks.

Direct Link Golf
89 Capital Airport Highway, Shunyi District (136 9150 5009, agagolf@live.com) 顺义区机场高速路89号

Junior Golf Coaching Camp
PGS Professional coaching is in full swing (no pun intended). Pitching, chipping, putting, golf rules, golf etiquette and life skills will be covered in the five-week clinic. The sessions will be held over five Saturdays, with courses divided between different age groups:

• 9-9.45am (age 6)
• 11am-noon (ages 7-10, beginner)
• 1-2pm (ages 7-10, advanced)
• 2-3pm (ages 11-18)

Register and pay the course fee of RMB 1,400 before August 31 to secure your child’s place. For address and contact, see above.

Tai Tai Tennis
The fall 2013 Tai Tai Tennis season will soon begin. Signups will take place from 10 am to noon on August 29 at Jamaica Blue in the Yosemite Clubhouse. Look for Mary Kate and Johanna at the coffee shop and they’ll help you register for the club’s 14th season.

Tai Tai is a player-led doubles league with players of all levels. It’s fun, social tennis and a wonderful way to make new friends while keeping fit. Even if you don’t have a partner, Mary Kate and Johanna will find you someone of your level to play with.

RMB 200 per person to register
Includes cost of the end-of season lunch and prize-giving
Season runs from mid-September to mid-November
Call 136 5134 6314 or email beijingpennant@yahoo.com if you have any questions

Mandarin Classes
A little knowledge of the local language is essential for getting around and getting things done. But beyond giving simple instructions or buying fruit at the local market, speaking Mandarin can also give you a richer experience in China.

Sign up for group or one-on-one lessons at HLCC within Capital Paradise. Class sizes are small (maximum six students per class). The teachers are qualified to teach Chinese as a foreign language, friendly, and make good culture coaches for your day-to-day questions.

A variety of Chinese classes with a strong grammar base are available for adults, with or without Chinese characters. Beginner and intermediate classes are open for enrollment and take place twice a week from September to January for a total of 70 hours (excluding Mid-Autumn Festival, the National Day holiday, and Christmas break in accordance with international school calendars). Prices start from RMB 4,900.

Private lessons can be arranged for RMB 150/hour at the school or RMB 160/hour at your home or workplace. Other courses include daily conversational Chinese, Chinese characters, business Chinese, training for the HSK (a standardized Chinese proficiency exam), and after-school tutoring for kids.

Call Halida at 135 0115 3524 or send an email at halida@hlcc.asia for more information on schedules.

Scouting Groups
Enrolment for the First Beijing British Scout Group is now open for girls and boys aged 8-10 (Cubs) and 11-14 (Scouts). They may restart a Beavers section (ages 6-8) if there are enough children interested in joining and volunteers interested in running it. UK Scouting is co-educational, which is different from the US scouting model. The group meets at Dulwich College’s Legend Garden campus on Sunday mornings. Children of all schools and nationalities are welcome to join. For more information, check out their website.

Cub Scout Pack 3944 welcomes boys aged 6-11 and their families for a US scouting experience. They meet weekly at ISB and all kids regardless of school are eligible. Check out their info at the following sites: pack3944beijing or their Facebook page (VPN required).

The Open House for Girl Scouts USA Beijing will be held at 10am on August 31 at the Western Academy of Beijing’s Elementary School Lotus Lounge. You’ll be able to learn more about the program, as well as how you and your daughters can get involved. Girl Scouts is a volunteer organization that relies on adult volunteers to lead the program. That means parents can join their daughters for activities like hiking, camping, completing badges, earning awards and doing service projects. There are also travel opportunities for older girls. For any questions, email girlscoutsbeijing@yahoo.com.

Parent Effectiveness Training
Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) is a popular course that educates parents in effective communication. It has been around for some 50 years and is now taught in over 40 countries. The approach is based on looking at the needs of each individual and learning the appropriate skills to reduce and resolve conflict, which in turn creates warmer relationships. P.E.T. has been shown to be effective for children of all ages, and in turn, parents are able to model invaluable skills that can be passed on.

The 24-hour course is broken down into eight sessions of three hours each. There are weekday early afternoon and weekend late afternoon classes to choose from. This module begins in early September and runs through to November (with breaks for the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays). Courses will be hosted by The British School of Beijing, Shunyi campus.

12.45-3.45pm, Wed, Sep 4, running 8 sessions until mid-Nov
4-7pm, Sat, Sep 7, running 8 sessions until mid-Nov
Read more about Naomi Taylor’s P.E.T. courses on her website.
Email counsellingwithnaomi@hotmail.co.uk to reserve a slot.

Dragon Bay Fitness Activities
Antje’s fun fitness classes at Dragon Bay are back! In addition to Step Aerobics and Body Balance, fall is the perfect season for an outdoor circuit boot camp. The workouts offer a variety of movements to rev up your metabolism. Each session begins with a warm-up followed by dynamic stretching. Props such as balance board, resistance bands, dumbbells, kettle bells, and TRX bands are combined with movements that use your own body weight to your advantage. Whew!

Boot Camp – Outdoor Circuit – Functional Training – Athletic Training
9-10.30am, Mon and Wed
Call Antje at 150 1100 4538, or email her at antjepfeiffer@ymail.com for more details

Photo by flickr user vbecker

Dana is the beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Beijing in 2011 (via Europe) with her husband, two sons and Rusty the dog. She enjoys writing, photography, theater, visual arts, and trying new food. In her free time, she can be found exploring the city and driving along the mountain roads of Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu.

Ready your needle and thread to sew badges on your uniform, because Beijing’s First Scouting Group is enrolling new scouts for next term. First Beijing Scouting Group, which is fully accredited by the British Scout Association and run by trained adult leaders, is looking for girls and boys of any nationalities. Scouts make friends, learn useful skills like astronomy and navigation, and learn to live by the scouting motto, “Be prepared."

First Beijing Scouting Group has three different age brackets: Beavers are for kids between 6 and 8 years old; the Cubs group are between 8 and 10 and a half years old; and Scouts are between 10 and a half to 14 years old. Meetings are held at the Dulwich College Beijing Legend Garden Campus, though meeting locations may change in the case of trips or special activities. Cub and Scout meetings are on Sundays from 9am to 10.30 am, while Beavers meet Tuesday evenings from 5pm to 6pm.

For more information, email firstbeijingscouts@hotmail.com 

Photo by flickr user sean dreilinger
 

The British School of Beijing has been working with both UK-based and American Cub Scouting groups (for boys aged 8-10 1/2) and is looking to re-start the "First Beijing Scouting Group."

According to the BSB site:

Two qualified and experienced Scout Leaders (Adrian Richardson and Teresa Waldin) have just arrived and are keen to restart “1st Beijing Scout Group” at BSB. They already have the support of the British Scout Association and we now need to gauge interest among students and find some keen parent volunteers to help them.

The plan for the proposed pack is to start up after the October 1st Holiday week and the Cub Scouts will meet once a week on a weeknight (TBD), tentatively from around 7-8.30pm.

The organizers are looking for volunteers to serve as Scout Leaders, helpers, administrators, treasurers and web administrators, as well as people with a specialty who would be willing to teach their skills to the Scouts. 

To find out more about how to get involved, e-mail firstbeijingscouts -at- hotmail.com.

For more information on British Scouting, visit www.scouts.uk.org and. BSB also has PDFs with information on UK Cub Scouts and American Cub Scouts.

And look out for our article on Cub Scouting in Beijing in the forthcoming October issue of BeijingKids.