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Description

This game is designed to teach Cubs about resource use, and that recycling is only part of the answer when it comes to making resource use sustainable.
Overarching this activity is the idea that we should Reduce first, Reuse (or repair) second, and Recycle last.
Cubs will have to find resources for the sock factory to keep Akela in socks!

Resources

Cardboard box with a factory drawn on the side and a hole cut out to post raw materials in.
Small coloured balls - 1.5x the number of participants. Could probably be made to work with fewer.
5 or 5 pairs of colourful socks.

Instructions

1) Hide a large number of coloured balls around an area. Enough for 1.5x the number of Cubs taking part. It may be worth counting the balls out to make sure that none are left hidden at the end of the game.

2) Settle the Cubs down around the cardboard sock 'Factory'. Explain that to make socks we need raw materials, and that it is their job to find them and post them through the hole into the factory. Set up an area where there are lots of balls, but tell them that this area is the ‘forest’, which is protected area. Cubs should not search in this area.

3) Start collecting;

Round 1: Every Cub should collect one ball and post it. The factory then makes a noise and one pair of socks pop out. You can make a bing noise and throw some socks out! Akela is very pleased with her socks.

Round 2: Akela wants more so send the Cubs to find more balls. This time, not everyone is able to find a ball. It's getting harder to find balls! The balls that have been found are entered into the factory, and some new socks pop out. While this is happening, leaders can be hiding more balls.

Round 3: Explain that the materials have been growing back, but not very fast, so we need to recycle some socks in order to need fewer balls to make a new pair. Akela posts a pair of socks to the factory. Recycling alone is not enough, we still need new balls. Cubs pair up and find one ball per pair. The balls found and the recycled socks are enough to make a new pair. Leaders hide new balls while this happens, including a few of one colour.

Round 4: The raw materials are getting harder to find. Before starting ask what Akela could do to help with this. She could reuse her socks, wash them. Cubs now go looking for only ONE COLOUR of ball, which make high quality socks which last longer. Make the socks in the factory while leaders hide a small number of balls.

Round 5: We still haven't touched the forest. But the raw materials are still hard to find, recycling needs raw materials and energy, and while Akelas yellow socks are good, she is bored of the colour. What can she do? Should we cut down the forest? Or could Akela swap her socks with another leader instead? Hopefully the Cubs pick the latter option!

Cubs find just the remaining balls. Point out that the ‘forest’ has been protected by reducing, reusing and recycling.

Tags

• conservation
• energy
• Environment
• Environmental conservation
• recycle
• reduce

Badge Links

• Environmental Conservation - Reduce