What are some fun prizes for Boys aged 6 to 11. I'm helping with Popcorn sales this year, and our pack wants to come up with some prizes to offer incentives to the boys. I'm drawing a blank. What would they want that they don't already have?
I thought maybe a lantern or headlamp, but there has to be something more exciting. We want to deide now so that when we talk to them about selling they can see, oh, if I sell $400 I'll get a headlamp! Ok, that really didn't sound exciting at all.
Help! Any ideas?
I'm actually not a fan of prizes at all. I think they should sell popcorn because it's their responsibility. Also, they do already get prizes. And I agree that it takes away from our profits and therefore some of the things we could do as a pack. I'm not sure if it's Trails End or our Council (I thought it was the council, but it might be Trails End), but I do feel that's more than enough. However, I'm in the minority.
We do a "Pie in the Face" for those who sell at least $700. I'm just trying to think of some prizes for selling more than the minimum but not quite $700.
Thank you for the suggestions. I'm going to talk with the lead popcorn person (I'm the assistant) soon to make some decisions.
One year, my son's prize was a sleeping bag.
What about a compass, flashlight, binoculars, duffle bags, walk talkie set, fishing pole.
Throwing pies at the leaders is always a hit
we did things that were helpful with their badges...
camping gear
knives with their names engraved on it (for the whittling chip)
books - for the reading badge
games - for the video badge
have fun!! if you lived closer - I'd buy some from you!!
We LOVE LED flashlights and we have quite a variety of them.
My son (age 15) has recently discovered ultralight backpacking. There are tons of cool items that a boy would have for YEARS! For instance, water filtration device, space blanket, nylon hammock, navigation tools, water heating devices for cooking, 1st aid kit etc. Personally, I'd go that direction, I think these are things they'd use for years to come.
We have not done anything above what Trails End does. I don't have any boys in Cub Scouts anymore, but if I did and parents wanted something above and beyond that? I would tell them, it's like giving a trophy for trying. It doesn't work.
Our Scouts popcorn sales company provides the prizes.
If not, then ITunes cards and gaming devices, or a gift card to the Scouts store to purchase their very marked up camping gear.
I agree, Best popcorn!
Doesn't Traills End supply the prizes anymore? I
Have fun and good luck!!!
Best. Popcorn. Ever.
When my son was in scouts, there was an incentive program with the popcorn sales - do they not have that anymore?
Your profit margin, as I recall, is pretty slim to begin with. If your pack pays for incentives as well? Not much of a fundraiser in the long run, then.
While I like the idea of stuff that will help them with badges/camping, perhaps patches would be more cost-effective? They can't go on the uniform, of course, but if the boys have vests they could be sewn on those. And Cubs often get pretty excited about collecting them :-)
Good luck with your sales!
I think all of the camping related ideas below would be great; however, it will add up quickly. If you want some cheaper, non-scout related ideas, you could do $3-5 gift cards to your local ice cream/frozen yogurt store. You could have someone host a movie night at home with popcorn, candy, ice cream floats, etc.
Do you do a booth sale? Our pack had a lot of success just from spending one day outside of Trader Joe's last year. In addition to selling popcorn, we accepted donations from people who didn't want to buy, and earned a surprising amount of money just from donations. We also found that having a "square" (the device that allows you to run a credit card through a smartphone) greatly increased our sales. People couldn't use the "I don't have cash" excuse anymore!
We did one of those huge 5 lb Hersey bars. They went wild.
