Welcome to being a Scout Leader. Thank you for dedicating your time to support your own children but also the other children in your troop or den. You have joined a very special club of scout leaders and other parents dedicated to their children’s love of scouting. We are here to support your along your scouting journey and hope you enjoy all the resources available for scout leaders. If you find you need something, please reach out. We probably have something similar or can make something for you. We begin by discussing setting up your scout meeting place.

Scout Room Set Up

So, you’ve decided to become the Scout Leader for your son’s Cub Scout Den or daughter’s Girl Scout Troop. How exciting! You’ve done your training, survived your first parent meeting, and are now ready to meet your group of children. If you are looking for tips on your first parent meeting, be sure to check out First Parent Meeting. But how do you set up your scout meeting place to efficiently organize your meeting location, maximize family involvement, and keep the group engaged in the meeting?

I’ve got some great tips for getting the most out of your scout meeting space and allowing your scouting meetings to flow with ease from one part to another. Just remember to make it your own. Take what works for your group and change what doesn’t. This is all about making your year successful and wonderful!

Scout Meeting Place Set Up

We like to think of our scout meeting place as three different areas to plan for the flow of movement. We have the first place scouts encounter or the scout information area. Then the scouts move to the gathering area where they can begin working on something mostly independently. Finally we have a group space where all scouts can be together for larger movement and discussion activities.

Be sure to plan a space that is large enough for all your scouts and their families. Scouting is often times a family adventure and cub scouts especially encourages parents to stay for scouting meetings and experiences especially in the younger grades. This often times means little siblings attend as well.

Scouting Information Area

Begin by setting up an information area near the entrance to your meeting place: one table works well. This is a great place to station one leader, if possible. They can greet your group and help direct the children and parents. Not only does this mean your meeting starts on the right foot, but you also give each family and scout a little personal attention every meeting.

Place a sign in sheet and pencil here too. Boys and girls can sign in at this location. This will let you keep track of who attends every meeting and with whom you may need to follow up later. It can house reminders, upcoming events, and any papers to register for upcoming events. We keep a folder for each scout to place paperwork or pick up important information on this table.

I usually place anything parents might need here. This includes my reminder notes with information about the next meeting and upcoming events. It is also where I put the sign up sheet for upcoming council wide events. If families owe money, reminders for money due go here. I also include reminders about troop related business (especially product sales). Finally, the sign in sheet for my troop and den. For Cub Scouts, we collect their handbooks here as well for signing.

Gathering Area at your Scout Meeting Place

Next, set up a gathering activity area. I suggest locating this away from the information area so that you don’t have too many families gathered in one place. We placed this on the other side of the room to help with the flow of traffic. The gathering activity area is where the children (with parent support when necessary), will complete an independent activity or an activity that can be lead by the children in the troop or den with little to no instructions.

We used one table for each 5 – 6 children in the group. So, if you have 10 children in your group, plan to have two tables for the gathering activity. Chairs are nice to have for the children especially as it will increase their time on the activity when they can sit down to focus. Everything the scouts need to complete the activity should be available in the gathering area so that you don’t have too many people moving around your space.

This gathering area also works for an area to do projects during the meeting as well. So if you are making a craft or working on a drawing, your scouts can return to the gathering area to work on the project. Having a separate group space provides an adult time to clean up the gathering activity and set up for the project activity.

Scout Group Space

Last, have group space to gather for discussion time and other active parts of the meeting. For our group space, we placed chairs in a semi circle for the families. We tried to have enough chairs for each family member including siblings who often attending meetings. This encourages parents to stay for the meeting and be actively involved with their scout. If you are unsure of how many chairs you need, set up what you think and keep a few extra chairs along the wall for people to grab if you need more.

The children can either sit in front of their parent on the floor or in a line at the top of the semicircle. This is a great way to allow the family members to keep an eye on their child and actively participate in the meeting. From the top of the semicircle, leaders can speak to both scouts and their families easily and include families in the meeting as much as needed. Moreover if you have any behavioral concerns, the adult partner is close by to assist as needed.

In the Scout Group Space we conduct most of our business. This area allows for discussion and talk time. It also doubles as an area for large group games, activities, and movement. Having a large area provides enough space for everyone to get involved and gives your scouts enough room to move around.

Scout Meeting Space Ideas

Outdoor Meeting Places

Finding a place to host your scout meeting can be a little tricky, but with the right resources, you can find a place that will work for your group. We love outdoor spaces and have had a lot of luck with park district parks. There are many parks to choose from and they usually have covered tables to use for a gathering area. Plus most parks have larger areas for running and movement. These may be a little tricky to have a separate area for gathering and discussion, but you can always bring extra tables or move tables around. Just be sure to put them back.

Another outdoor option is to consider local forest preserve, state parks, or national parks. These can be great for getting outdoors and enjoying scouting with your den or troop. Often times these will have picnic tables and some even have covered tables too. Be sure to check the space out before hosting your meeting there. You will want to offer your parents information about parking, how to find you, and what to bring.

Indoor Scout Meeting Place Options

In some states and countries, scouts need indoor meeting areas as well. It’s always a good idea to have an indoor backup plan when you are the scout leader. Inclement weather can drive you indoors at any time.

Generally Free Indoor Meeting Places

Our favorite indoor meeting areas start with the local school districts, especially gyms. Many times the school district will offer scout troops and dens the ability to meet at the school for free. When you meet in the school, often the maintenance staff will assist you with getting tables and chairs as well.

Another great location for an indoor meeting place is the library. Most libraries have a meeting room that they allow organizations to use for free once a month. Sometimes your library will allow you to schedule a weekly meeting here, so definitely ask. These meeting spaces tend to have tables and chairs for you to use. However, they tend to have less space for movement and large group activities, so keep this in mind.

Yet another place to look for meeting place options are local banks. Many time local banks will have business meeting rooms. These tend to be a little larger than library spaces, but not always. So it is very important to ask for a tour so you have an idea of how to set up the space and for which activities the space works best. The bank will usually have tables and chairs for you to use and may even help you set them up.

Also check out your local town buildings. These include the townhall, historical society, fire station, police station, hospitals, etc. Often times these places have meeting spaces that they allow scouts to use. Plus they usually have tables and chairs and may even help you set them up. In addition, you have the cool experience of being at some of these spaces. Most times they are free to use, but some do limit you to one meeting at month, so be sure to ask.

Tips for Knowing if a Meeting Place Works for your Group

Set up a tour of the space so you have a good idea of how to utilize the space.

If the space is small, check outside for local parks or fields nearby that you can use for movement and other large group activities.

Ask about access to the space. Will they give you a key? Will you need to buzz to get in?

How will your parents access the space? Will you need to all arrive together? Can parents come and go at ease? Which doors and parking lots should they use? Will they need to sign-in? Will you need to leave a scout near the door or ensure all families have a number to call?

Indoor Meeting Places that May Charge a Fee

Places that offer indoor youth sports will occasionally allow scouting groups to use their space when they aren’t teaching classes. This can help a local organization and scouts as a great partnership. Just know that sometimes these business owners ask for a donation or small fee to help cover their expenses. Sometimes you get lucky and find a space for free. Just know that you may need to bring your own tables or chairs depending on the space.

Many park districts offer meeting places as well. Some will allow you to use their space. This isn’t always the best because they usually charge a small fee for space usage. But they will assist with getting tables and chairs set up.

Scout Meeting Space Final Thoughts

There is no “correct” way to set up your room. Find a system and style that work for your group because each group is unique. This setup worked well for us, but might need some finetuning to work for your group. Don’t ever be afraid to make changes to best engage your scouts.

Make the space your own but remember to respect the other people who utilize this space too. If you move something or rearrange furniture, be sure to put it back how you found it. Also, always bring your own meeting supplies, never assume the space will have what you need.

We’d love to hear about your arrangement for successful scouting meetings whether you are a Cub Scout leader, Girl Scout leader or Boy Scout leader. Drop us a comment below.

Hi, I’m Nicole.

Here at Creatingbutterflies we provide families with practical solutions to real life problems for everything parenting, scouting, dual language, and enjoying time outdoors. We are a family of 6 with 4 wonderful becoming bilingual children who loves scouting, camping, and hiking with their family. Mom is an educator and dad is a firefighter/paramedic.