Daddy Daughter Derby (Pinewood Derby)

Tonight we did a Daddy Daughter Pinewood Derby activity.  The girls said they loved it, but it really wasn't my favorite activity because we didn't meet the goal.  If we did it again I'd have the whole family come, perhaps combine with a cub packnight to streamline the effort for the ward (our cub scouts did a derby two weeks after we did because the cubs wanted to do what the girls did, it would have been so much smarter to combine.  The scouts have awards, but the girls could be given some sort of awards too for just this one month.  Combining scouts and activity days this one time could be a great lesson on cooperation!  If the girls want a one-on-one with their Dad I think a dinner, potluck, or game night are much, much better choices.  If they want the fun of making a car and racing it, I think the environment of a ward activity is nice which is why I suggested combining with scouts and/or inviting entire families.  The problem with a daddy/daughter pinewood derby is that a derby is a spectator sport and the rest of the family isn't invited.

Anyway with that said:
We have four leaders and this is how we planned:

1) One leader scheduled the activity (as far in advance as possible), the track (3-6 months in advance), and ordered and passed out cars a month in advance.

2) One leader decorated the night of the activity and gave the lesson.

3) One leader planned an activity two weeks prior with a lesson and where the girls made invitations for their dads, she also brought paper products and drinks to go with the potluck refreshments.  The invitations listed some of the artistic award categories we were planning for the girl's to start thinking about.   (bling award, glitter award, most stickers, most colorful, most unique, most creative woodworking, most colorful, fastest, most personality, (leave some awards blank so you can award what they actually came up with such as most humorous/funny, silliest, best car name (we had the girls name their cars when they checked in for the race), best accessories, pinkalicious, purplalicious, inspirational, happiest, most cheerful, skinniest, most "oohs and ahhs" award, etc)

4) One leader set up a photo opp for the Dads and Daughters and was in charge of awards.  In addition to the speed awards, we encoraged the girl's to try for style awards like pinkest, most bling, best use of stickers, most original, funniest, etc and then gave each girl an award.  The cub scouts did "medals" made out of ribbons and HoHo's that were very cute.  I love edible awards!

5) An 11-year old activity day girl  prepared a questionaire for the Dad's and Daughters to fill out together while they were seated and waiting for the races to start.  It is good to have something to keep people busy after they check in and get their picture taken.  Even if you just have riddles, trivia, jokes to read, cross words, I spy games, baby pictures to identify, or guessing games.  If you don't, the Dads will visit with Dads and the girls with the girls and the one-on-one time will get lost.

After the races we had the lesson and a potluck dessert buffet while the leaders finished up deciding the artistic awards.  Then we announced the winners and had a closing prayer.


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Scheduling this activity was an abosolute NIGHTMARE.  It took more time than all the rest of the planning, set-up, and clean up put together.  The reason why is because if the Young Men, Young Women, Scouts, Relief Society, Priesthood, or Stake decide to do anything on the same night, we had to cancel.  Then we had to start all over again playing phone tag with building schedulers and auxilliary leaders.  I have not found that scheduling far in advance helps, because no one expects it or checks the calender.   

My tip:   
1) If at all possible do parent activities at your regularly scheduled activity time and keep them under an hour long (ours is 4:15-5:15 on Wednesdays).  Be flexible, rather than doing a Daddy Daughter or a Mother Daughter, do something that either parent, an older sibling, or even a grandparent could come to.  If you do this, planning two "recognition" activities a year will be easy.  Otherwise, it probably won't happen.
2)Try to plan activities that do not take place at the church, then you won't have to schedule building time.  Try parks or backyards.  My mother's ward made buddy burners and cooked hamburgers with the dads for the Daddy Daughter at the park and had a fun time with that.

Sample questionaire from Mother/Son Dinner:

"Questions for Son"

1. What was the nicest thing your mom ever did for you?

2. What was your favorite birthday?

3. What ability or skill do you most wish you had (that you don’t have already)?

4. What is the thing you love most about your mom?

5. What is the best thing your mom has ever cooked you?

6. What is the worst thing your mom has ever cooked you?

7. What do you love to do most with your mom?

8. What is the wisest thing your mother has ever told you?

9. Your mother seems to be famous for ________.

10. What is the funniest thing your mother has ever done?

"Questions for Mom"

1. What was your favorite thing to do as a child?

2. What was your biggest fear when you were little?

3. What did you like to watch on TV when you were little?

4. What was your favorite subject in school?

5. What was your favorite food when you were a kid?

6. How old were you when you had your first boyfriend?

7. What is one thing you wish you had done when you were little that you never did?

8. What is the thing you love most about your son(s)?

9. What is your favorite memory with your son(s)?

10. Your son has the best ___________.