Yo-Yo

Cub Scouts · Adventure, Elective

Yo-Yo turns a simple toy into a lesson in science and skill. You'll set up your yo-yo, run a pendulum experiment, and try some classic tricks. With a little practice, you'll be surprising your friends.

Why it's worth it

A yo-yo is a spinning physics lab you can hold in your hand. You'll set up your string just right, run an experiment with a pendulum, and practice the classic tricks that lead to all the others. It takes patience, and every time you land a trick you couldn't do yesterday, you'll know practice really works.

Start this week

Find a safe practice spot with lots of room and nothing breakable nearby.
Check your string length: let the yo-yo touch the floor and see where the string reaches on you.
Practice winding your yo-yo neatly five times in a row.

Stay safe

Give yourself plenty of space, keep the yo-yo away from faces and windows, and stop if your string looks frayed.

Requirements · 7

Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab).

Requirement 1
Learn the yo-yo safety rules and always follow them
Tip: Give yourself plenty of space and keep the yo-yo away from people's faces.
Requirement 2
Find out how to get the right yo-yo string length for you
Tip: Let the yo-yo touch the floor, then cut the string a bit above your belly button.
Requirement 3
Explain why the right string length and a good spot matter before you throw a yo-yo
Tip: Talk about how string that is too long or too short makes tricks harder.
For example: If the string is too long, the yo-yo hits the floor; too short, and it doesn't have room to spin. Before you throw, check that no one is close and nothing breakable is in the way.
Requirement 4
Show how to string a yo-yo properly and how to tie a slip knot
Tip: Make a loop at the end of the string for your finger. Ask an adult to show you the slip knot.
Requirement 5
Try the pendulum experiment using a yo-yo; explain what changes when the string is longer
Tip: Tie a weight to a short string and a long string. Swing each and count which is slower.
For example: Tie a washer to a short string and another to a long string. Swing each and count swings in 15 seconds. The long one swings slower, just like a yo-yo on a longer string takes longer to go down and back.
Requirement 6
Show that you can wind a yo-yo properly
Tip: Hold the yo-yo and wrap the string snugly so it winds straight.
Requirement 7
Try each of these tricks: gravity pull, sleeper, and breakaway
Tip: Practice each trick a few minutes a day. Sleeper first helps with the others.
For example: Start with the gravity pull: drop it and pull it back up. Then the sleeper: throw down hard so it spins at the bottom, count to three, and tug it back. Breakaway is a sideways throw, like making a muscle.

Talk about it together

Which trick took you the longest to learn, and what helped?
What did the pendulum experiment teach you about your yo-yo?
How did you feel when you landed a trick for the first time?
What trick would you like to learn next?

Helpful reads

Cub Scouts: a guide for families, How Cub Scout ranks and adventures work from kindergarten through fifth grade, what an adult partner does, and how to keep it fun at meetings and at home., Families · Leaders · 4 min read

For leaders & parents

Have extra strings on hand since they wear out and tangle.
Hold a friendly trick show to let scouts show off what they learned.

People & places that can help

Public library — Books on yo-yo tricks and simple physics.
Local toy or hobby shop — Strings, yo-yos, and trick tips.
Exploratorium (opens in a new tab) — Science activities about spinning, swinging, and motion.

Webelos, Rank · 7 requirements

Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.