As 270 Cub Scouts yelled, laughed and fidgeted at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds on Monday afternoon, Bruce Wagner and several other leaders tried to get them to settle down for a group photo.

“Hands down! Hats off! Hands down! Sit! Put your hands down!” they yelled.

Like the rest of the activities for the Pelathe District Cub Scout Day Camp’s first day at the fairgrounds, the photo ran a little behind schedule, but Wagner, the camp’s program director, said the difficult start was no cause for concern.

“It’s just a typical Monday,” Wagner said.

The Scouts, from throughout Douglas County and part of Leavenworth County, split into groups and moved among events and activities of their choice, ranging from crafting leather badges to launching water balloons with a 3-foot-wide slingshot.

At the slingshot station, groups of Scouts competed to launch the most balloons into a wooden castle about 50 feet away with the help of parents and leaders, including Bob Lemmons, a leader at Prairie Park School’s Pack 3071.

“I think the parents are more competitive than the kids,” Lemmons said.

Scott Cromer, who will enter the fifth grade in the fall at Quail Run School, said the slingshot station was his favorite because he got wet. But he said the Day Camp helped him learn about teamwork, too.

“It’s supposed to just make you a good person,” Scott said. “It helps you communicate with people better.”

Across the fairgrounds at another station, Scouts tried to launch balls with a catapult fashioned from some small logs, rope and a paint bucket. Much of the time, the ball ended up behind where it started.

But Charlie Evans, who will go into third grade at Broken Arrow School in the fall, said the station was still one of his favorites. This is his third year of Day Camp.

“It gets me more active, and it gets me away from the TV,” Charlie said.

Wagner said the camp also aimed to teach the Scouts about confidence, teamwork and sportsmanship. But he said fun remained the main focus.

“We try to teach it to them without them knowing that they’re learning,” he said.

The camp draws its staff from parents, Scout leaders and older Scouts who volunteer for the week. Josh Bailey, an 18-year-old Life scout, said he has volunteered at Day Camp for nine years, ever since he last participated as a Cub Scout himself.

The staff had to scramble to get the fairgrounds ready Monday morning after a dog show during the weekend, Wagner said, which put the camp a little behind schedule Monday. But he said the slow start was typical of Day Camp, which this year runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily through Friday.

“By Friday, it’s running like a well-oiled machine,” he said.