You may be asked to host a group of boys on a frequent (or infrequent) basis. Here are some ideas to keep your meeting (and sanity) intact.
It seems to reduce the chaos when the boys know what to expect. The first place to look to for structure is the pack meeting. The den meeting may follow a modified version of it. Here is a suggested order:
The boys generally won't arrive at the same time. A gathering activity is a good way to keep them occupied until the full group assembles. This can generally be a craft activity around a table.
The Pledge of Allegience, the Cub Scout Oath, the Law of the Pack are good things to repeat from the pack opening. At this point if there is a candle to light, the boy who is hosting the meeting should do it.
Now is a good time to hand our Progress Towards Ranks Beads (if you aren't doing that at the pack meetings.
Take a moment (particularly for Tiger Cubs) to let each boy tell about one significant event they experienced that week, or to show the den their work toward one of the activities.
Have multiple activities planned, in case one goes awry or ends early.
While the boys may run wild occasionally, a regular closing is a good way to round them up fo their parents. It is also a good time to hand out items and assignments for the next meeting.
Obviously, if this meeting is between school and dinner, snacking is best left out. If this is an evening meeting, then caffeine is best avoided as well. If you are providing a snack, then do it at every meeting. Be regular about it as you would the rest of your meeting routines. Save it for last. There is no need to have a sugar buzz driving your the pace of your meeting.
You can incorporate the snack into your activity. Have the boys make pretzels or cookies as one of their activities.
Boys are plutonium. Get enough of them together and they are bound to set each other off in a chain-reaction. Use multiple activities to divide them into smaller gropups. Switch boys/activities in mid meeting.
Table activities work best to keep boys focused. Don't let their minds wander.
Some groups use a behavior candle. The candle stays lit as long as the group is orderly. If the candle burns down past a certain poing during the year, the group gets a treat.
Another mechanism is the "Talking Feather." This is a decorated feather which is passed to the boy whose turn it is to talk. If you use a control mechanism, be consistent or it won't work.