Ready-to-use scouting and outdoor activity plans for leaders, with ideas organised by duration, setting and activity type for easy session planning.
Activity Type: Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Cubs, Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor areaEquipment: Rope, tarpaulin or groundsheet, sticks or poles where appropriate Activity Overview This activity challenges young people to work together to create a simple emergency shelter. The emphasis isn’t on building the biggest or most impressive structure. It’s about planning, teamwork, using…
Activity Type: Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: OutdoorsEquipment: None required, although paper and pencils can be useful Activity Overview How observant are your young people? This simple 30-minute activity encourages them to slow down and notice things they might normally walk straight past. The activity works well in a woodland,…
Activity Type: Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts or ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesGroup Size: Small groups or PatrolsLocation: Outdoors or a suitable indoor spaceEquipment: Paper, pens and a selection of basic outdoor equipment appropriate to the group Activity Overview This quick activity gives young people the chance to practise several outdoor skills while working as a…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Fire lighting should only be taught with appropriate adult supervision, suitable equipment, a properly prepared fire area and permission to have a fire at the location. Always follow current Scout guidance, local restrictions and the landowner’s rules. Keep water or another suitable means of extinguishing the fire immediately available, and never leave…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Outdoor skills should always be taught in a way that matches the age, ability and experience of the group. Activities involving fire, tools, water, heights or other hazards need appropriate supervision and safety controls. Making an activity fun should never mean making it unnecessarily risky. Outdoor skills are some of the most…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Knots should be taught initially as a practical skill rather than for safety-critical applications. Children should not use knots to support people, climb, secure themselves at height or undertake other activities where a knot failure could cause serious injury unless they have been properly trained and supervised for that activity. Always use…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST This activity is for learning purposes. Water that has been filtered during the activity must not be assumed to be safe to drink. If you demonstrate boiling or another purification method, explain that different treatment methods deal with different hazards. Filtering through cloth, sand or gravel does not make water safe to…
This 30-minute survival priorities activity teaches young people how to assess an unexpected outdoor situation, decide what matters most and make calm decisions before taking action. What Young People Will Learn By the end of the activity, participants should be able to: Before the Activity Prepare Your Scenarios Prepare several simple outdoor survival scenarios before…
