Plan successful Scout camps with practical resources covering activities, organisation, preparation, equipment, cooking, campcraft and essential planning.
Bushcraft is about learning how to use practical skills and make the most of what the outdoors provides. You might learn to light a fire, build a shelter, identify useful plants or make things from natural materials. But learning bushcraft also means learning when not to do something. Responsible bushcraft is about enjoying these skills…
A campsite doesn’t organise itself. Once you arrive, there is usually plenty to do before everyone can settle down and enjoy being there. Learning how to help prepare a campsite teaches children that camping is a shared job, and even small tasks can make a big difference. You don’t have to be the person in…
Washing clothes is not usually the first thing people think about when planning a camping trip. But on a longer camp, expedition or family trip, clothes can quickly become muddy, sweaty or wet. The good news is that you do not need a washing machine to deal with basic camping laundry. With a small amount…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 1–3 hours depending on the activityLocation: Suitable indoor or outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts, Explorers, leaders and history enthusiastsSkills: Research, traditional camping skills, pioneering, navigation, signalling, teamwork, historical awareness Recreating historical Scout activities can be a great way to understand how Scouting developed while practising practical outdoor skills. Historical activities might…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 20–30 minutes to set up; maintained throughout campLocation: Scout campsites and outdoor campsBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Campcraft, awareness, organisation, communication and responsibility Camp security is about protecting people, equipment and the campsite from avoidable risks. A secure camp doesn’t need to feel like a fortress. Good…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 15–30 minutes to set up; maintained throughout campLocation: Scout campsites and outdoor campsBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Food hygiene, campcraft, outdoor cooking, organisation and teamwork Good camp kitchen hygiene means keeping hands, food, equipment and preparation areas clean and preventing food from becoming contaminated. Outdoor cooking…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 30–60 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and outdoor campsBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Campcraft, food hygiene, outdoor cooking, organisation and teamwork A good camp kitchen should have separate areas for food preparation, cooking, eating, washing up and waste, with enough space to work safely. Set the kitchen up on…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Easy–ModerateTime: 15–30 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and outdoor campsBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Observation, campcraft, organisation, hazard awareness and teamwork A camp inspection is a planned check of the campsite, tents, equipment and general organisation. For a Scout camp, inspections help make sure that tents are properly pitched,…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 30–60 minutes to plan and briefLocation: Campsites and outdoor campsBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, adult volunteers and experienced campersSkills: Organisation, observation, communication, teamwork, night-time awareness and emergency response A camp watch system is an organised way of monitoring a campsite during periods when most people are asleep or away from…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 45–90 minutesLocation: Campsites and outdoor campsBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Camp organisation, teamwork, personal hygiene, equipment care, time management and campcraft An evening camp routine gives everyone time to eat, clean up, organise equipment, wash, prepare for bed and settle down safely. A good routine…
