Discover fun scouting and outdoor games that build practical skills, teamwork and confidence, including communication, knots, nature, navigation and observation games.
Understanding directions is one of those outdoor skills that seems simple at first, but becomes incredibly useful once you start exploring. Knowing the difference between north, south, east and west gives you a basic way of describing where things are and helps you make sense of maps, paths and the landscape around you. You don’t…
You don’t need to know the names of hundreds of plants and animals to keep a nature journal. In fact, one of the best things about starting one is that it gives you a reason to slow down and pay attention to what is happening around you. A nature journal can be as simple as…
A simple water filter is a great way to introduce Scouts and young people to filtration, layers, materials and basic water treatment. Teams build their own filter from everyday materials, pour dirty water through it and compare the results. The experiment is easy to set up, inexpensive and works well as a short activity on…
Knots and lashings are classic outdoor skills that can turn a few lengths of rope and some poles into useful camp equipment. For Scouts, learning these skills doesn’t have to mean sitting in a circle tying the same knot repeatedly. Turn the session into a practical activity where teams have to solve problems, build simple…
Survival skills don’t have to be taught through long demonstrations or serious training sessions. For Cubs and Scouts, turning survival skills into games can make learning more memorable, encourage teamwork and give young people the opportunity to practise useful skills in a fun way. These 20 survival games are designed for youth groups and can…
Activity Overview Can your team use grid references to find the hidden checkpoints? 👦 Age: 8–18👥 Group size: 4–30⏱️ Duration: 45–60 minutes📍 Location: Outdoors⭐ Difficulty: 3/5 Grab a map, split into teams and get ready to explore. In this navigation activity, teams must use grid references to find a series of hidden checkpoints around an…
Activity Overview Can your team build a stable star-shaped campfire? 👦 Age: 8–18👥 Group size: 4–24⏱️ Duration: 45–60 minutes📍 Location: Outdoors⭐ Difficulty: 3/5 A good campfire doesn’t happen by accident. Before you strike a match or create a spark, you need to think about the location, fuel, airflow, structure and safety around the fire. In…
Activity Overview Can you spot the hazards before they cause a problem? 👦 Age: 8–18👥 Group size: 4–30⏱️ Duration: 45–60 minutes📍 Location: Indoors or outdoors⭐ Difficulty: 2/5 Imagine you’ve just arrived at a campsite. Everything looks fine at first, but there could be hazards hiding in plain sight. A loose guyline, a bag left on…
Activity Overview Can you build a tiny raft that actually floats? 👦 Age: 6–18👥 Group size: 2–30⏱️ Duration: 30–45 minutes📍 Location: Outdoors or indoors⭐ Difficulty: 2/5 Grab some sticks, find some string and get ready to build. This simple twig raft activity is a brilliant way to combine outdoor exploration, knot tying, creativity and problem-solving….
Activity Overview Can you build a safe little home for solitary bees? 👦 Age: 6–18👥 Group size: 2–30⏱️ Duration: 45–60 minutes📍 Location: Outdoors or indoors⭐ Difficulty: 2/5 Bees aren’t just busy making honey. They’re also incredibly important pollinators, helping plants produce fruits, seeds and new growth. In this hands-on nature activity, you’ll learn a little…
