Practical resources for Scout leaders, including badge guidance, activity ideas, teaching tips, safety advice and resources to help Scouts develop essential skills.
Rainfall affects everything from ground conditions on a walk to how quickly streams and rivers can rise. Making a simple rain gauge gives you a way to measure what’s falling where you live, rather than relying on how wet the ground looks. For this challenge, you’ll make a rain gauge of your own, place it…
There is something satisfying about arriving at camp with little more than some rope, a few useful tools and whatever suitable materials you can find around you, then turning the campsite into something that actually works for you. A simple tripod can become a kitchen. A few poles can turn into a gear rack. With…
Navigation doesn’t have to mean walking for miles with a map and compass. For children, learning to navigate can start with something much simpler: understanding where they are, knowing where they want to go and working out how to get there. A short route is a great way to practise. It might be a walk…
Checking the weather before heading outdoors is a simple habit that can make a big difference. A forecast can help you decide what to wear, what to pack and whether your planned activity is suitable for the conditions. You don’t need to understand complicated weather charts to get started. A basic forecast gives you several…
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…
Having a fire outdoors can be one of the most enjoyable parts of camping, but the job isn’t finished when you stop cooking or decide you’re ready to leave. A fire that looks like it has gone out can still contain hot embers capable of starting another fire. Learning how to leave a fire site…
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…
Setting up a tent is one of the most useful camping skills you can learn. The first few times it can seem confusing, especially when you’re faced with poles, pegs and a bundle of fabric, but it becomes much easier once you understand the basic process. You don’t need to do everything perfectly straight away….
Planning a walk is part of the adventure. You don’t need to plan every minute or create a complicated route, but taking a little time to think about where you’re going, how long you might be out and what you need can make a walk much more enjoyable. Learning to plan a short walk also…
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…
