Practical resources for Scout leaders, including badge guidance, activity ideas, teaching tips, safety advice and resources to help Scouts develop essential skills.
A practical water safety and outdoor skills activity for Scouts that gets young people thinking about one of the most important outdoor resources: water. Rather than simply teaching that “water is important”, this activity explores where water comes from, how to judge whether a source is suitable for use, how water can become contaminated and…
A practical nature tracking activity for Scouts that gets young people looking closely at the outdoor environment and noticing signs that are easy to miss. Instead of simply identifying plants and animals, teams become trackers. They search for evidence such as footprints, feeding marks, feathers, nibbled leaves, trails and other clues, then try to work…
A practical compass activity for Scouts that turns basic navigation into a team codebreaking mission. Young people use compass directions to follow bearings, locate hidden information and piece together a final message. It combines navigation with problem-solving, so even young people who aren’t naturally enthusiastic about map work have a reason to get involved. Activity…
A hands-on Scout cooking activity where teams plan, prepare and present a simple outdoor meal using a limited selection of ingredients. This session isn’t about producing complicated camp recipes. Instead, it introduces young people to practical outdoor cooking, food hygiene, teamwork, planning and making sensible choices with limited resources. Activity Plan Time: 60 minutesGroup size:…
A practical emergency preparedness activity for Scouts that gets young people thinking about what they might need when an ordinary outdoor plan doesn’t go quite as expected. Teams are given a fictional situation and a collection of equipment. They must decide what belongs in an emergency backpack, explain their choices and then adapt their pack…
A practical weather activity for Scouts that turns weather observation into a team investigation. Young people learn how to recognise changing conditions, record observations and make sensible outdoor decisions based on what they can see around them. Rather than relying entirely on a weather forecast, this activity encourages young people to develop the habit of…
Looking for a practical signalling activity for Scouts? Signal Station introduces Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to the challenges of communicating without relying on normal conversation. Through simple codes, visual signals and team challenges, young people practise accuracy, observation, teamwork and clear communication. Teams learn a few simple signalling methods, then use them in a series…
Looking for a practical Scouts equipment activity that teaches more than simply naming outdoor kit? The Great Gear Sort challenges Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to choose, pack and prioritise equipment for different outdoor situations. As the weather and circumstances change, teams must rethink their choices and explain why particular items are important. Rather than simply…
Looking for an engaging outdoor survival activity for Scouts? The Survival Shelter Challenge gives Beavers, Cubs and Scouts a practical way to explore shelter building, weather awareness, teamwork and problem-solving. Using simple materials, teams design and build a shelter before testing how well their ideas cope with different weather conditions. Teams have to design and…
Looking for a practical map reading activity for Scouts? Map Memory Mission turns basic navigation skills into an engaging 60-minute team challenge. Young people practise map symbols, route planning, memory and decision-making while working together to solve increasingly difficult navigation problems. Learning to use a map doesn’t always have to involve a long hike. Map…
