Explore Scouts activities, challenges, badges, outdoor activities, progression and practical skills designed to build confidence, independence and outdoor expertise.
Wildlife spotting is not just about seeing animals. In fact, most wild animals are much better at avoiding people than people are at finding them. The good news is that animals leave clues behind. Tracks, feathers, chewed nuts, droppings, burrows and disturbed vegetation can all tell you that an animal has been active nearby. Learning…
You have planned your route, checked the weather, packed your bag and set off for a good day’s walking. Then you reach a footpath and discover that you cannot continue. It might be a fallen tree, flooding, a damaged bridge, a locked gate, a landslip, fallen branches or a temporary closure. The important thing is…
You don’t need to travel to a campsite, climb a mountain or head deep into the countryside to practise outdoor skills. A back garden can be a surprisingly useful training ground. Many of the skills used while camping, hiking and exploring can be practised at home. For children and young people, this can be a…
Seeing wildlife in the woods can feel like a matter of luck. You walk along a path and see nothing. Someone else visits the same woodland a few hours later and spots a deer, fox, squirrel or dozens of birds. The difference isn’t always luck. Wildlife spotting is a skill. The more you learn to…
A woodland walk can be much more interesting when you stop simply walking from one place to another and start looking at what is happening around you. Woodlands are full of clues. Animals may be difficult to see, but they leave behind tracks, feathers, chewed nuts, droppings, nests and other signs. Trees, plants, fungi and…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 1–2 hoursLocation: Suitable woodland or outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts, Explorers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Shelter building, pioneering, outdoor survival, site selection, environmental awareness, teamwork Knowing how to create a basic shelter is an important outdoor skill. A good shelter helps protect you from wind, rain, cold ground and exposure to the…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 30–60 minutesLocation: Campsite or suitable outdoor activity areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Knots, ropework, pioneering, teamwork, problem-solving, communication Pioneering knot challenges turn basic rope skills into practical team activities. Instead of simply tying knots from memory, Scouts have to choose the correct knot, tie it accurately and explain why it is…
Activity Overview Difficulty: AdvancedTime: 2–6 hours or a full activity sessionLocation: Large, level campsites and suitable outdoor activity areasBest for: Older Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced teams with close adult supervisionSkills: Advanced pioneering, project planning, knots, lashings, structural design, teamwork, leadership and risk management Large-scale pioneering involves building a substantial structure or project from…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Moderate–AdvancedTime: 60–120 minutesLocation: Campsites, activity fields and suitable outdoor training areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced Cubs with appropriate supervisionSkills: Pioneering, design, knots, lashings, problem-solving, teamwork, planning and leadership Pioneering design challenges give Scouts a problem to solve rather than a structure to copy. Instead of providing step-by-step instructions, give…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Moderate–AdvancedTime: 60–180 minutesLocation: Campsites, activity fields and suitable outdoor training areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced Cubs with appropriate supervisionSkills: Pioneering, knots, lashings, teamwork, planning, problem-solving, communication and leadership Pioneering competitions challenge patrols to use knots, lashings, poles and teamwork to complete a practical task against a time limit or…
