Learn essential survival skills including shelter building, fire lighting, navigation, first aid, outdoor safety and practical skills to survive in the wilderness.
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 20–30 minutes to learn the basics; applied throughout a pioneering projectLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor activity areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Risk awareness, ropework, lashings, teamwork, equipment care and safe construction Pioneering safety is about planning the project, using suitable equipment, constructing it correctly and…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ChallengingTime: 2–4 hoursLocation: Scout campsites and suitable activity areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced pioneering groupsSkills: Pioneering, lashings, knots, teamwork, construction, buoyancy and water safety A pioneering raft is a temporary structure made from poles, lashings and suitable flotation. Building one is an excellent pioneering project because it combines ropework,…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ChallengingTime: 1–2 hoursLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor activity areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced pioneering groupsSkills: Pioneering, lashings, ropework, teamwork, construction and problem-solving A pioneering catapult can be built as a controlled campcraft engineering project using poles, rope and a soft projectile. The emphasis should be on learning how…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 45–90 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced pioneering groupsSkills: Pioneering, lashings, ropework, teamwork, construction and emergency awareness A pioneering stretcher is a temporary structure made from poles and rope lashings, traditionally used to demonstrate pioneering and emergency-response skills. A homemade pioneering stretcher should…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ChallengingTime: 3–5 hoursLocation: Scout campsites and suitable pioneering areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced pioneering teamsSkills: Pioneering, knots, lashings, teamwork, planning, structural awareness and campcraft A pioneering tower is a temporary structure made from poles joined with rope lashings. It is an advanced pioneering project requiring careful planning, sound construction…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Easy–ModerateTime: 15–30 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and outdoor campsBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Fire lighting, campcraft, observation, fire management and environmental responsibility A smoky campfire is usually caused by damp fuel, poor airflow, unsuitable fuel or a fire that isn’t burning hot enough. A well-built fire with dry,…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ChallengingTime: 2–4 hoursLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor activity areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced pioneering groupsSkills: Pioneering, knots, lashings, teamwork, planning, ropework and structural awareness A pioneering bridge is a structure built from poles and rope using traditional knots and lashings. For a Scout pioneering project, the safest approach…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 15–30 minutesLocation: Scout campsites, activity centres and outdoor settingsBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Ropework, campcraft, equipment care, observation and outdoor safety Rope identification means being able to recognise what a rope is made from, how it is constructed and what it is suitable for. Common ropes…
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…
