Squirrels Navigation Activities: Fun Ways to Learn Navigation

Navigation doesn’t have to start with a compass and a complicated map.

For Squirrels, it’s about developing the basic skills that help them understand where they are, where they’re going and how to recognise their surroundings.

Simple games can introduce direction, observation and following routes without making the subject feel like a lesson.

A campsite, park or familiar outdoor area can provide everything you need.

1. Follow the Leader

Start with the simplest form of navigation: following someone.

Take Squirrels on a short route and give simple instructions.

“Turn left at the tree.”

“Walk towards the gate.”

“Stop when you reach the bench.”

It introduces the idea of following directions while helping Squirrels become familiar with their surroundings.

2. Left and Right Challenge

Call out instructions such as:

“Take three steps forward.”

“Turn left.”

“Turn right.”

“Turn around.”

Make it into a game by gradually increasing the number of instructions.

It sounds simple, but understanding directions is an important foundation for later navigation skills.

3. Find the Landmark

Choose several obvious landmarks around your activity area.

A tree.

A building.

A gate.

A bench.

A flag.

Give Squirrels clues about one of them.

“Find something tall with a roof.”

Can they work out which landmark you’re describing?

4. Simple Treasure Map

Draw a basic map of your meeting place or campsite.

Keep it simple.

Include obvious features such as buildings, paths and trees.

Mark an “X” somewhere safe and see if Squirrels can follow the map to find it.

5. Map the Playground

Give small groups paper and pencils.

Ask them to draw a simple map of the area.

They don’t need perfect symbols or measurements.

Encourage them to include things they think would help another person find their way.

Afterwards, swap maps between groups and see whether they can follow each other’s maps.

6. Navigation Bingo

Create bingo cards containing landmarks.

A tree.

A gate.

A bench.

A path.

A building.

A sign.

Squirrels have to find each feature before completing their card.

7. Follow the Route

Set out a short, supervised route using obvious markers.

Squirrels follow the route and remember what they see along the way.

At the end, ask:

“What did you pass?”

This develops observation as well as navigation.

8. Direction Game

Introduce the four basic directions:

North

East

South

West

Don’t worry about complicated theory.

Play a simple game where you call out a direction and everyone moves that way.

Once they understand the idea, introduce a compass if appropriate.

9. Compass Treasure Hunt

For older or more confident Squirrels, introduce a compass in a very simple way.

Show them how the needle indicates north and let them practise turning towards different directions.

You can then create a short supervised course using simple directions.

Keep the distances and instructions straightforward.

10. What’s Behind You?

Take Squirrels somewhere with several obvious landmarks.

Ask them to look around carefully.

Then turn everyone around and ask:

“What was behind you?”

This develops spatial awareness and encourages them to pay attention to their surroundings.

11. Landmark Memory Game

Take the group on a short walk.

Afterwards, ask:

“What was next to the gate?”

“What did you see after the big tree?”

“Which direction did we turn?”

It helps Squirrels understand that navigation involves remembering where you’ve been as well as where you’re going.

12. Route Builder

Give Squirrels a simple map containing several possible routes.

Ask:

“Which route would you choose?”

Let them explain why.

Perhaps one route is shorter, while another follows a clearer path.

There’s no need for the activity to have a single correct answer.

13. Navigation Simon Says

Turn Simon Says into a direction game.

“Simon says turn left.”

“Simon says face north.”

“Simon says take five steps forward.”

It provides plenty of repetition without feeling like formal instruction.

14. Map Symbol Matching

Introduce a few simple map symbols.

A path.

A building.

A road.

A river.

A campsite.

Ask Squirrels to match symbols with pictures or real features.

Keep the number of symbols small so the activity remains accessible.

15. Follow the Clues

Create a short series of clues.

For example:

“Find the gate.”

“From the gate, walk to the large tree.”

“Look beside the tree for your next clue.”

The final clue leads to a small prize or group activity.

This combines navigation with problem-solving.

16. Which Way Home?

Give Squirrels a fictional scenario.

“You’ve walked from the campsite to the field. How would you explain to someone how to get back?”

Ask them to describe the route using landmarks.

This teaches them to think about navigation from another person’s perspective.

17. Human Compass

Choose a central point.

Call out a direction and ask Squirrels to face it.

You can then give them simple instructions:

“Face north.”

“Turn east.”

“Now face south.”

It’s a fun way to practise orientation before introducing more advanced navigation.

18. Nature Navigation

Combine navigation with a nature walk.

Ask Squirrels to follow a route while looking for specific natural features.

A large tree.

A stream.

A fallen branch.

A particular type of leaf.

They learn that natural features can also help people understand where they are.

19. Photo Navigation

Take photographs of several landmarks around your activity area.

Give Squirrels the photographs and ask them to find the locations.

You can make it harder by taking close-up photographs that only show part of the landmark.

20. The Big Navigation Adventure

Combine several skills into one short activity.

Squirrels follow a simple map.

They identify landmarks.

They follow directions.

They solve a clue.

They complete a small observation challenge.

Then they return to the starting point.

It doesn’t need to be a long course.

The objective is to make navigation feel like an adventure.

Start With Landmarks

For young children, landmarks are often more useful than technical navigation.

A Squirrel is more likely to understand:

“Walk towards the big tree.”

than:

“Travel 50 metres on a bearing.”

That’s perfectly fine.

Navigation skills can become more sophisticated as they get older.

Introduce Maps Gradually

Don’t give Squirrels a complicated topographical map and expect them to understand it immediately.

Start with a map they recognise.

A simple drawing of the meeting place is much easier to understand than an unfamiliar landscape.

Once they understand how a map represents real places, you can introduce more detail.

Make It an Adventure

Treasure hunts, secret missions and exploration games are excellent ways to teach navigation.

The Squirrels don’t necessarily need to know they’re learning a navigation skill.

They’re simply trying to find the next clue.

That makes the learning feel natural.

Final Thoughts

Navigation for Squirrels should be about confidence and awareness, rather than technical perfection.

Let them follow routes, recognise landmarks, understand simple maps and begin to think about direction.

As their confidence grows, you can gradually introduce more advanced skills such as grid references, map symbols and compass work.

🧭 THE BIG IDEA

Good navigation starts with knowing where you are.

Give Squirrels plenty of opportunities to look around, follow directions and understand how places connect together.

Keep the activities fun and the boundaries safe, and you’ll give them a strong foundation for the navigation skills they’ll develop as they progress through Scouting.