Practical resources for Scout leaders, including badge guidance, activity ideas, teaching tips, safety advice and resources to help Scouts develop essential skills.
A practical lost outdoors activity for Scouts that teaches young people what to do when a walk, hike or outdoor activity doesn’t go according to plan. Rather than turning getting lost into a frightening scenario, this activity focuses on calm decision-making. Teams work through realistic…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
A teamwork challenge with a twist: teams must complete a series of outdoor tasks while communication is restricted. The activity encourages young people to think carefully, use non-verbal communication and adapt when their usual way of working isn’t available. It needs very little equipment and…
