Practical resources for Scout leaders, including badge guidance, activity ideas, teaching tips, safety advice and resources to help Scouts develop essential skills.
Spending time outdoors is one of the best ways for Scouts to appreciate the environment, but enjoying the outdoors also comes with a responsibility to look after it. The Leave No Trace Challenge gets Scouts thinking about how small decisions can affect the places they…
When something goes wrong outdoors, the first instinct can be to rush in and try to fix it. Good decision-making means stopping first, working out what has happened and deciding what help is actually needed. The Rescue Relay is a fictional team challenge that introduces…
Being outdoors isn’t always about having perfect weather. A good Scout learns how to prepare for conditions that are cold, wet or windy and, just as importantly, recognises when their clothing or equipment isn’t suitable. This activity gives Scouts a series of practical situations to…
A good survival activity isn’t always about having the right equipment. It’s also about being able to look around, notice what is available and make sensible decisions about how it could be used. The Survival Scavenger Hunt turns this idea into a simple team challenge….
Knot tying is one of those traditional outdoor skills that becomes much more useful when Scouts understand why they are tying a particular knot rather than simply trying to memorise its name. This activity turns knot practice into a series of short challenges. Scouts work…
Knowing how to attract attention can be just as important as knowing where to go. In an emergency, shouting may not always work. A person might be too far away to hear, visibility might be poor, or the environment might make communication difficult. This activity…
Sometimes the best way to test teamwork is to take away the talking. The Silent Scout Challenge is a simple, energetic activity that gets Scouts working together without using their voices. They’ll need to communicate through gestures, eye contact and careful observation to complete a…
Activity Type: Fire Safety & Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Indoors or a suitable outdoor areaEquipment: Scenario cards, paper and pens Activity Overview This activity teaches young people to recognise when a fire is becoming unsafe and make sensible decisions before a…
Activity Type: Camping & CampcraftAge Range: Cubs, Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Indoors or outdoorsEquipment: A selection of camping equipment, or printed pictures/cards of equipment Activity Overview This activity challenges young people to decide what they actually need for a camping trip. The objective isn’t…
Activity Type: Teamwork & Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor areaEquipment: Rope, a few natural or safe everyday objects, paper and pencils Activity Overview This activity gives young people a series of short outdoor problems to solve as a…
Activity Type: NavigationAge Range: Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor areaEquipment: Maps, compasses and pencils Activity Overview This activity gets young people thinking about navigation rather than simply following instructions. The challenge is to give them a destination and let them decide how they…
Activity Type: Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Cubs, Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor areaEquipment: Rope, tarpaulin or groundsheet, sticks or poles where appropriate Activity Overview This activity challenges young people to work together to create a simple emergency shelter. The emphasis isn’t on building the…
