Practical resources for Scout leaders, including badge guidance, activity ideas, teaching tips, safety advice and resources to help Scouts develop essential skills.
Survival skills are not just about knowing how to light a fire, build a shelter or find your way through the woods. For children, learning these skills can be a fun and practical way to develop confidence, independence and an understanding of the world around…
Scouts learn to light fires because it teaches useful outdoor skills, responsibility, problem solving and fire safety. A fire can also be used for cooking, warmth and practical camping activities. Learning how to light one in a controlled and supervised setting helps young people understand…
Organising a weekend camp becomes much easier when you break it into smaller jobs. Start by choosing a suitable campsite and agreeing the dates, then plan the group, activities, food, equipment, transport and safety arrangements. Finish by checking the weather and equipment before you leave….
Good camp planning starts well before you arrive at the campsite. Use this checklist to work through the important details, from choosing a suitable site and planning activities to checking equipment, food, transport, weather and emergency arrangements. You do not need to complete everything at…
Not every countryside hazard is obvious. Before an activity, leaders should take time to look beyond the main path and consider what could be hidden by vegetation, darkness, weather or changes in the landscape. Look at the ground, water, surrounding area, weather, access points and…
Nature skills help Squirrels become more confident exploring the outdoors and noticing the world around them. Simple activities such as identifying leaves, listening for birds, spotting animal signs and learning about trees can turn an ordinary walk into an exciting nature adventure. What You’ll Learn…
A good safety briefing should tell everyone what they need to know to take part safely. Before starting, explain the main hazards, where people can and cannot go, the important rules, what to do if something goes wrong and who they should speak to if…
A simple water filter is a great way to introduce Scouts and young people to filtration, layers, materials and basic water treatment. Teams build their own filter from everyday materials, pour dirty water through it and compare the results. The experiment is easy to set…
Shelter building is a great way to turn outdoor skills into a practical team activity. Scouts have to think about materials, design, stability, weather, teamwork and the needs of the person who will use the shelter. Rather than simply asking teams to build the biggest…
Knots and lashings are classic outdoor skills that can turn a few lengths of rope and some poles into useful camp equipment. For Scouts, learning these skills doesn’t have to mean sitting in a circle tying the same knot repeatedly. Turn the session into a…
Fire lighting is a classic outdoor skill, but it should never be treated as simply a race to get a flame. A well-planned fire lighting activity can teach Scouts about preparation, responsibility, teamwork, fire safety and how to make sensible decisions outdoors. For younger or…
Survival skills don’t have to be taught through long demonstrations or serious training sessions. For Cubs and Scouts, turning survival skills into games can make learning more memorable, encourage teamwork and give young people the opportunity to practise useful skills in a fun way. These…
