Practical safety guidance for Scouts, leaders, parents and outdoor groups, covering activity safety, emergency planning, equipment, fire, supervision and water safety.
Activity Overview Difficulty: Easy–ModerateTime: 15–20 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor activity areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Fire safety, ferrocerium rod handling, spark control, situational awareness and campcraft A ferrocerium rod is generally straightforward to use, but it produces very…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 20–30 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor fire areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Fire lighting, ferrocerium rod use, tinder preparation, fire safety and campcraft A ferrocerium rod, often called a ferro rod or fire steel, produces…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 20–30 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor fire areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Fire lighting, fire safety, preparation, observation and campcraft Lighting a fire with matches is a basic campcraft skill, but the preparation of the…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Easy–ModerateTime: 15–30 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and outdoor campsBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Observation, campcraft, organisation, hazard awareness and teamwork A camp inspection is a planned check of the campsite, tents, equipment and general organisation. For a Scout…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 30–60 minutes to learn and practiseLocation: Campsites, activity centres and outdoor campsBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, adult volunteers, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Emergency response, communication, first aid awareness, evacuation, hazard management and decision-making Campsite emergency procedures are the agreed…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 15–20 minutes to learn; ongoing during campingLocation: Campsites, woodland, hills and other outdoor camping areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Tent pitching, knots, tensioning, campsite organisation and weather awareness Tent guy lines are cords attached to…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 20–40 minutesLocation: Scout hut, campsite, outdoors or before an activityBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult volunteersSkills: Planning, adaptability, decision-making, problem-solving, teamwork and leadership Contingency planning means deciding what you will do if your original plan can’t happen as…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 30–60 minutes to prepare; review regularlyLocation: Scout hut, campsite, outdoor activity area or before an expeditionBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult volunteersSkills: Planning, communication, navigation, leadership, decision-making and emergency response Emergency planning means deciding what you will do…
