Explore Explorer activities, challenges, badges, outdoor activities, progression and practical skills designed for young people developing independence and outdoor confidence.
What Is the Chief Scout’s Platinum Award? The Chief Scout’s Platinum Award is one of the top awards available to Explorer Scouts. It gives Explorers the opportunity to develop their skills, take on new challenges and demonstrate commitment both within Scouting and beyond it. It…
Outdoor cooking is one of those skills that becomes much more interesting when Explorers are given responsibility. Instead of simply following a recipe, they can plan a meal, choose ingredients, organise equipment and work out how to cook everything safely. Camping also introduces challenges that…
Nature provides an endless supply of things for Explorers to discover. A woodland isn’t just somewhere to walk through. It’s a place to investigate wildlife, identify plants, understand habitats, observe changing seasons and learn how human activity affects the natural world. At Explorer level, nature…
First aid is one of the most important skills an Explorer can learn. An accident can happen during a hike, expedition, camping trip, cooking activity or simply while going about everyday life. Knowing what to do can make a difficult situation much easier to manage….
Navigation is one of the most valuable outdoor skills an Explorer can develop. At Explorer level, navigation can move beyond simple map-reading exercises. Young people can start making their own route decisions, interpreting more complicated terrain, using different navigation methods and solving realistic problems. The…
Camping gives Explorers the chance to put their outdoor skills into practice. It’s one thing to learn how to use a map, cook outdoors or put up a tent during a meeting. It’s another thing to use those skills as part of a real camping…
The King’s Scout Award is the highest youth achievement in Scouts. It is available to Explorer Scouts and Scout Network members and is designed to recognise sustained commitment, personal development, service, adventure and leadership. It isn’t a badge that can be completed in a few…
The Explorer section is where young people can start taking much more ownership of their Scouting experience. The new Explorer Challenge Awards are designed around that idea. Rather than simply completing a series of short activities, Explorers choose a meaningful challenge, plan how they are…
Looking for a simple printable of the Scout Promise? This free printable is an easy way for Scouts to learn and practise their Promise at home or at their Scout meeting. The Scout Promise is an important part of being a Scout. Having the Promise…
By the time young people reach Explorers, knot work can become much more interesting than simply learning a list of knots. The real skill is knowing which knot to use, why to use it and how to check that it has been tied correctly. That’s…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Shelter-building activities should take place in a suitable, supervised area following an appropriate risk assessment. Check for unstable trees and branches, steep ground, water hazards and other environmental risks before starting. Never encourage Explorers to climb trees, construct unstable structures or deliberately…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Fire activities should only take place with appropriate adult supervision, suitable facilities, permission and a completed risk assessment. Follow your organisation’s current fire-safety guidance and any restrictions applying to the site. Keep suitable extinguishing equipment immediately available and never leave a fire…