Introduction
This camp theme is centered around the popular topic of Scouting. Enjoyed by over 30 million young people worldwide, in nearly 200 countries. Scouting is enjoyed by so many across the planet we thought it would be a great topic for a camp theme.
Duration
This theme is designed to last a weekend, from Friday night to Sunday afternoon.
Activities
Beavers
Beavers are the foundation of Scouting in the UK & Canada, although the youngest section has other names around the world including Joeys and Keas. We suggest the following activities to help them get into the theme of Scouting, and to start their #skillsforlife journey.
| Tick Box | Activity | Badge Link |
|---|---|---|
| [ ] | Camp outside in tents with your Colony for at least one night | Link |
| [ ] | Help put up a tent | Link |
| [ ] | Build and light a fire | Link |
| [ ] | Learn how to tie three simple knots | Link |
| [ ] | Cook over a fire (e.g. twists or s’mores) | Link |
| [ ] | Learn a new campfire song and perform it | Link |
| [ ] | Set up your bed and sleeping bag | Link |
| [ ] | Find out how Beavers live in the wild | Link |
| [ ] | Draw a picture of the original Beaver uniform and name 3 differences | Link |
| [ ] | Take part in a brand new adventurous activity with your Colony | Link |
Cubs
Building on Scouting skills developed in the youngest section, Cubs can get really involved in the Scouting theme; here are some suggested activities and links to an appropriate badge.
| Tick Box | Activity | Badge Link |
|---|---|---|
| [ ] | Cubs sleeping outside for 2 or 3 nights | Link |
| [ ] | Help to pitch and strike your tent | Link |
| [ ] | Cook a Backwoods meal with your tent buddies | Link |
| [ ] | Show you know what things you need to do to look after your campsite and kit | Link |
| [ ] | Make, name and look after an imaginary camp pet… | Link |
| [ ] | Build a shelter/bivouac for two, and sleep in it for at least one night of your camp | Link |
| [ ] | Make a useful camp gadget | Link |
| [ ] | Erect and use a weather stone to give local weather forecast | Link |
| [ ] | Make a woggle out of something you have on camp, e.g. wood or cord, using knife skills or knots | Link |
| [ ] | Perform a campfire skit or teach a new song | Link |
Scouts
Scouts is where the Scouting theme really comes into its own, almost if it was tailor made for them. Building on the Outdoor skills gained from Beavers and Cubs, Scouts experience the confidence to be able to fend for themselves with minimal interference from grown ups.
| Tick Box | Activity | Badge Link |
|---|---|---|
| [ ] | Scouts sleep for at least 2 nights as part of a Troop, Group, District or larger event or on a Nights Away Passport. | Link |
| [ ] | Create a free standing Damboree sign or camp gateway using pioneering skills and materials. | Link |
| [ ] | With others, pitch and strike your tents on the event, including kitchen/storage as well as sleeping. | Link |
| [ ] | Be part of a group of Scouts to arrange and set up a well-organised site. It should include sleeping tents, food and equipment stores, a fire or stove, kitchen and eating area. | Link |
| [ ] | Explore the environment of your camp and make sure you know where everything is. Respect the environment you are in and, at the end of the camp, leave the site as you found it. Take steps to reduce any harm to the environment. | Link |
| [ ] | Show how to use an axe, saw AND knife safely, setup an appropriate area for this activity. | Link |
| [ ] | Build a bivouac and sleep in it for the entire event, ensure your creation is robust and secure enough to last. | Link |
| [ ] | Paracord stuff; Be creative and teach others different techniques, e.g. woggles, bracelets, keyrings etc. | Link |
| [ ] | Plan and run a wide game for the event, at least 2 hours of activity. | Link |
| [ ] | Take an active part in a campfire or other entertainment, including laying and tending to the fire and ensuring it is well controlled. | Link |
| [ ] | Lead and run the cooking of an entire meal for the event. Understand the importance of food hygiene and a balanced diet and how that can work at camp. | Link |
| [ ] | Perform a campfire skit or teach a new song. | Link |
Explorers
Explorers and Young Leaders are in the unique position when it comes to a Scouting themed camp, as they can both show off the skills they have learnt along the way, through educating their peers or leading the younger sections to develop those important #skillsforlife.
For this theme we suggest that Explorers and Young Leaders can partake in both the Scouts level activities, but obviously bigger and better, with more flames and more bacon, as well as supporting the camp organisers & helpers (see below).
Event Organisers, Leaders, Young Leaders and Parent Helpers
There is even a programme of activities for yourselves as part of this Scouting themed camp. You are a vital component of a successful Scouting themed camp, whether that’s preparation in advance, the point of execution, or helping provide drying space for wet tents.
| Tick Box | Activity | Link |
|---|---|---|
| [ ] | Mentor another leader through the Permit process | Link |
| [ ] | Organise a Damboree camping event for your Colony, Pack, Troop or Group | Link |
| [ ] | Take an active role in a larger District or County Damboree Event | Link |
| [ ] | Be a non-Uniformed or Parent helper on a Damboree Event | Link |
| [ ] | Be a Young Leader on a Damboree Event | Link |
| [ ] | Be a Uniformed helper on a Damboree Event | Link |
| [ ] | Be a Parent/Grandparent/Carer/Guardian helper on a Damboree Event | Link |
Menu & Feeding Times
Menu
Scouting themed camping can be a huge energy consumer as the young people get deep into the Scouting themed activities, so we propose the following meal schedule.
Whilst we will propose menu ideas on other themes, as we write them, Scouting themed camps should be youth led. The young people should be involved in the menu selection, as with the activities above, they should be involved in some elements of the preparation & cooking (we know, scary huh?).
Feeding Times
| Time | Meal |
|---|---|
| 07:00 | Breakfast |
| 09:00 | Second Breakfast |
| 11:00 | Elevenses (D’uh!) |
| 12:00-14:00 | Variable Lunchtime Window |
| 16:00 | High Tea |
| 17:30 | Dinner |
| 19:00 | Supper |
| 21:00 | Hot Chocolate and Biccies |
If you’ve made it this far down the page, you will realise this is somewhat tongue in cheek. Scouting is a great theme for camping across all age ranges, and Damboree provides a framework for those Scouting themed camps to take place.
The Turquoise, Emerald, and Teal badges are based around the Outdoor Challenge badge which forms part of the Chief Scouts award for the relevant section.
Silver badges for adults are a way of rewarding yourselves and those who enable your camps whether that’s warm bodies for ratios, or full-on active participants.
Those who take young people camping, we salute you.
Links to Additional Resources
The following links are suitable activities for Scouting themed camps, you will need to vary the levels of support and supervision as part of your risk assessment – Beavers will need more hands on support than Scouts, and Explorers may need more fire extinguishers available than Cubs.
You know your young people and their abilities, to arrange the right levels of supervision, and drink lots of hot beverages, although camp tea in a metal mug is vile.
Contributors
| Name | Link |
|---|---|
