Scouting and Girlguiding Activities

Use your senses to explore the environment around you, then identify what plants and animals live there!

Beaver Badges

My Outdoor Challenge
– Take part in an activity using natural things like leaves, bark, twigs, sand or rocks.
– Point out and name five different types of animal, insect, bird or fish that you might find near where you live. Find out about the food they eat and the places they live.

My World Challenge 
– Do at least one activity to help you learn about the natural world around you. These could be: pond dipping, mini-beast hunting, growing something from seed, leaf printing or something similar agreed with your leader.

My Adventure Challenge 
– Go on a ramble or a nature walk with a purpose

Come and investigate what lives in the pond!

Beaver Badges

My Outdoor Challenge 
– Point out and name five different types of animal, insect, bird or fish that you might find near where you live. Find out about the food they eat and the places they live.

My World Challenge 
– Do at least one activity to help you learn about the natural world around you. These could be: pond dipping, mini-beast hunting, growing something from seed, leaf printing or something similar agreed with your leader

Come and follow a trail, build shelters and cook on an open fire!

Beaver Badges

My Adventure Challenge 
– Take part in six other outside activities.

Camp Craft
– Collect wood and help to build a fire
– Cook on a fire or barbecue

Come and explore a local environment and see what you can discover! (Environment dependent on centre location)

Beaver Badges

Explore 
– Decide where to explore (seashore, woodland, forest, town)
– Think about what you expect to find
– Go on the exploration
– Tell other Beavers what you have discovered

Learn how to identify living things in the natural environment and create some natural art!

Cub Badges

Naturalist
Learn how to identify six different living things from two of these categories:

• Trees
• Garden birds
• Water birds
• Minibeasts and insects
• Wild flowers
• Pond dwellers
• Fungi
• Butterflies and moths

– Learn the countryside code and how to follow it
– Choose one of these activities to do:
Create a piece of art using natural material.

Gardener (if minibeasting) 
– Understand what mini beasts are and why they are good for our gardens and outdoor spaces. Visit a bug hotel and record what you find living there.

Learn about how we can protect our planet! Find out about recycling and how we can reduce energy and water. Take part in an environmental project!

Cub Badges

Environmental Conservation 
– Learn how to separate recyclable and non-recyclable rubbish ready for collection. Find out where to take recyclable items that cannot be collected with your normal rubbish.
– Find out how to reduce the energy and water you use in your home. Show how you have encouraged your family to reduce water and energy use over four weeks.
– Find out about one type of renewable energy. Talk to your leader about the advantages and disadvantages of the technology.
– Take part in two projects with a group of other people. You could:

• Clear a ditch, pond or creek
• Make, set up and look after a bird feeder, table, nesting box or bath
• Look after a piece of land or garden
• Tidy up a piece of wasteland
• Take part in an anti-litter campaign
• Plant a tree or shrub
• Look after a compost bin

Our World Challenge 
– Take part in an activity about the environment

Take turns to set trails and build shelters that would help you to survive!

Cub Badges

Our Adventure Challenge 
– Take part in six other outside activities. At least two of them should be new to you.

Our Outdoors Challenge 
– Build a shelter big enough for two Cubs

Come and work on an environmental project such as clearing scrub or ponds (Will differ depending on what the centre can offer)

Scout Badge

World Challenge 
– Take an active part in an environmental project

Learn to identify the trees in a woodland and how to manage them including the use of forestry equipment.

Scout Badge

Forester 
– Identify at least eight common types of tree that grow in your area including both deciduous and coniferous
– Find out how to identify trees using identification keys
– Prepare the soil and successfully transplant a young tree
– Find out how both natural woodland and commercial forests are manages. Be aware of the damage these areas may be exposed to from wind, frost, fire and animals.
– Show how to select, use and care for forestry equipment, and know the safety issues involved.
– Show how to fell and trim out a tree or lay a hedge

Learn about the different ways to measure weather and have a go yourself!

Scout Badge

Meteorologist 
– Explain how each of these are measured:

• Wind force and direction
• Cloud type and extent
• Temperature
• Pressure
• Rainfall
• Humidity

– Record the weather conditions every day for two weeks, or once a week for three months
– Identify different cloud types. Describe how they are formed
– What do ‘warm’ and ‘cold’ air masses in summer and winter do to the typical weather in your area? Describe the effects on land and sea
– Explain how weather forecasts are created
– Show that you understand a synoptic weather map, including fronts and isobars. Explain how the measurements in step 1 relate to the map

Explore the natural environment and investigate the wildlife and plants that live there! (Location will vary depending on the centre)

Scout Badge

Naturalist 
– With appropriate permission, spend at least one day at one of these locations and investigate the wildlife and plants found there:

• Woodland or parkland
• Down land
• Moor land
• Seashore or sand dune
• Hedgerow
• Roadside verge
• Stream, river or canal
• Small pond
• Wetland or marshland

– Tell a knowledgeable adult what you discovered. Show them your field notes, sketches, photographs or maps.
– Find out more about a plant, animal or particular wildlife from your chosen location.
– Discuss what you found out, giving sources for information from places like museums, field guides or the internet.
– Discuss how human activities or land management can affect wildlife

Take it in turns to use a variety of methods to find your way!  Create maps and clues to direct other groups on your very own treasure hunt!

Scout Staged Badge

Navigator Stage 1 
– Locate yourself on a simple map. You could use a map of a local park, nature reserve, zoo, or even a theme park.
– Identify a number of features or locations on that map
– Learn the four cardinal points of a compass
– Draw a simple map of where you live, your meeting place or another area local to you.
– Use a map during an outdoor activity.
– Show you understand how to dress appropriately and what equipment you and the adults will need on the activity

Learn to read 4 figure grid references, identify common symbols and use a key on an OS maps. Use a map to complete a navigation exercise, learn the 8 points of a compass and have a go to use a compass to navigate.

Scout Staged Badge

Navigator Stage 2 
– Learn how to read a four-figure grid reference
– Understand how to use the key of a map
– Use a map during an outdoor activity
– Draw a simple map to direct someone from your meeting place to a local point of interest
– With other Scouts, go for a walk with a leader around the local area. Take it in turns to use one of these methods of navigation:

• Written instructions
• Recorded instructions
• Road signs
• Tracking signs
• Maps

– Learn the eight points of a compass and use them in an activity
– Show you know how to dress appropriately for the activities involved in this badge and what equipment you and the adults need on the activities

Through a range of activities learn to read and identify locations using 6 figure grid references. Using a range of maps to compare their scales and recognise conventional map symbols.  (May not be able to include 5km walk dependant on time available)

Scout Staged Badge

Navigator 3 
– Learn how to read a six figure grid reference
– Understand contour lines on an Ordnance Survey map
– Using 1:50000 and 1:25000 scale Ordnance Survey maps show that you understand the meaning of scale. Can set the map to north and can recognise conventional map symbols.
– Follow and walk a route of at least 5km, using a map to navigate for at least part of the journey. Your leader can plan the route but you’ll work with your team, or take turns, to navigate
– Show you know how to dress appropriately and what kit you and your group will need

• The activities are 2 hours long, and can be booked at weekends, evenings and school holidays.
• They are available at FSC Amersham, FSC Epping Forest, FSC London: Beckenham Place Park, FSC London: Bushy Park, FSC London: Greenwich Park and FSC London Regent’s Park
• Exact activities will be agreed between the group leader and the centre.
• Not all activities are available at every location, the listed activities are examples and are subject to final agreement.
• Activities are subject to change for reasons including group, time of year, weather, availability.
• All activities are £5 per child with a minimum fee of £50+VAT