Calling all scouty types and bushcrafters!

[mikethescout]

Hey all,

Our explorer unit needs a new programme for the winter months... We are stuck inside at the moment, and we need ideas for back-to-basics scouting/bushcraft. Any ideas of what we can do??
Ideas for the outdoors in winter also welcome, we shall see if we can get out to do them!

Thanks guys..

Mike

 

[Wayland]

You could always teach them about Kolrosing if they are OK with craft knives.

 

[rik_uk3]

Mike, kit repairs spring to mind. If your an old troop you may have things like old Primus stoves stored away somewhere; these can be fettled back to life easily (if you find some PM me and I'll help where I can).

 

[mikethescout]

Good idea wayland! Will see what everyone else thinks, but i like it.

Kit repairs would be good if we had any.. As we dont actually have a scout hut, we dont have anywhere to store it, so dont have any!

Mike

 

[Mikey P]

How about some indoor navigation training and then go out somewhere and do it for real. You could do some pace measurement - work out how many paces to 100m. Then, do some more stuff on Naismith's rules, route cards and map reading, then plan some routes and maybe do some of them.

Map work / navigation are essential skills and time on them now is well spent.

Knot work? Just the basics - you don't have to go into the whole lashing thing - but you could include how to coil/store ropes properly, checking them for serviceability, etc.

Just a few ideas ...

 

[SimonM]

Map work
Knife skills (Spoon carving / pot hangers / tent pegs)
First Aid
Fire lighting
Cooking on stoves
Knot work with Scouts staves / broom handles

HTH

Simon

 

[VtBlackdog]

Boys Life (the US Scouting magazine) had an article this month on ice climbing.....the scouts didn't have a naturual place to do it, so they covered the side of a silo with water to make a man made wall of ice....last month was an article about making boy-powered dog sleds (boy sleds?), using just lashing or pegs for building it, then set up course outside for the race with several stations (fire making, track id'ing, knot tying, etc)....for indoors, I would go with really good first aid training, maybe ski or snowshoe making?

 

[QDanT]

As we dont actually have a scout hut,
Mike

Build a log cabin
sorry :twak:
Danny

 

[Bumpy]

Have a look here:
http://www.thedump.scoutscan.com/nonfict.html

How about having a good look through one of the pioneering books and doing tabletop "mini" pioneering using wooden dowel lengths and string? At least that way the Elf 'n' Safety people won't be on at you telling you "You can't do that..."

 

[Celt_Ginger]

First aid.
Build Models of different types of shelter.
Discuss different types of fire and what woods are good to burn. (A computer showing pictures is a good aid.
International distress signals.........discuss different types and how to respond
Home made water purifiers......add some peat to normal tap water and then filter it out again
Show slides of different plants and discuss their uses.
(page 100 of the Scout Badge book has some info on what is required for the Survival skills badge)

 

[VtBlackdog]

get a video camera and have them produce thier own bushcråft "tv" show

 

[Minotaur]

The first thing I would do is plan next year. Also a good time for patrol, and personnel planning. Think about badges etc, some everyone may do by default, but others might only apply to the odd scout. One thing we found was the main path stuff with a hard look could often have a couple of things added, and you get another badge as well.

Planning helps you plan your indoor activities around what they need to learn for next year's outdoor stuff. Stops you wasting time outdoors. It also is a good way to point at the calendar and go we need this for next year. The cry of this is boring, I agree but we need it to build bridges, shelters etc.

One of the things needed for certain things (Knots, lashing etc) is repeation, so that can get a little boring.

Also it is a good time for kit checks, development, and making stuff.

Map stuff can be a good thing to plan as the weather gets more dependable.

Hikes etc need checking so that is often a good plan for your seniors.

Also getting outside people in, now is the time to do First Aid Courses etc.

 

[brancho]

Go on a night hike