My daughter loves Brownies.
It is run by the same old dear that has been running it for the past 40yrs. They do have walk in the woods and campfires, but so far pack holiday has been inside.
My daughter became the first in the unit to ever do her watersports badge, which she is very proud of.
Most of the stuff is inside and with an arts and crafts orientation, but she doesn't get as much of that at home as she would like.
I'll agree some of the badges don't look very outdoors orientated, but a lot of what they do is down to leaders and opportunity. Its always worth asking if they want a hand with some skills development.
I was asked to assess our local Guide's for their survival badge a couple of years ago.
I turned up, after rushing around from work etc, to find them cooking a meal on the hob in the church kitchen.
I asked why they were cooking indoors and was told "It's raining!". No sign of shelter builing, or fire lighting etc.
I advised the leader that I would come back at a later date, when they were ready to be re assessed, but have not been asked back!
Simon
Again its down to perception of what is possible.
I am also for my sins a guide leader. I volunteered because the unit was about to fold as they couldn't get any helpers.
When they did their survival badge they cooked a three course meal outdoors over an open fire, built a shelter in the woods (when it was dark and I didn't let them have torches), they had to show how to navigate and how they could find north without a compass, they used firesteels and a bow drill to light fires and had to identify six edible plants, I forget what else.
There was lots of shrieks about going into the woods without being able to turn on a torch and for some of the girls just being outside in the dark was a new thing.
Unfortunatly most of them wouldn't go to Scouts because they do like being able to mess around as girls and not worry about their 'image' in front of boys.
I used to be a bit dismissive of this influence untill I was out rafting with the guides and they hid behind some bushes when some boys appeared as they didn't want to be seen in wetsuits.