As the winter evenings draw in, here are some fun activities from our partner Cotswold Outdoor to help you brighten up a night outdoors or a meeting

Transcription

1 As the winter evenings draw in, here are some fun activities from our partner Cotswold Outdoor to help you brighten up a night outdoors or a meeting after dark 5

2 Make sure you take plenty of photos of landmarks and scenery Check the length of the hike needed to complete each stage of the Hikes Away Staged Activity Badge at bit.ly/hikesaway 2 Glow trail Put night tracking skills to the test SUITABLE FOR CUBS 1 Night hike Equipped with torches, cameras and a keen vision, Beavers will enjoy a walk in the dark SUITABLE FOR BEAVERS minutes l Photo sheet, one per group (prepare beforehand) l Torch l Pencil Choose the location and plan the route for the hike. Woodland, fields, local parks, even walking around the local area all work well. With a camera, walk the route and make an observation sheet by taking photos of landmarks, bits of scenery and anything unusual along the way. To make the activity more interesting, take photos from odd angles and take close-ups. Give each Beaver an observation sheet and get them to walk the route in the dark with torches. The aim is to look for the objects on the observation sheet and tick off the ones they see. To take the entire group out you ll need extra supervisors. Alternatively, take smaller groups out one at a time on a hike closer to the meeting place minutes l Sticks l Small stones or pebbles l Glow in the dark paint l Paintbrushes Divide the section into small groups and ask them to find materials that can be used to lay a trail. Paint the materials with glow in the dark paint, eg sticks, twigs, stones, bits of bark, cardboard etc. On the night hike ask the section to get into their small groups. Each group takes it in turns to lay a short trail of around 100 metres To download a tracking signs handout, go to bit.ly/ TrackingSigns 6

3 Don t forget to paint the materials with glow-in-thedark paint 3 Top secret navigation Use Morse Code to navigate at night for another group to follow. You could also lay the trail in advance so the whole group can go night tracking together. Make sure you have the proper supervision in place and agree an end of activity signal, such as a long blast on a whistle. At this sound, Cubs should assemble at the agreed point. SUITABLE FOR SCOUTS 1½ 2 hours l Compass l Pencils l Top secret instruction sheet (one per group) l Morse Code Training Aid (one per group) l Torch Decide your route and map out various paths on that route you want one path for each group. You should all start at the same point and finish together in the same location. Transfer these into top secret Morse Code directions, for example: FROM: Starting point ALONG:._......_.._.._..... _.. (River Roding) PAST: _._.. _.. _..._... (Old Oak Tree) TO: Finishing point Download your morse code training aid at bit.ly/morsecodetraining 1 Give each group their briefing sheet in an envelope, along with the Morse Code training sheet. They cannot open the envelopes until the game begins. 2 Set a time limit and then start the game. 3 Make it more challenging by doing the activity in silence. Split each group into two and give one half the top secret instructions and the other half the Morse Code Training Aid. The half with the instructions can use their torch to relay the message to the other half of the group, who has the code so they can work out the route on the instructions. Make sure the route is properly patrolled. 7

4 4 Bells and whistles This exciting night-time game will put listening skills to the test SUITABLE FOR SCOUTS AND EXPLORERS minutes l Tokens for each team l Bell l Whistle Decide and mark out the area boundaries and a base. Agree a return to base signal, eg three blasts on a whistle. Give each Scout one token to start. 1 Two leaders walk around the area sounding their bell and whistle at fixed intervals, eg once every 30 seconds or minute. 2 Scouts deliver their token to the leader with the bell or the leader with the whistle then return to base to collect another token. Scouts can only carry one token at a time. 3 When time is up or the Scouts have delivered all their tokens, the game is over. Scouts should collect at the base. SCORING Each team is scored according to which caller has the fewest tokens for that team. For example, if the bell ringer has 10 x Team A tokens and the whistler has 8 x Team A tokens, then Team A scores 8. The team should think about coordinating their deliveries to get equal numbers of tokens to each caller. Use a whistle or bell to let your Scouts know where you are 8

5 1. Burglar alarm SUITABLE FOR BEAVERS AND CUBS A leader should set a timer and hide it nearby while everyone closes their eyes or turns their backs. Once they come back to the group, everyone else has to find the timer before it goes off. The one who finds it wins and gets to hide it next. If the timer goes off before it is found, the person who hid it wins and can hide it again or choose someone to hide it next. 2. Alphabet backwards! Each member of the group is timed to see how long it takes them to say the alphabet backwards. The winner is the person who gets from Z to A in the shortest time. 3. Wink murder One member of the group has to close their eyes or leave the circle. The others silently decide on a murderer. Once the person who has left the group returns, the murders can begin. The murderer kills off the others around the circle by winking at them, whilst trying not to get caught! Around the campfire Keep your section entertained around the campfire with these fun activities 4. The letter game One person says a letter and another has 30 seconds to say as many words as they can that begin with that letter. Go around the circle using different letters; the winner is the person who says the most words. SUITABLE FOR SCOUTS AND EXPLORERS 5. Famous names Choose a popular first name, eg John. Go around the circle thinking of famous people with that name, eg John Lennon, John Travolta. When someone gets stuck and can t think of another name, they re out. 6. Two truths and a lie Everyone in the group shares three facts about themselves: two are true, but one is made up. The other players have to guess which one is the lie. The person sharing their facts has to try and convince the others that the lie is true and that one of their truths is a lie. Cotswold Outdoor shares The Scout Association s passion for adventure and all things outdoors and partners the Hikes Away Activity Badge. Working towards the Hikes Away Staged Activity Badge gives Scouts of all ages the opportunity to become confident, knowledgeable and experienced in the outdoors. To find out more, visit scouts.org.uk/cotswold. 9