Try a checkpoint challenge

You’ll need

Pens or pencils
A4 paper
Copies of a map of the area
Challenges or prizes for each checkpoint
Appropriate outdoor clothing and equipment

Before you begin - plan your route

Find a map of the area. If you can’t find one that’s the right scale, you could draw your own grid on any suitable map.
Choose a starting point, and record its grid reference.
Choose a final destination, and record its grid reference. It can be the same as the starting place, to make it easier.
Plot a route from the starting point to the final destination. Include a number of checkpoints along the way, and plot their grid references.
Make it more exciting by leaving something for people to find or collect at each checkpoint. It’s up to you what you leave – information to give a clue about the final destination, snacks for the journey, or a challenge to take a picture of a certain thing, or act something out along the way.

Prepare to spot

In a meeting before this activity, everyone should talk about what they’ll near to wear, and what they may need to bring with them. They should make a list (with words or pictures) and check it with the person leading the activity. People might want to think about:

What time of year is it? What clothing do you need in this season? What clothing don’t you need in this season but might need at another time of year?
Do you need to check the weather forecast before you get ready? Why? What will it tell you?
Do you need any specialist equipment for this activity? What specialist equipment should you leave behind (for example, this isn’t the time for buoyancy aids)?
What might happen if you wear the wrong sorts of clothes for an activity? Would you enjoy it less? Could it be dangerous?
What extra things do the adults need to have with them (for example, a list of everyone’s emergency contact numbers)?

Go on the journey

Split into small groups. Give each group a map of the area and a list of the checkpoints – the starting point, each checkpoint, and the destination.
The first group should set off. They should walk to the first checkpoint and see what’s there. They should then walk to every checkpoint in order, and then the final destination.

Depending on where the final destination is, the group might need to walk back to the starting point and meet everyone there.

The second group should set off a little while after the first group. Usually 10 minutes between groups is fine.
Groups should continue setting off a little while after each other. The last group should take everything left at each checkpoint, so the activity leaves no trace.
Once all of the groups have returned, the person leading the game should count everything from the checkpoints, to check that they’ve all been cleared.

Reflection

This activity gave you a chance to value the outdoors. Did you enjoy being outside? What did you need to do first to make sure it was enjoyable (for example, make sure you had the right clothes)? Did having just the grid references (rather than a whole route) help you enjoy it more and feel more connected to the environment? Did you feel comfortable outside?

This activity also gave you a chance to be courageous. Did you have any worries before you started (for example, getting lost without a route, having to walk too far)? Did anyone else in your team have any worries? What did you do to help everyone give it a go anyway? Did any of the checkpoints ask you to do anything that wasn’t in your comfort zone, like act in a scene? How did you team support each other to challenge themselves?

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.