Survival Themed Camp
Why not have a go at a survival themed camp with you group? Go back to basics to learn some new bushcraft skills.
Running a survival themed camp
Here are some ideas for how you could plan a survival themed camp around our Scouts Survival Skills Activity Badge, supported by Victorinox.
We’ve included some activities to complete throughout the weekend, but you can also find more in our Scouts Activity Finder.
Friday Evening
Collect fuel, spark flames, and learn how to craft the perfect fire. Don’t forget to safely extinguish it too.
Learn the survival essentials needed on an outdoor adventure with a game of bingo.
Saturday Morning
Things won’t always go to plan - explore the benefits of having a backup ready to go.
Put your first aid skills to the test in these survival style situations.
Can you find 10 ways to turn a tarpaulin into a survival shelter fit for a good night’s sleep?
Use knots and lashings to create camp gadgets that take your site to the next level.
Saturday Afternoon
Learn how to safely use and take care of a knife, then put your skills to the test by creating a simple peg.
Search your surroundings and use natural materials to clean up your water source.
Work in small teams to build dens using materials from the environment around you.
Build shelters from natural and manmade materials. Which one will you prefer?
Sunday Morning
Search your surroundings and use natural materials to clean up your water source.
Be dope with rope and build to your heart's content with these smashing knots and lashings.
Sunday Afternoon
Create your own personal survival kit to make sure you’re prepared.
Practise different ways to send messages and stay safe in a survival situation.
Evening activities and time fillers
Try magnetising a compass
Magnetise before your eyes to create real working compasses from scratch!
Compass craftingGo on a tracking treasure hunt
Spice up mealtimes in the outdoors by following trails in this tasty tracking trial.
Tracking down dinnerPlay a wide game
Try playing this classic wide game, Capture The Flag, and try not to get caught.
Capture the flagLearn what to wear in any weather
Choose the correct clothing for the outdoor activity, but watch out for the weather.
Learn what to wear in any weatherTry some campfire cooking
Discover our campfire recipes and cook up lots of delicious dishes.
Take a look at the recipesHave a campfire sing-a-long
Did you know singing can help keep spirits up and increase your chances of survival? Singing as a group may help rescuers to locate you!
Take a look at our exciting list of campfire songsStaying safe on camp
All Scout activities must be safely managed, including on camp. All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible too.
You must complete a risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. You can use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity.
Remember to always get approval for the activities, have consent forms in place, have suitable adult supervision on camp, and have an InTouch process in place.
Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
When planning a camp, make sure you have completed a Nights Away Notification form and have all the relevant Nights Away permits in place. You may need an Adventurous activity permit, too.
For a survival camp, some areas to consider include: