Scouting, no matter what others may say, remains as one of the most enjoyable and learning experiences young children everywhere can have during their early years. In the UK, various groups and organizations, such as the Scout Association, continue to spread the goodwill of scouting in the UK and the rest of the world. Overall, scouting helps develop various skills and teaches young kids to be responsible and disciplined. In addition, it also represents fun, outdoor-related activities, such as boy scout camping, hiking, and the like.
When it comes to outdoor activities, camping is till high up on the list of enjoyable outdoor camping activities for young girls and boys. However, it also has its share of risks, which is why proper measures, such as campground procedures and scout fire safety, should be implemented to make the experience a safe one. Here’s what you can teach young campers as they get ready for their next boy scout camping activity.
1. Avoiding attacks from wild animals
Spending a few days camping outdoors may sound like a lot of fun. However, young campers must be well aware of the common dangers they will face, and one of the most important of these is the danger of being attacked by wild animals. Chances are, the animals that will be encountered during camping are wild animals and are hostile to humans. Fortunately, encounters with such animals may be lessened if your child knows what to do.
Tips: Do not startle and provoke wild animals; they usually only attack when provoked. Another tip is to not leave out food overnight, because doing so will likely encourage wild animals to forage near the campsite.
2. Preventing cooking accidents
Living outdoors for a few days will mean that the children will be cooking over a fire and could be handling the fuel materials themselves. Of course, they will be under your supervision as their scoutmaster; however, you still cannot discount accidents from occurring. The best defence against this is preparation and some basic information. A useful advice is to set up the cooking area in a separate area away from the tents. Other tips are listed below.
Tips: Pack cooking gloves that young campers can use as they handle hot cooking equipment. Next, teach young campers about scout fire safety, including the proper usage of fuels used for cooking, such as igniting fluids, cooking oil, etc. Finally, always have a bucket of water near the cooking area. This will be used to douse off any fire that becomes too unmanageable.
3. Proper procedures related to campfires
Of course, no boy scout camping activity is complete without an open campfire at night. Since this cannot be completely avoided, some useful tips are in order to ensure scout fire safety.
Tips: Contain the campfire by using a stainless pit where you can all place the firewood; this will help contain the fire and not allow it to spread to nearby areas. Next tip is to keep the campfire a little far from the tents; a small spark could set a tent on fire so, proximity should be considered. Finallly, for complete scout fire safety, do not leave a campfire burning long after everyone has gone back to his tent to sleep. Douse the fire with water and check to see if no embers remain.
