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Theme:
Camping
Adventures
Snapshot of Let’s Camp
This meeting plan is for planning and conducting a Pack-organized overnight campout. It includes one Pack meeting and the campout. Camping is one of the most popular activities in Scouting and is one of the best ways families in the Pack can build strong relationships with each other.
It is recommended (not required) that Cub Scout earn the outdoor-themed required Adventures before completing the Adventure. The outdoor-themed required Adventures covers the buddy system, the Cub Scout Six Essentials, and planning for the walk is a good experience for leaders before planning a campout.
REQUIRED ADULT LEADER TRAINING – Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation. This leader is responsible for guiding the planning of the campout and must always be present for the campout. This guide provides references provided in Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation, but it does not take the place of the training.
Arrow of Light – There is no “Let’s Camp” Adventure for Arrow of Light. The required Adventure Outdoor Adventurer has camping as its theme. These meeting plans include requirements for Arrow of Light Scouts to complete the Outdoor Adventurer Adventure. Arrow of Light Scouts are to help with the planning of the campout. Provide them this opportunity by meeting with the Pack Committee to discuss location and date options and review the S.A.F.E. Checklist.
COUNCIL / DISTRICT ORGANIZED CUB SCOUT CAMPOUT – Your local council or district may conduct an overnight camping experience for Cub Scouts and their families. If your pack chooses to participate in a campout that is organized by the local council (or district), you are not required to have an adult volunteer leader trained in Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO), but it is recommended.
Safety Moment
Prior to any activity, use the Scouting America SAFE Checklist to ensure the safety of all those involved.
All participants in official Scouting America activities should become familiar with the Guide to Safe Scouting and applicable program literature or manuals.
Be aware of state or local government regulations that supersede Scouting America practices, policies, and guidelines.
To assist in the safe delivery of the program you may find specific safety items that are related to requirements for the Adventure.
Before starting this Adventure, review Digital Safety and Online Scouting Activities.
Review Age Appropriate Guidelines for Scouting Activities before camping.
When camping:
- Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) training is mandatory for a MINIMUM OF ONE adult on a pack. BALOO training consists of an online pre-requisite component in addition to an overnight hands-on practical. Scouting America’s Cub Scout-level camping policies will be taught, along with the discovery of the necessary tools to help units carry out a successful camping experience.
- Complete the online training “Hazardous Weather” training module that is part of the Position Specific Training for den leaders my.scouting. If you have already completed den leader, Cubmaster, or pack committee chair training online, then you have completed this module.
- Watch the Weather Related Safety Moment video (1 minute 48 seconds).
- Review the section on camping in the Guide to Safe Scouting.
- Review Behavior Around Campfires.
Before starting this adventure:
- Review the Food Allergies safety moment.
- Review each Cub Scouts Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record for any food allergies or restrictions.
- Ask if all members of the Pack, youth and adults, if they have any religious or cultural dietary concerns.
- If there is someone in the Pack, youth, or adults, who carries an EpiPen due to severe allergies, make sure that at least one other adult knows how to administer the EpiPen. To learn more, review this Safety Moment on anaphylaxis.
- Review the Keep Your Food Safe guide to properly keep, store, and prepare food.
Before the Meeting
Make sure that at least one adult leader has completed Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) before starting this meeting plan. The BALOO-trained leader is to oversee and be part of the planning process in addition to being present during the campout.
Identify and make reservations for your campsite. Cub Scout camping is limited to your council’s designated locations with appropriate facilities. Check with your local council to confirm if your location is a designated camping location. If not, you can request to get a location designated by the council. The council (not the Pack) will use the Pack Overnight Campout Site Appraisal Form to review and designate locations. Units can request from their council a site appraisal, but cannot do their own appraisal. You may want to review this form to ensure the location you are requesting the council to designate has the appropriate facilities.
Be aware of the campsite facilities, including access to water, bathrooms, and other amenities. Confirm details about parking and the distance from the parking area to the campsite. Communicate this information to all parents.
Keep a constant watch on the weather. Once a date is confirmed, check the weather forecast 10 days, 5 days, 3 days, and 1 day before the campout and make any necessary adjustments.
Check with families to make sure that everyone has access to appropriate camping gear such as tents and sleeping bags.
It is best to communicate details in a written form that is distributed to parents and legal guardians, and referred to often, as this will help ensure everyone is well informed and prepared.
- 30 days before the meeting, confirm access to the meeting location.
- 30 days before the walk, confirm date, time, and location.
- At the Pack Committee or Parents’ Meeting before the Pack Meeting, make assignments using the Let's Camp pack meeting planner.
- Purchase supplies, including Adventure loops and pins.
- 7 days before the meeting, send out a meeting reminder.
- 3 days before the meeting, send out a second meeting reminder.
- The morning of the meeting, send out a third meeting reminder.
- Remind everyone to bring their camping gear, including their Cub Scout Six Essentials and any other specialty equipment based on activities you have planned.
- On the day of the meeting, get to the location early to mark out fishing areas.
- Set Up Den Meeting Breakouts.
- Set Up Activity Stations.
At Home Requirements
Send a reminder for everyone to bring their tent, sleeping bag, and other items they plan to bring to the campout to the Pack Meeting. This will allow the BALOO-trained leader to review the equipment and make any recommendations.
During The Meeting
Pack Meeting Gathering Activity
Cub Scout Six Essentials Word Search as Scouts and families arrive have them work on the Cub Scout Six Essentials Word Seach. If you have already completed the Outdoor themed Adventures this is a reminder.
Divide the group into four groups to move about the stations. Give any needed explanations about each station and demonstrate how they will know it’s time to move to the next station (bell, whistle, bullhorn etc.) and which direction to rotate to the next station. Assign each group to a station to start. Have each group spend about 15 minutes at each station before moving on to the next.
Note: If using this activity as a recruiting event, welcome any visitors and point out and introduce a parent or leader who can answer any questions about Cub Scouting during the event. Also, be sure to have some basic pack information to hand out to potential families and a simple method to collect contact information from them. Encourage them to join online at BeAScout.org and make sure to invite them to the next activity/meeting.
Opening Ceremony and Remarks
Supply List
- Pine branch
- Lantern
- American flag
- Scripts for scouts
- Posters of Scout Oath, Law and Outdoor Code
Cubmaster:
“Welcome, everyone, to our Cub Scout Pack Meeting! Tonight, we’re celebrating the great outdoors—nature, adventure, and all the amazing experiences that await us when we step outside.
As we begin, let us remember the spirit of exploration and respect for the world around us.”
(Cubmaster gestures to the scouts to come forward)
Scout #1: (Holding a small branch or pine cone)
“As Scouts, we learn from the trees in the forest. They stand strong and grow upward, just as we grow in knowledge, friendship, and respect.”
Scout #2: (Holding a lantern)
“The lantern shows us the way, lighting our path through the dark. We remember to be prepared and to shine a light for others, even when times are tough.”
Scout #3: (Holding a water bottle or canteen) “Water flows through rivers and lakes, giving life to everything. It reminds us to be kind, helpful, and to take care of all living things, so we leave nature better than we found it.”
Scout #4 or Cubmaster: “Now, please stand and join us as we say the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the Scout Oath and, Law, and Outdoor Code.”
(All stand, facing the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance. Then, the scouts and attendees recite the Scout Oath and Law, and Outdoor Code.)
Cubmaster (closing the ceremony): “As we explore the great outdoors together, remember to be brave, kind, and helpful to others, and to protect the world we share.
Den Break Outs
No Den Break Outs for this meeting.
Activity Stations
Set up four activity stations, each station is led by an adult who has been given the resources ahead of time to prepare for the activity or activities. Cub Scouts rotate to each station either by den or mulit-rank dens. Each station has an activity for each Cub Scout rank.
Station 1
Buddy System Station
Activities and Requirements
Lion Den - Req. 1
Tiger Den - Req. 1
Wolf Den - Req. 1
Bear Den - Req. 1
Webelos Den
AOL Den
Station 2
Weather & Six Essentials Station
Activities and Requirements
Before going on the overnight campout, discuss what type of weather is expected and what type of clothes you should wear.
Lion Den - Req. 2
Tiger Den - Req. 2
Wolf Den
Bear Den
Webelos Den - Req. 4
AOL Den
Station 3
Tent Setup Races Station
Activities and Requirements
Lion Den
Tiger Den
Wolf Den
Bear Den - Req. 4
Webelos Den - Req. 3
AOL Den
Station 4
Scout Skills Station
Activities and Requirements
Lion Den
Tiger Den - Req. 4
Wolf Den - Req. 4
Bear Den
Webelos Den - Req. 5
AOL Den
Webelos Den - Req. 8
AOL Den
Fun and Games
Play the game – Packing Relay. Cub Scouts learn what to pack for an overnight campout in this relay game.
Cubmaster Minute
“The outdoors has always been a part of Scouting. We believe that the outdoors is the best classroom to teach life skills. It allows Scouts to put words like trustworthy, brave, and cheerful into acts. The outdoors is also a great way for all of us to get to know each other, make new friends, and strengthen our relationships.”
“I look forward to seeing you at our campout (give details). Good night, Scouts!”
Before The Campout
Send a reminder to the families in the Pack about the date, time, and location. Make sure to include any details, such as parking and where to check in.
The leader for the campout, ideally the BALOO-trained leader, should arrive an hour early and check in, and secure the campsite.
Meals and Cooking
The pack will need to decide if they are going to leave meals to each individual family or if the pack will do all the cooking. This is a great opportunity for older youth to work on or use the skills they learned in the outdoors, personal fitness, and knife safety Adventures. The Pack may decide to do a hybrid where the Pack will provide Dinner, and families are responsible for lunch and breakfast.
Based on the decision of meals, an adult will need to secure the needed groceries. It really isn’t a campout unless you have S’mores.
The Campout
Home Sickness or Other Concerns
Since parents are camping with their Cub Scout, homesickness is rarely an issue; however if one parent is still at home along with other family members, it may occur. There may be other concerns where a parent needs to leave to attend to other family members or work. If a parent and child need to leave the campout, be supportive and assure the child that they will still earn their Adventure because, as long as they live up to the Cub Scout Motto of “Do Your Best” that is all they need to do to complete the requirement.
Agenda
Here is a one-night campout agenda. One-night campouts are a great way to keep the experience fun for younger Cub Scouts and for parents who may not be comfortable in the outdoors. The event starts in the morning, with the activities being done that day.
Day 1
9:00 a.m.
Here is a one-night campout agenda. One-night campouts are a great way to keep the experience fun for younger Cub Scouts and for parents who may not be comfortable in the outdoors. The event starts in the morning, with the activities being done that day.
Lion Den, Tiger Den, Wolf Den, Bear Den – Req. 4, Webelos Den Req. 2 & Webelos Den Req. 3, AOL Den
10:00 a.m.
Raise U.S. flag with A ceremony. Welcome, families and review ground rules to include: Buddy System Who to contact in case of an emergency Where to go in case of bad weather Any prohibited areas Where the bathrooms are Where to find drinking water (any other special items).
10:15 a.m.
Go on a nature hike / explore camp
11:00 a.m.
Explain the rules of campfire safety to all Cub Scouts and parents. Know the fire safety rules. Using those rules, locate a safe area to build a campfire.
11:15 a.m.
Den Break Outs Lions, Tigers, Wolves, and Bears Each den is to come up with one song and one skit to perform at the campfire.
Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts learn how to build fires. Using tinder, kindling, and fuel wood, properly build a teepee fire lay. If circumstances permit, and there is no local restriction on fires, show how to safely light the fire while under adult supervision. After allowing the fire to burn safely, extinguish the flames with minimal impact to the fire site.
11:45 a.m.
Cub Scouts—each with their parent, guardian, or other caring adult—prepare and eat lunch; clean up.
12:30 p.m.
Free Time.
1:00 p.m.
Pack – Kickball Game
2:30 p.m.
Fishing Elective Adventures (See pack planning guide for Fishing Adventure)
4:00 p.m.
Cub Scouts working on Adventure requirement and adults who are leading prepare dinner. Everyone else has free time.
5:00 p.m.
Dinner.
5:45 p.m.
Wash dishes and clean up.
6:00 p.m.
Free time.
7:00 p.m.
Lower the U.S. flag with ceremony.
7:30 p.m.
Prepare for the campfire.
8:00 p.m.
S’mores!
8:30 p.m.
Campfire program
9:30 p.m.
Cracker barrel, this is a traditional term used for light snacks or other refreshments.
10:00 p.m.
Lights out.
Day 2
7:00 a.m.
Reveille – Wake Up
7:30 a.m.
Air bedding and take down tents; clean up campsite.
8:30 a.m.
Cub Scout-adult teams prepare and eat breakfast.
9:00 a.m.
Interfaith service
9:30 a.m.
Closing Ceremony – Presentation of Let’s Camp Adventure loops and pins.
10:00 a.m.
Pack up gear. Walk around the campsite and make sure to leave the site better than you found it. Webelos After your campout, share the things you did to follow the Outdoor Code and Leave No Trace Principles for Kids with your den or family. Arrow of Light
