First Pack Camping Trip

[encsteph]

Hello All,

 

Frequent reader, first time poster.

 

Our pack committee has decided to have our first pack camping trip this spring.

 

At this point we have picked a date and are looking around for the proper campground. For those of you that live in NJ we are tossing around Spruce Run, Allaire State Park and Atsion Lake Campgrounds at the moment.

 

We have asked our council for a list of approved campgrounds and since we haven't received any indication that one has been created, a list of requirements to get a campground approved.

 

I have already been scheduled to attend the BALOO training at our council but the training isn't being offered until mid-april and our camping trip is schedule for the end of April.

 

I obviously don't want to wait until after the training to schedule/plan the activities.

 

The reason I am writing today is to see if anybody out there has any suggestions/guidelines/sample itinerary that I could use when planning the activities.

 

We are planning on going Friday afternoon and having different activities during the day on Saturday. Some of us will stay over Saturday night as well but have decided this is optional as some of the pack have mentioned that they would rather not do 2 nights on their first camping trip.

 

So besides a Fishing Derby and a hike what other suggesions would you experienced leaders have for a pack of about 20 kids (Tigers to 1st Year Webelos) to do?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Eric

[ScoutNut]

It depends on the resources/facilites that are at, or around, the campground you pick. Will there be a nature center, swimming, boating, horses, bike trails, bouldering, or park rangers? Will there be an open field or a ball field available? Make use of what you have.

 

A campfire program is a must! You might want to bring some copies of songs & skits for the boys & their families to work with.

 

Keep the food simple for your first trip. You really don't want to spend too much time cooking.

 

Allow ample free time for families to explore on their own.

 

Softball or frisbe are great if you have room.

 

Do a flag ceremony each morning & evening.

 

A scavanger hunt using compass directions to find things and/or locations is fun. If you get there early Fri you can figure out your directions & plant things for them to find before anyone else gets there.

 

Have some stations run by different adults. Could be based on Sports & Academics or just various scouting/fun stuff. Knots, slides, silly relay races, games, are a few you could use.

 

Build flexability into what ever schedule you plan. Not everyone will want to do every activity. Some things will take longer or shorter than you thought.

 

If you are in an area where it will be warm consider water games.

 

Make sure you know when all of your families are arriving & leaving so you can figure food and activites based on who will be there.

 

Create kaper charts for chores. Group everyone into patrols & give them silly names.

 

Include ALL family members in your activites & chores. That means you have to take into consideration younger & older sibs.

 

If any families have Boy Scout kids with put them to use! That is a GREAT opportunity!

 

Have your families sign permission slips for their kids (including medical info), even though they will be there too. What happens if the parent gets incapacitated?

 

Check out nearby councils to see if any are having BALOO sooner.

 

You will be getting lots of ideas & helpful forms at BALOO.

 

Don't forget your tour permit!

 

 

 

[anarchist]

check archives here for lots of pack camping ideas.

 

some suggestions:

for first camp- stay away from 'in water' activities like wading, swimming and boating...safety afloat and safe swim may overpower you...better stick to basics for first time... Fishing is great but many kids loose interest five minutes in unless they are fighting blue marlin two minutes after casting their leftover hotdog into the water. Perhaps a dry land casting competion with spin cast outfits, rubber casting plugs and targets, for the yoounger kids!?!

 

I would recommend that if you are doing Friday and Saturday... Make Saturday the over nighter for the "one nighters" they have more time to set up (less frustration) and for first-timers who are late...plenty of time to 'discover' their tent and run out for the oft times -'forgotten' stuff.

Just make it early Saturday check in 7-730 AM so the lack of bodies does kill the program...

 

Let the hardier members set camp Friday and after a few games sit around a quiet campfire feeling more ever so more adventurous (and slightly smug)!

 

plan with different age groups in mind...a hike, things for the older boys and arts/crafts for the younger boys (and sibs?). But do not "over" do it.

 

Plan some 'do your own thing time'.

 

'Rope' some Local Boys Scouts to help you out...especially with your FIRST CAMPFIRE...they can show your parents what fun is all about! (do the 'muffin man' to get the parents involved)!

good luck and great camping!

[lynncc]

not to be a wet blanket but doing a search for age appropriate activities shows that you can't do any watercraft activities with cub scouts. Even adult operated you have to be at a council sponsered event. Tigers can't go horseback riding.

 

lynn

[Torveaux]

Water, in NJ, in April? I guess it gets a lot warmer there than it does here in April.

 

Sounds like anarchist and Scoutnut had some good ideas.

 

We have Baloo in mid-April, too. It must be a target time or something.

 

Good luck.

[jens3sons]

As a pack we are also going to be having our first camp out this spring. Talking with another CM that our 2 packs have done a couple activities with, I heard their pack does a "movie under the stars". Although, I would prefer to just star gaze myself, I have heard it is a HUGE hit, and all the children were quiet by 8pm and you couldn't hear a pin drop! Like I said, it is not an idea I am overly fond of, but thought I would pass the suggestion on anyways (especially if doing the 2 nights, might need something different to do one of the nights). Happy Camping!

Jennifer

[encsteph]

Hey all,

 

Thanks so much for the ideas/suggestions, lots of good stuff I can definitely use.

 

The water activities are pretty much out...April in NJ the water is still a little bit chilly.

 

Thanks for the "movie" idea but like you, I don't particularly care for the idea and thankfully the rest of the committee is in agreement. So we will have a small campfire Friday night and then we are going to have the local Boy Scout Troop send some of there OA members to lead us in a good campfire program on Saturday night.

 

We have pretty much decided on a "pirate themed" weekend to include some crafts and some games that follow the theme.

 

We are planning to break the kids up into "dens" (some tigers, wolves & bears in each) and have them each do four - five different activities throughout the day on Saturday, culminating with a pack "treasure hunt" based on compilation of "clues" the individual den found throughout the day.

 

Thanks again for all your help...things are starting to come together nicely.

 

Eric

[ScoutNut]

Don't forget - Pack camping is family camping. Make sure to include the parents and siblings in all activites.

 

[fritolazy]

Make sure that you are camping in a council approved location.(see page 33-4 of the Cub Scout Leader Book) If you do not have council approval, your insurance coverage is NOT in force. Check with your district executive or district camping chair to verify the location before you do much more planning. Better safe than sorry.

 

The other advice in the postings are really very good. Keep the outing going...!

[LPasn]

We have always found that a good hike on Saturday afternoon will get the boys to bed early on Saturday. They love a night hike also.

[DugNevius]

What about Round Valley?

[johndaigler]

encsteph,

 

WELCOME!!

 

Loved the above ideas, here's just a few thoughts . . .

 

I lived in that part of Jersey for three years. Spruce Run is nice, though I can't vouch for April --- BBBbbbbbbbrrrrrrrr!!!!!! I'm glad you're not considering the water!

I'll bet Hunterdon County has some resources for you to consider - naturalists, etc.

 

Be sure to visit that yellow center pullout of G2SS that describes which activities are approved for which age group. Especially the Fire - it's such an attractor, but only Webelos should be physically involved.

 

Be ready for rain.

 

Us the April monthly theme and Webelos activity badge theme for activity ideas.

 

Tire them out and eat dinner earlier rather than later. The less you do after dark the better - except, of course, the campfire.

 

Take the campfire seriously -- filled with fun and songs etc., but respect the magic! Does that local Troop have ashes for their campfire? Your first campout would be a great time to start your own campfire heritage!

 

Keep the weekend structured enough that people (with all due respect, you should read that "parents") feel they're expected to be somewhere at specific times. Too many choices, or too much of a feeling that "I'm here, that's enough", kills the boys' enthusiasm for each activity. The more you can involve the parents, the better. At the very least, they should be observing what their boys are doing.

 

Buddy - up

 

Did I mention it's gonna rain?

 

Overplan - many parents will not "get it". Be ready to make decisions with/for them. Just putting a tent in a reasonable spot will be beyond many of your parents' experience. Setting it up, as well.

 

Fun is easy enough, be sure to decide your Purpose during the planning stage. What's the point (beyond fun) for the Tigers? Wolves? Bears? Webelos? Leaders? Parents?

 

Invite your Unit Commissioner - use his experience in the planning, and the leading of activities.

 

HAVE FUN!!!!

 

 

jd

 

 

[kenk]

Other bits to consider:

 

When we have our Pack campout, our Pack tends to camp by den (much like a Boy Scout Troop camps by patrol). This makes it easier to plan the gear and food, plus gives the smaller groups a chance to sit around the fire and tell stories (in addition to the bigger Pack campfire on Saturday night). We've found that amoung the parents in each den there is usually sufficient "gear" to cook meals.

 

The parents work together to cook meals and clean up, though as the boys age we've tried to get them more and more involved in meal planning, food prep, and cleanup.

 

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND each den provide some kind of dining fly like shelter for rain protection!! Just imagine that it starts raining at 4pm on Saturday afternoon. Would you expect the boys to spend the rest of the day/night inside their tents or cars? You can buy plasticish shelters pretty cheaply.

 

Another bit of advice - to protect the tents - is to have parents leave any non-critical guy lines (ropes that pull sides of tents out to provide more interior space) unstaked until bedtime just so boys don't trip over them while running around - which could damage the boy and the tent.

 

For safety, our den purchased whistles that come on telephone-cord-like wrist bands (from http://www.orientaltradingcompany.com . Search for "whistle". They only cost $3 per dozen. They are warned that these are NOT toys and should only be used if they get lost. I strongly recommend each boy in your pack carry a whistle and a large garbage bag.

 

My den also bought little cheap fanny packs from the same company (search on "fanny"), and put the whistles and large garbage bag inside the fanny pack. We found orange bags, but any color will do. They are told have carry the fanny pack at all times. See http://www.gpsar.org/hugatree.html for more info.

 

Also, we do require each parent to provide their own tent. Most end up buying Coleman brand tents from the local Target, Walmart, etc... They'll use them at each year's campout, so it is worth spending a bit on a decent tent.

 

Finally, you may run across one or two boys that for some reason are just deathly afraid of camping. What we've done for this is to ask the boy to "try" to sleep overnight. We tell the parent that if the boy is really too scared to stay, then to leave quietly during the night leaving all their gear in place. Then the next morning they can come back to rejoin the den/pack and to break down their camping gear when the time comes. If something comes up, the rest of the den would just pack up their gear for them and make sure it gets back to them in good condition. The goal is to make this a enjoyable as possible with no fear, or embarassment.

[fgoodwin]

I think packs are authorized to do overnighters, only. A stay of two or more nights is a "resident" camp, which can only be offered by a District or Council.

 

But hey, if they approve your tour permit, you've got nothing to worry about, right?

[ScoutNut]

Actually 2 night Pack Campouts are fine.

 

The Guide to Safe Scouting does not restrict the number of nights allowed for Pack Overnighters & the BALOO training I received allowed for 2 nights.