If you’re planning your Scouting calendar for the year, 2025 is the perfect time to explore fresh Scout activity ideas that keep your troop motivated, learning, and having fun!
Whether you’re looking for rainy-day indoor Scout activities or exciting outdoor adventures, mixing up your programming helps keep things engaging and developmentally enriching for Scouts of all ages.
In this blog, we’ll explore a mix of tried-and-true and creative ideas for Scout activities, broken down into indoor and outdoor options, so you’ll always have something new to try, no matter the season or setting!
Scout Activities Indoor Ideas: Ideal for British Weather
We all know how unpredictable UK weather can be. Having a selection of engaging Scout activities indoor is a must for those rainy or colder evenings.
1. Scout Skills Stations
Set up rotation-based skill stations covering key elements from the UK Scouts Programme, such as:
- First Aid basics
- Compass and map reading (link to Navigation Staged Activity Badge)
- Basic knot tying (for pioneering projects)
These are great for smaller halls or community centres and can count towards various challenge badges.
2. DIY Scout Craft Activities
Hands-on Scout craft activities are perfect for younger sections and provide opportunities to explore sustainability, nature, and creativity. Try:
- Making bug hotels from recycled materials
- Paracord woggles or friendship bracelets
- Paper campfires or patrol flags
- Upcycling challenges (link with the Environmental Conservation Activity Badge)
Craft activities help develop fine motor skills and can be tied into badgework or themed terms.
3. Indoor Sleepover or Camp-In
Set up an indoor “camp” experience in your scout hall or community venue. Use sleeping bags, pop-up tents, or even cardboard shelters. Include:
- Indoor s'mores (use digestives, chocolate, and marshmallows)
- Campfire-style sing-alongs or shadow puppet theatre
- Scout-themed quizzes or treasure hunts
This can count towards Nights Away for younger sections and builds confidence before real camps.
4. Badge-Focused Workshop Evenings
Dedicate indoor evenings to covering badge content that needs focused discussion, such as:
- Personal Safety
- Digital Citizen
- Money Skills (tie into Skills for Life themes)
These are excellent for older Cubs or Scouts, and you can invite local guests like police officers, paramedics, or financial educators.
Scout Activities Outdoor Ideas: Embrace the Environment
From local parks to forest school spaces, the UK is packed with green areas ideal for outdoor Scout activities. These ideas help build confidence, resilience, and connection with nature.
5. Local Nature Scavenger Hunt
Head to a local nature reserve, woodland, or even your town’s green spaces. Create a nature hunt including:
- Oak leaves, pinecones, animal prints
- Birds spotted (bring binoculars!)
- Wildflowers or fungi (emphasise “look, don’t touch” rules)
This can tie into the Naturalist or Environmental Conservation Activity Badge.
6. Community Clean-Up Walk
Combine a hike with a litter pick. Bring gloves, bags, and high-vis vests and clean up a local park, river path or beach. It’s a brilliant service project and a step toward the Community Impact Staged Badge!
Also, you can register with Keep Britain Tidy or The Great British Spring Clean for extra support.
7. Outdoor Cooking Challenge
Task scouts with planning and preparing a simple hot meal using basic camping gear. UK favourites include:
- Bangers and mash in foil packets
- Campfire toasties
- Bannock bread on sticks
This supports teamwork and counts toward the Cook Activity Badge or Outdoor Challenge.
8. Orienteering or Map Quest
Use a local park or Scout campsite and set up an orienteering course. Make it suitable for your section’s age group:
- Cubs: Simple checkpoints and visual clues
- Scouts: Full OS map and compass work
This ties into the Navigation Staged Badge or Team Leader Challenge.
9. DIY Obstacle Course or Wide Game
Set up an adventure course using natural materials or create a themed wide game (like “Rescue the Explorer” or “Smugglers vs Coastguards”). Use rope swings, logs to balance on, and crawl tunnels.
Wide games are perfect for patrol-based teamwork and can be adapted for every section.
Plan Your Year With Seasonal Scout Activities
Rotate through indoor and outdoor activities across the year to keep things fresh and exciting:
- Winter (Jan–Feb): Craft nights, badge workshops, indoor games.
- Spring (Mar–Apr): Orienteering, scavenger hunts, community action.
- Summer (May–Aug): Overnight camps, hikes, cooking challenges.
- Autumn (Sept–Nov): Wide games, nature walks, outdoor service projects.
- December: Festive crafts, end-of-term celebrations, reflection night.
Looking to Take Your Scouts Further?
If you’re starting to plan exciting Scout trips abroad, look no further than Venture Abroad! Whether you’re dreaming of hiking through the Swiss Alps, canoeing in Norway, or exploring WWI history in Belgium, VA takes care of the logistics so your group can focus on the experience!
Let your Scouts explore breath-taking destinations, build global friendships, and take their confidence to new heights!
