How to Plan a Campout
By Ben Nicholson and Craig Karaki
Texas 6th Alpha
Camping can be an incredibly rewarding experience. However, without proper
planning it can be a disaster. In the past your dads have probably done most of the work.
As you get older it’s time that you as an ALERT Cadet take on more responsibility, and a
campout can be a good place to start. A campout is not an easy thing to plan. This manual
is written as a tool to help simplify the planning process for you. In it we hope to show
you how to properly plan a campout. With the grace of God and the help of your dads
you can do it. Happy camping!
The schedule
When you start to plan a campout, the first thing you should do is make a
schedule. A schedule is basically an outline that tells what you are going to do and when
you are going to do it. Before you can draw up a schedule you must first decide:
1. How long the campout will be and (as soon as possible) when it will be.
When you pick a date, avoid those that are close to events such as book fairs
or holidays, or you may find yourself camping solo while everyone else is
eating pumpkin pie at Grandma’s.
2. Where the campout will be. When you pick a location, you need to know
pretty well what your activities will be. If you want to take a five-mile hike,
pick a location with at least five miles of trail. If you plan to build rafts and
race them, you are going to need a pond or a lake to do it in. (It’s really hard
to float a raft in a corn field.) Don’t overlook the possibility of camping on
someone’s property. If someone in your squad or unit has property with
sufficient area for your needs, then see if they’d be willing to let you use it.
3. What your campout’s theme will be. The theme is the basic principle that
you’re trying to teach during the course of the campout. It should add a
spiritual dimension to the camp, and be the common thread that all your
activities are related to. A theme verse is a good idea, especially if everyone is
required to memorize it. Here are a few ideas for themes:
The Race of Life
Gaining Eternal Treasures
Trial
Endurance
Saving/Rescuing Souls
4. What your activities will be. Really put some thought into this one. The better
the activities, the better the campout. Remember, you must either keep your
activities within the capacities of your location or select another location.
Some activities will require more preparation than others. If you choose one
that takes a lot of preparation, you must be willing to spend the time necessary
for it to turn out right. Here are some activities:
Search and Rescue – This one can be a lot of fun. Teach it to
them during the day and then (Surprise!), get them up in the
middle of the night and let them try it for a couple hours. If
you’re the one that their looking for, take either a pillow or a
good book because you could be there for a while. One way for
you to have them practice this is to place about ten small
objects in an open field and have them go over it. You could
even assign a point value to each object and make it into a
competition between teams.
Plant Identification – You will probably need a number of good
field guides for
this one. If you
and the other
people in your
squad don’t have
enough, then try
your local
library.
Knot Tying - Have some simple knots for the beginners and
also some more complicated ones for the more advanced.
Scavenger Hunt – This fits in real well if you decide to teach
plant ID.
Chess Tournament – Let everyone know ahead of time that
they need to bring their
chess boards. If possible, at
a meeting before your camp,
teach the younger guys how
to play and let the dads
know that they might want
to practice up. If you’re not
into chess, you can have a
checkers tournament or any
other tournament just as
long as everyone know how
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to play it.
Singing Around the Camp Fire – If you’re so fortunate as to
have musicians who play transportable instruments (i.e. the
violin, guitar, etc.), ask them if they would be willing to bring
their instruments to the campout. This will add a lot to the
singing. Pick some hymns (or folk songs) ahead of time that
are fairly well known (unless you’ll have hymnals), and let the
musicians know what the songs are so they can practice them.
If they can sight read it’s always more personal to take
requests. Whether or not you’re singing with instruments, you
will need some sort of song leader. If you’re hesitant to do it,
then ask a dad if he would be willing.
Story Telling – (This one is always best at night around the
campfire.) Let everyone know ahead of time so they can think
of some good ones. They can be stories, true life experiences,
or even interesting facts. Often it will help them think of
something when you’re specific about what you want the
stories to be about. You can also have a joke-telling time.
Archery – It is possible to make bows out of small saplings and
make arrows out of 1/8 inch dowel rods. We don’t recommend,
however, unless you have some idea of what you’re doing.
Make a couple yourself before you try to teach it.
Orienteering
Astronomy
Biking
Swimming
River Crossing
First Aid
Rappelling
Rock Climbing
Ultimate Frisbee
Soccer
Obstacle Course
Building or Lashing a Raft,
Bridge, Stretcher, Tower, etc.
Canoeing
Service Project
Survival – Build a fire, emergency structures, snares, traps, all
out of available material. Teach edible plant ID (Be careful!).
Capture the Flag – With some creativity and some additional
rules this could be made into an all-day or even several-day
event.
Make a Movie – Just make sure it includes everybody.
Freeze Tag – Freeze tag can end whenever, so it is ideal to use
before bedtime. Plus, it’s always the most fun in the dark.
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Treasure Hunt/ Great Race – These can be anything. They’re
limited only by space and creativity.
Don’t forget the possibility of having an expert in a given area
come to teach. Check and see if someone from ALERT would
be available.
Once you have made these four basic decisions, you are ready to make your schedule.
Remember that your schedule should not be too hard and fast. Be ready to manipulate it
if necessary. Your schedule should include –
1.
All your activities (including your arrival and departure times, meals,
reveille and taps, etc.)
2.
Specific times attached to each activity (i.e. “6:00 – Breakfast, 6:45 –
Devotional”; NOT “When we get up, we’ll eat breakfast. After that we’ll
have a devotional…”)
3.
Small gaps of time planned into the activities as buffers in case an activity
takes longer than expected, everyone needs to refill their water bottles, etc.
So if you’re teaching plant ID in the morning and you think it will take
two hours, budget two hours and fifteen minutes. Your extra time should
be added to the total time allotted for that activity and not be a separate
block of time on your schedule.
4.
Large gaps of time. This one is optional depending on the ages of your
participants. It’s just a time for them to rest and catch their breath. They
should be from twenty minutes to an hour in length. Call it squad time on
your schedule. Keep in mind that if the gaps are too big, boredom can set
in, and boredom often leads to trouble.
Here is a schedule that worked for us:
Friday, Sept.16:
4:30-5:00- Campers arrive/ set up camp
6:00- Briefing
6:30-Stretcher Building: Taught by CFC Karaki and CFC Nicholson
7:30- Capture the Flag
8:30- Devotional and S’mores
10:00-Taps
Saturday, Sept.17:
6:00- Reveille
6:10- Morning Formation: P.T.
6:45- Breakfast
8:00- Personal time (memorize verses, read, work on Med. Worksheet)
Here we had extra time from breakfast and personal time, so we
took everyone on an hour-long hike.
9:45- Search and Rescue, taught by CFC Karaki
12:00- Lunch at camp
12:45- Squad Time
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2:00- Plant I.D. taught by CFC Nicholson
3:30- Calisthenic Education (Ultimate Frisbee)
6:30- Dinner at camp
7:30- Devotional, Fellowship
9:00- Taps
Sunday, Sept.18:
12:00 (a.m.)- Wake up for Search and Rescue
2:15? (a.m.)- Back to Bed
7:00- Reveille
7:30- Breakfast
8:00- Morning Formation/ Briefing for the Ultimate Treasure Hunt
~11:00 (Whenever they’re finished with their first half) - Lunch, served on
the Hunt
3:00- Hunt ends
3:15- Final Formation: Devotional/ Award Presentation
4:00- Break down camp/ Departure
Once you have completed your schedule you are off to a good start. You now
have the foundation laid for a successful campout. Now is the time to announce the
campout to your squad or unit. You’re going to have to demonstrate to the dads that your
campout will be worth the while. If they feel that you aren’t putting any effort into the
campout, you might have a hard time getting them to come. If, on the other hand, they
see that you have a solid schedule, good activities, and they feel that their sons will come
away with something – in short, if you’re doing the best possible job you can – then you
will be surprised at the effort they will make to come. Try and give them a price estimate
(we will discuss that later). The sooner they know about the campout, the more likely it is
that their schedule will have room. If they can come, collect a five dollar down payment.
This lets you know that they are committed, and that you can count on them when
planning food and activities.
Food:
No campout can be completely successful without good
food. No matter how well the rest of the campout is planned, if
the eggs are burned two mornings in a row, and the soup tastes
questionable, and, to top it off, half the squad has to do without
root beer floats because there isn’t enough, guess what they will
remember about your camp? Serve good food and you’ll likely
have “happy campers.”
When you plan the meals and buy the food, try to go as
healthy as possible. As a rule, if you serve junky food, then your
participants will typically not feel as good and will not have as
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much energy. Low quality fuel will result in low quality results. On the other hand, if you
serve healthy food you will get optimum results.
Cooking food outside can take a lot of time and preparation. So when planning
your meals, keep in mind what you have time for on your schedule. If you have your
heart set on a dish but don’t have time, then change your schedule to accommodate it.
Big meals should usually be at dinner. Breakfast and lunch are typically a little
more hurried so you won’t have time to do anything elaborate.
What you cook on will depend on what is available. When there is a good-sized
group of people, a grill or a couple of camp stoves can be mighty nice. Campfires work
really well for most things. They are just a little more difficult to work with.
For menu ideas, look through cookbooks, backpacking guides, and even The Boy
Scout Handbook. If you look at your local library, they might even have a whole book on
the subject. Try to select dishes that are maybe a little out of the ordinary. Try some new
things. If it’s out of your comfort zone, do it anyway (just be sure to try it ahead of time).
That’s the only way you’ll learn how to do something new – by doing it. Here are a few
tried-and-true menu ideas. Some are very common; others are a little less well-known.
For more specifics on how to make them, find a cookbook or improvise.
Hobo Dinners – ground beef, onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, pepper, and
anything else that walks by the campfire, all wrapped up in heavy duty
aluminum foil and cooked in the coals. VERY tasty!
Hotdogs – The least original item possible on the menu and the absolute
most unhealthy. However, it is very quick and very easy to cook and
therefore might be the best thing for your schedule.
Kabobs – These are excellent! Beef, chicken, mushrooms, onion, pepper,
and cherry tomatoes, all grilled
on a skewer. (The more meat
the better.) You can buy
wooden skewers at the grocery
store for cheap or have
everyone make their own (make
sure the twigs they use aren’t
poisonous). A gas grill is nice
for this one but not necessary. If
you don’t use a gas grill, then
make sure that you can secure a
metal grill to place over the fire. (Little cadets will not be able to hold their
kabobs over the fire and keep everything from falling off.) Hint: Cut the
meat and veggies to a fairly uniform size. If the meat pieces are too big,
they will take too long to cook.
Hamburgers
Sandwiches
Pancakes – If you buy a package of mix, this is nice and quick to mix up.
Bring something large and flat to cook them on though, or you’ll be
flipping them all day long.
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Breakfast Burritos – eggs, cheese, and whatever your imagination can
come up with, wrapped in a tortilla with hot sauce.
Grilled Fruit – Whole apples or bananas cooked in aluminum foil. Don’t
laugh. It’s pretty good.
S'mores – The traditional campout dessert.
Root Beer Floats – If you have a cooler (or a fridge) this is worth the
effort. Have this the first night or your ice cream might melt.
Coffee and/or Iced Tea – If you really want
to please the dads, this might just do it.
Tony Chachere’s – This is not a food item.
It’s a seasoning, and it’s excellent on just
about everything (maybe not root beer
floats). It’s a little bit spicy and you use it
like salt. Grocery stores and Sam’s Club
should carry it. (We know they do in Texas.)
Make sure and take into consideration how long you will be camping. Plan meals
with perishable items for only the first and maybe second day.
If your campsite is not accessible by motor vehicle, or if you’re backpacking, you
will need to take into consideration the fact that you will have to carry all your food with
you. Choose foods with less volume. No ice chest means that perishable foods are only
an option for the first couple meals.
Here is a sample menu. It is a menu for a total of about two days. You will notice
that there is no real dinner the first night. To save the time involved in fixing dinner the
first evening, have everyone eat before they get there. When they get there you can have
S’mores.
Dinner 1 – S’mores
Breakfast 1 – Pancakes and baked fruit
Lunch 1 –Grilled cheese sandwiches and chips
Dinner 2 – Kabobs and root beer floats
Breakfast 2 – Breakfast burritos
Lunch 2 – Sandwiches, chips, and pickles
When figuring how much to get per person, consult a cookbook. Always err on
the side of too much. Remember, your guys will be hungry. Also remember, if there’s not
enough, guess who skips dinner?
When you have fully planned your meal, write out a complete grocery list.
Everything, from plates to hamburger patties, that you will buy at the grocery store
should be on this list. Once this is completed, go through and figure out how much you
will need of most things on the list. In order to do this, you will need an accurate count of
who is coming. Simply multiply the amount per person by the number of people coming
to get your final amount per item.
Here is the grocery list for the example menu. It is meant to serve about twentyfive people. You will notice that some things do not have a quantity. We waited to see
what was available, how big the packages were, and how much the item would cost.
If you use this list, check it to make sure it fits your needs.
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Graham crackers
(S’mores – 2 per person)
Hershey chocolate bars
Marshmallows - jumbo bag
Pancake mix
(4 per person)
Fruit:
Apples
50
Bananas
25
Syrup
Butter
4 sticks
Pecans
Milk
2 gal.
Bread
200 slices
Pre-sliced cheese
100 slices
Tomatoes
Pickles
Chips
4 large bags
Skewers (buy extra)
Steak
8 lb.
Chicken breast
4 lb.
Onions
16
Mushrooms 1 ½ lb.
Green peppers
6
Cherry Tomatoes
50
Yellow Squash
6
Zucchini
6
Seasonings
Salt
Pepper
Tony’s
Bagged rolls 50
Vanilla ice cream
3 gal.
Root beer (plenty of it!)
4-5 liters
Eggs
(at least 6 dozen)
Hot sauce
Tortillas
50
Grated cheese
Sandwich meat
100 slices
Lettuce
2 heads
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Candy (for a prize)
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At the same time you work through your grocery list also decide what cooking
utensils you will need. Add the utensils and how many of each you need to your packing
list.
When you buy the food, shop where you can get the best value. Sam’s Club is
probably one of the best places to do your campout shopping. If they have what you need,
it will be in probably large quantities and be cheaper. Schedule your food shopping trip as
close as possible to the campout without doing it at the last minute. We suggest a
Thursday morning before a Friday afternoon campout. You will be surprised at how long
it takes to do all the shopping. Take a calculator with you to make sure you stay within
your budget. And before you buy all that food, make sure you have a place to store it
(including refrigerator and freezer space).
If you’re going for a simpler campout, then assign a meal to each family or
several families. At the end of the campout, you can average out the costs. Just be aware
of the fact that you won’t have as much control over how the food turns out when
someone else does the cooking.
Water
Without water you will die. Therefore it
follows that wherever you are, you must have
water. If you aren’t going to bring water with you,
make sure wherever you’re going has some. If you
will be using stream water make sure you have
means to purify it. During the campout, and
especially during your activities, make sure your
guys drink enough water. If it’s hot, it’s doubly
important. In arid climates, like Arizona, you can
sweat tons of fluids and not even feel it. Make sure
they drink that water whether they are thirsty or not. Always supply them with enough
water.
Packing Lists
When planning a packing list, it is very important to consider not only the season
of your campout, but also current weather and your camp’s activities. If your campout
includes a multi-day hike, then it would be wise for you to tell your participants to pack
very, very light!
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Naturally, you are going to want to cover the basics of camping (i.e. tent, sleeping
bags, etc.), but your weather conditions may demand more (heavy coats, ponchos). Here
is an example of what a cadet’s packing list might look like:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tent (large enough for your family)
Sleeping bags
Water bottles (2+ liters worth)
Flashlight
Lantern *
Compass
Whistle *
Sunscreen
Camp chairs *
Rain gear (This is an absolute must. The weather has a funny way of
changing suddenly from your “expected” forecast. Be prepared!)
Bug spray
Pocket knives
Mess kits *
Toiletries
Bible
Pen/pencil
Backpack (This may vary. If you are having a big hike, you are definitely
going to want to tell them to bring a multi- or single- day backpack. Just
an ordinary backpack may not be sufficient. Tell them which one to bring.
Never assume!)
Rope or paracord
Another very important factor in planning a packing list is clothing. Never assume
the families will know what to bring. You as the planner need to tell them. If you want to
keep them to the cadet dress code (khaki BDU’s, khaki covers, webbing belt, etc.) then
tell them; otherwise, they will think that there is no dress code. If you do require your
participants to wear their chambrays, it would be wise to tell them what type of uniform
to wear (duty-dress or full-dress). Also remember to take inclement weather conditions
into account (thermal underwear, wool socks, etc.).
Definitely the most important packing list is yours. You are going to be bringing a
lot of things that the participant will not. Never think that you will be able to remember
everything. Write or type out your complete packing list. An important factor is being
specific. If you are having a hike that requires moving camp, then don’t bring camp
chairs, grills, or things of that nature. If you are going to be splitting the packing list with
a partner, then be specific and precise as to who will bring what. Sit down with your
partner and begin going down the list. (Hint: Do not rely on fathers/siblings to bring the
things you forget!) Here is what your packing list may look like:
Shovels
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Grill* (You will not want to cart this around on a hike!)
First Aid kits
Water hoses*
Guidons (for different teams)
Award ribbons (if any)
Walkie-talkies (These are useful; especially if you want to communicate to your
partner who is on the other side of the property!)
Frisbee
Soccer ball (good for “down–time” around the campsite)
Machetes (for clearing out excess brush or unwanted weeds)
Bibles
Notebook
Pen/pencils
Mess kits*
Camp chairs*
Compass
Whistle
Floodlight*
Lantern*
Extension cord*
Poncho
Sleeping bags
Bug spray
Sunscreen
Backpacks
Paratrooper cord
Toiletries
Ropes
Nalgenes (As many as you have; some cadet is always going to forget his water
bottle!)
*Optional; depending on the nature of your camp
Be sure to remember your packing list from the kitchen! It is never a good thing to be
scrambling eggs and realize you forgot a spatula! Here is a good kitchen list that may
vary depending on your menu:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
can opener
plates
pans
bowls
skillet
forks
knives
ladles
serving spoons
spatulas
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o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
whisks
measuring cups
cutting knives
griddles
foil
Ziploc baggies
trash bags
salt and pepper shakers
dish soap
scrubbing brush/sponge
Devotionals
I Timothy says “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable
unto all things…” What good is a campout that addresses the physical and yet neglects
the spiritual? What will you say to God when He asks you what you taught those young
men in the time that He gave you with them?
Your devotionals should revolve around the theme for the camp. Each one should
somehow tie in and expound on the theme. Your theme should have a related theme verse
that everyone is required to memorize.
Morning devotionals can be a time when everyone breaks into families and works
on a meditation worksheet for the theme verse. You
may have to explain beforehand how to use a
concordance. After each activity it’s always a good
idea to have a short devotional. Perhaps just read a
few related verses. It will help refocus their attention
on the basic idea (the theme) that you’re trying to
teach. Evening devotionals should be the most indepth. However, don’t make any devotional too long
or you’ll lose everyone. The more interesting it is,
the longer it will keep their attention. You’ll be able to tell what’s too long.
When you plan your devotionals, keep them fairly simple and to the point. Focus
on one idea that you want them to remember. Then go through a concordance and find
verses that are applicable to that subject. Start with a verse or example that will grab their
attention. Fill it in with additional verses, and then end with a verse or illustration that
really sums it up well. Type the verses in outline form in the order they will be used
along with any basic things you plan to say. Don’t write out every word of what you
intend to say though, or it will sound very stilted and mechanical.
Here is a devotional which was intended to be used after a course on plant
identification.
Plant Identification Devotional
Poison Ivy Analogy
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We can identify poison ivy, but it’s next to impossible to identify bad character in
our own lives (blind spots) such as pride, rebellion, anger, etc.
How can we get rid of something we don’t even know exists?
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can
know it?
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and
the joints and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but
all things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to
do.
Galatians 6:1
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore
such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be
tempted.
Psalm 139:23-24
Search me O God, and know my heart.
Pray
When you have your devotional, try to make it more of a discussion time than a
sermon or speech, although those do have their place. People stay much more focused
and attentive when they feel like they’re actually involved. Ask for volunteers to look up
and read Bible verses. After they read a verse ask everyone what they think it means. If
no one speaks up, ask individuals. When they are done, go ahead and say whatever you
planned to say, and then move on to the next verse. Keep things moving. Don’t get
bogged down. Have questions ready to ask them that will help them think through what
you’re saying. If someone is falling asleep or not paying attention, hit them with a
question. They’ll probably stay focused after that. If it’s a short devotional, just lead into
it seamlessly from the activity you were involved in.
Use illustrations to help get your point across. To illustrate is, by definition, to
make clear by giving or serving as an example or instance. Before you use an illustration
though, make sure that it holds water.
There’s nothing more unconvincing
than a bad illustration. Activities work
well as illustrations. If you’ve just
learned about Search and Rescue, and
your theme is responsibility, then you
could talk about our responsibility to
search for and rescue souls from hell.
An illustration that involves a physical
object that you can hold up and show
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them will more likely to be remembered because you’re adding the sense of sight to the
sense of sound. The more senses you can get involved, the better they’ll remember.
Having them repeat your main points is another good tool.
At the end of each devotional, draw applications. Relate what you’ve just said to
them. Show them a way that they can put it into action at the camp and at home. Keep
your eyes and ears open, and if you notice someone demonstrating what you’ve talked
about, then commend them at the next formation or devotional in front of everybody.
If you plan on having others do some or all of the devotionals, contact them as
soon as possible. When you talk to them, know what you want them to talk about and
about how long you want them to talk.
Don’t forget to have someone pray at the end of each devotional.
The Campsite
The goal of a good campsite is comfort and workability. If you are camping in a
public campground you may not have as much control over your campsite as those
camping on private property or backpacking. However, you can still follow some of these
basic rules. If you are camping on private property and you can access it before the
campout, go ahead and pick the exact campsite. Think about how you’re going lay out
the campsite. It will help setup go much more smoothly. A good campsite should:
Be located on a fairly open spot
Be slightly elevated (i.e. the side of a hill)
Have good drainage
Have shelter against the prevailing wind
Have water nearby (especially if you’re not bringing your own drinking
water)
Not be near stagnant water (or the mosquitoes will eat you alive)
Have plenty of wood nearby for fuel
Not be in a dry creek or stream bed
Not be near lone trees, on top of mountain peaks, or high ridges
Be away from dead trees or trees with dead limbs
In a campground, use the public restrooms. Otherwise you will have to dig a
latrine. A latrine should be about a foot wide, three to four feet long, and two to three feet
deep. They should be about 200 feet from any water source. Keep a shovel by the latrine
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and every time someone uses it, they should throw some dirt on top. Rather than “going”
in front of God and everybody, use a tarp around the latrine for privacy.
No campout is complete without a campfire. Fire is one of the most useful things
known to man, but out of control, it can cause extensive damage. So when you build a
fire pit, first stay away from dry grasses, bushes, or anything else that might burn.
Second, clear a ten foot radius around the campfire of pine needles, dead leaves, sticks,
etc. Dig the fire pit in the middle of the cleared area. The size of the pit will depend on
the number of people. Keep in mind, though, that the bigger the pit, the harder it is to
cook over.
Tents should not be too close together, and must be away from the fire. A piece of
surveyor’s tape tied to each tent rope will make the site much safer at night.
Miscellaneous
Cost estimation:
Estimating costs can be a little intimidating. If you’re smart, you’ll ask your mom
to help you. She’s been dealing with food a whole lot longer than you have. Before you
start, pray. Since almost all of the cost for the camp will be food, it will be largely from
this list that you that you derive your cost per person for the camp. To give you an idea, a
campout with twenty-five people and six meals will cost between ten and fifteen dollars
per person depending on the expense of the food items. The cost per person for our
example menu was fifteen dollars per person. We ended up with about forty dollars extra.
Do Not Undercharge. You can always give the money back. We used our money to make
photo CDs of the campout and to purchase small gift certificates for two older cadets who
were our invaluable assistants during the course of the campout.
Back –up plan:
As you plan your campout, think of some things that you could do if it rained, if
there were a lightning storm, etc. The best back-up plan for rain is called a poncho. Make
sure that everyone brings one. It might not be a bad idea to bring an extra one and also
some duct tape in case one rips.
The bugler:
If someone in your squad or unit plays the trumpet or bugle, see if they would be
willing to be the camp bugler. It really adds an air of authenticity to a camp to get up to
the stirring sound of reveille and go to bed to the melancholic notes of taps.
Assistants:
Before the camp, see if a couple of the older boys on your
squad or unit would be willing to be your assistants. They will do
things like prepare a meal while you set up an activity. Don’t
forget that everyone is eligible for the kitchen draft or anything
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else that needs to be done. Also you will need two older boys to serve as team leaders.
Make sure and contact them ahead of time.
Time fillers:
If you end up with a large gap of time (and you probably will) either because an
activity ended early or your guys didn’t need any squad time, it can be a neat
opportunity to do some unscheduled activities. Either go on to the next activity or use a
time filler.
Walking Sticks – This is one of the best time fillers. Before the campout
cut some saplings for everyone, including
the dads, that are about and inch to an inchand-a-half thick. They should be longer than
necessary so they can be custom cut to
length. Everyone loves to carve on them,
and it gives them a chance to use the belt
full of knives they will bring. You could
even have a contest to see who has the best
carved walking stick.
Meditation worksheets – If they haven’t
finished their meditation worksheet, now is
the time.
Teach them some knots
Soccer, chess, checkers, etc. – If you have some games with you, you will
probably use them.
Freeze tag (especially in the dark) – This is loads of fun. Just have them be
careful of tent ropes. Tying the surveyor’s tape on the ropes will help.
Capture the flag – This can take too long to be a time filler.
Briefings:
At the beginning of the campout you should give a briefing. In the briefing you
should:
Welcome and thank them for coming
Tell them the theme, theme verse, and assign the meditation worksheet
Give necessary cautions (i.e. poison ivy, snakes, black widows, bears, etc.)
Inform them about any penalties (such as push-ups) for such things as
leaving trash around, complaining, sloppy dress, or getting up/going to
bed late.
Tell where the first aid kit is
Give any other information pertaining to the camp
Divide them up into two squads/teams. Do this before hand. Make the
teams as even as possible. Don’t divide up families. (If possible, make a
guidon for each squad, or better yet, have them make it.)
Before extended activities such as an all-day hike or treasure hunt, you will need
to give some sort of briefing. Just give them the details that are pertinent to them
– no more.
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Comment Sheet:
Before the camp, print out an evaluation sheet for either each person or each
family involved in the campout. Do not make it too long. Your evaluation sheet should
ask:
1. What was done well?
2. What could be done better? (This should have the largest amount of space.)
3. What were your favorite activities?
4. What activities should be considered in the future?
5. Additional comments
To-do list:
A to-do list is crucial to a successful campout. As you plan, write down anything
that you think of that has to be done before the campout. If you do not, you will forget
until…...
Prizes:
Prizes are a great motivation to do your best. They can be anything from actual
ribbons, to a bag of candy, to being first through the food line. Add any additional cost
from this to the cost per person. A good website to buy ribbons from is
www.ribbonsgalore.com.
Bibliography
The Boy Scout Handbook, by Robert Birkby,
Boy Scouts of America, 1990 – An excellent guide to anything related to the
outdoors. Different editions are better for different things. Your library will
probably have a whole shelf of the individual guides for each merit badge. These
can also be a great resource.
The National Outdoor Leadership School’s Wilderness Guide, by Peter Simer and John
Sullivan,
Simon & Schuster, 1983 – The supreme guide to backpacking.
Knots, by Gordon Perry,
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Barnes & Noble, 2002 – The absolute best knot book we’ve ever found. It’s
written by a member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers and one-time editor
of their magazine, Knotting Matters. From the Monkey’s Fist to the Hackamore
Knot, it’s in here.
Map and Compass, by Cliff Jacobson,
The Globe Pequot Press, 1999.
No-Guesswork Cooking – Recipes You Can Trust, by Kim Cahill,
Institute of Basic Life Principles, 2004.
The Complete Wilderness Training Book, by Hugh McManners,
DK Publishing Inc., 1999 (www.dk.com).
US Army Survival Manual,
Dorset Press, 2001 – If you want to know about it, it’s in here.
National Audubon Society Field Guides – Probably the best collection of field guides out
there. Every entry has an actual color picture. Very easy to use.
Peterson Field Guides – Also a very good collection of field guides. They have a wider
range of books than the Audubon Society, but only a few pictures in some of the guides –
mostly sketches. They are a little harder to use sometimes. Their field guide, Edible Wild
Plants, is excellent.
In conclusion, remember that “in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”
Keep your dad involved and he’ll be able to help you a lot. “Pray without ceasing” while
you are planning your campout. If you leave out the Lord in your planning, your campout
will fall apart in your hands. Keep Him involved as your closest confidant, and the
campout will succeed beyond your wildest dreams.
God Bless and Happy Camping!
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