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Building Shelters and Other Scouting Skills

The Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts programs are dedicated to providing young people with life skills that can positively affect both the individual and the community. These organizations stress personal responsibility, education and civic engagement. Having been founded in 1910 by William Boyce, Ernest Thompson Seton, and Daniel Carter Beard, the Boy Scouts of America has amassed over 3 million members and approximately 100 thousand units. Likewise, the Girl Scouts, founded in 1912, have approximately 3.2 million active members and 59 million alums. These established programs continue to spread their teachings and encourage young people to take an active part in their communities.

Cooking

  • Backpack Dutch Oven Cooking – Instructions on how to create a makeshift Dutch oven while camping and recipes that use the cooking device, perfect for camping.
  • Cooking Merit Badge Information and Requirements – Cooking is an important part of the Boy Scout program. To earn the cooking merit badge, there are a number of different things a scout needs to accomplish.
  • Scouting Magazine on Cooking – Scouting Magazine provides tons of great information and cooking ideas that can be used on any camping trip or scout outing.
  • Cooking While Camping – Information and resources about cooking while camping using popular scouting methods.
  • Outdoor Cooking Safety from the Girl Scouts – Cooking safety is an important skill and can help to prevent camping accidents and injury.
  • Box Oven Recipes – One popular method of cooking among girl scouts is the box oven method. This resource provides both general instructions and recipes.
  • Easy Campfire Cooking – These easy and delicious campfire cooking recipes and ideas will please the pickiest scouts and are tons of fun to make and enjoy with a troop.
  • KOA Campfire Cooking Secrets – Learn a few more tips and tricks to make your campfire meal a success.

Fire

  • The Ultimate Campfire Guide – Information about fire safety, types of fire, how to put out a fire and campfire related activities.
  • How to Build a Fire – The USDA Forest Service provides information on how to effectively and safely build a fire.
  • Basic Campfire Resources – This FAQ-style resource guide provides great basic information about building fires for boy and girl scouts.
  • Campfires and Codes – Use this resource to learn more about valuable campfire tips and about the health and safety codes related to campfires.
  • How to Build a Fire Without Matches – Boy and girl scouts can use the fire bow method to start a campfire if they don’t have any matches; this is a valuable survival skill.
  • Fire Skills Merit Badge – Boy Scout Troop 780, based in Dunn, North Carolina, offers up tons of excellent information for fellow scouts working towards their fire skills merit badge.
  • How to Make Fire Starters – Step-by-step instructions for scouts on how to make a homemade fire starter to bring on a camping trip.
  • How to Properly Extinguish a Fire – An informative video of a boy scout teaching how to properly put out a fire in the wilderness.

First Aid

  • Boy Scouts Fire Aid Test – Use this multiple choice quiz to test your scout’s knowledge of first aid.
  • Wilderness First Aid Training – The Emergency Care and Safety Institute provides valuable first aid training information for scouts.
  • Boy Scout First Aid Flash Cards – These flashcards can help scouts master first aid techniques and earn their merit badge.
  • The American Red Cross on First Aid Training – The Red Cross is available nationwide , to help boy and girl scouts learn important first aid techniques.
  • First Aid Buying Guide – Boy’s Life, the official publication of the Boy Scouts of America, provides tips and information about what to look for when purchasing or making one’s own first aid kit.
  • Making Your Own Personal First Aid Kit – When hiking or camping, a first aid kit is a necessity. These easy instructions will help scouts to build their own first aid kit to carry with them.
  • Simple First Aid – A basic introduction to first aid, what it is and why it is important. This is a great guide for both boy and girl scouts and teaches basic concepts.
  • First Aid and CPR Information – A detailed resource with first aid techniques and CPR instruction for all ages.

Knots

  • An Index of Scouting Knots – A large collection of knots that have many different tying techniques and purposes. This guide includes pictures and step-by-step tying instructions.
  • The Six Boy Scout Knots – A guide to the six standard Boy Scout knots and information about each.
  • Knot Typing Videos – Animated videos for five different Boy Scout knots.
  • How to Tie Popular Knots – Boy Scout Troop 7, out of South Florida, provides great information and instruction for fellow scouts practicing their knot tying skills.
  • Camping Knots and Basic Skills – A beginner’s guide to camping knots and tips for improving your knot typing skills.
  • Knot Tying Instruction and Diagrams – A very detailed and informative guide to different knots, how to tie them, use them, and much more.
  • Knot Tying Games – A collection of several activities involving knot tying skills. These games are great for practice!
  • 50 Basic Knots to Know – 50 knots for everyday use and instruction for each.

Orienteering

Tents & Shelters

Miscellaneous