Camping

Family Campout Rules and Tips

1. NO sticks! At ages 6-10 years old many boys can’t resist the urge to pick up a long stick and swing, hit, poke, jab, or spar at each other. Any boy caught swinging, poking, or jabbing another boy with a stick will be warned once and required to meet and discuss the importance of the rule with his parents and the Cubmaster on the second incident. Please do not allow your son to carry a stick at camp.

2. Knives: Only Cub Scouts in the Bear program (3rd grade) and above who have successfully earned their “whittling chip” card may carry a pocketknife at scout events. Knives are prohibited at camp unless specifically required for a Den level activity. Whittling chips must be carried at all times by the scout in possession of a pocket knife.

3. Buddy System: No cub should leave the camping area, even to go to the latrine, without at least one “buddy” or his or her parent. Parents should practice the buddy system too. When leaving the campsite to go on a hike, two leaders and parents should accompany the boys. Adults in charge of a hike should prepare a roster of everyone going along, state where they are planning to go, when they plan to return, and leave notice with a pack leader who stays behind.

4. No running within the campsite. Kids love to run. Yet, injuries related to trips, slips, and falls are among the most common camping accidents. Please ask your child not to run within the campsite. Bring a soccer ball, frisbee, or football, and we’ll find an open green space where running is safer.

5. Tent privacy and Respect: Cubs must respect the private spaces of others. No child is permitted to enter another family’s tent without first getting permission from that family’s parents or adult guardians. Nobody wants to sleep in a tent that has been tracked with mud and dirt.

6. Bathing and Latrine Privacy: In accordance with BSA Youth Protection Policies, both boy and adult privacy should be respected in a practical and reasonable way when bathing and using the latrines. In Cub Scouting, parents (or an adult authorized by a boy’s parents) are responsible for supervising and monitoring the safety of their children in latrines and showers. Leaders are instructed to respect the privacy of all scouts and supervise only to the extent of ensuring health and safety, as in the event of sudden illness, accidents, injuries, dangerous horseplay, or roughhousing.

7. Cubs may not sleep in tents with adults who are not their parents or legal adult guardians. “Sleepovers” at campouts are only permitted when cubs of similar age sleep together in a tent with no adults. Never sleep in a tent with a child who is not your own. --BSA Rules

8. No open toed shoes, sandals, or bare feet in camp.

9. Contraband and Restricted Substances: Alcoholic beverages are prohibited at all scouting activities. Please abide by this rule and help us conduct a safe and accident-free program. Tobacco use is permitted but restricted to areas out-of-sight from the scouts. Please consult your Den or Pack Leader for the location of a designated smoking area.

10. Fire Safety: Many young children are almost transfixed by fire. Parents must supervise their children at all times, but especially around the fires. Cubs are prohibited from adding wood (or anything else) to the fire without express permission and supervision from their parent or a leader. The fire shovel and sand pail are intended to be fire safety devices and must remain near the fire ring.

11. Liquid fuels (Coleman fuel, white gas, kerosene) are prohibited at campouts. Please bring only propane or solid fuels to campouts.

12. Never leave candy/chips or candy/chip wrappers or food of any kind in your tent or in clothes in your tent. Wild animals can smell it. Always store “smellables” in your closed car. This includes toothpaste, open Gatorade, and other soda cans, etc. If in doubt, leave it in your car.

13. There will be a kitchen or cooking area, no scouts are allowed in this area without supervision. Scouts present without adult supervision will be asked to leave.

14. No pets.

15. No electronics for scouts--they are learning to camp!

Packing Suggestions

This list is not intended to be all inclusive, but should be a loose guide to what you and your scout will need for most family camping trips. Remember to check the weather and amenities where we are going to be sure you bring everything needed.

• Class A Uniforms for scouts and leaders

• Appropriate weather clothes, closed toe shoes, rain gear (if needed)

• Snacks, toiletries, required medicines, flashlight (and extra batteries), reusable water container, bug spray, sunscreen

• Tent, sleeping bags, pillows, outdoor chairs

• We will have coffee and coolers with water and lemonade to refill reusable cups, bring any other desired drinks for your family.

• THERE WILL BE NO COFFEE CUPS PROVIDED BY THE PACK!

• All campers must have mess kits for eating. We will have a washing station to clean them.

• Friday dinner is not provided by the pack.

• Fishing gear (if we will have water access)