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Dogs in the bogs

Join your fellow Scottish terriers as you try to cross a sticky bog without getting stuck in the mud!
Plan a session with this activity

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You’ll need

  • Sticky tape
  • String
  • Three buckets of earth or sand

Before you begin

  • The person leading the activity should add water to two of the buckets of earth or sand. They should add a small amount of water to one bucket, so that it looks like damp ground. They should add a large amount of water to another bucket, so that it looks like very wet ground.
  • The person leading the activity should run a line of tape or string across the centre of the indoor or outdoor space you will be using for the game.

Run the activity

  1. The person leading the activity should explain to the group that Scotland has many different kinds of countryside, including bogs, which are pools of wet mud and plants. See if anyone has visited Scotland or has heard about bogs before.
  2. The person leading the activity should show the group the three buckets. Everyone should gather round and touch the earth or sand in each one. One should be dry, one should be damp and one should be wet. The person leading the activity should explain that the wet earth or sand is like a bog and ask the group how it would feel to walk over it.
  3. Using the buckets to help, the person leading the activity should ask the group to think of and try to name wildlife that might live in or near a bog. Hint that bogs are a popular habitat for some plants, insects and birds. Now get the group to think of animals that won’t live near the bog. (small animals, like mice or rabbits, will stay away from bogs in case they get stuck!)
  4. The person leading the activity should show the group the space that they will be using for the game. They should nominate two or three people to be bogs. The bogs must stay on the line of tape or string, keeping one foot on the line at all times, though they may move up and down the line. There should be room between the two or three bogs for a person to move from one end of the playing space to the other without being touched.
  5. With the bogs in place, the person leading the activity should explain that the rest of the group are Scottish terriers and must pass the bogs without being touched. When they reach one side, they should try and cross back to the other side.
  1. Begin the game. A bog can stick a Scottish terrier in place by touching them once as they are passing. A Scottish terrier who gets touched must stand still with their arms out and bark for help. Scottish terriers can free their stuck fellows by touching one of their hands.
  1. Play until you run out of time or until all of the Scottish terriers have been stuck.

Reflection

Bog gardens (The Royal Horticultural Society)The group have learned about a wild feature found in Scotland - bogs. While they are an important habitat for some wildlife, peat bogs are also valued as a source of energy, as their contents can be burnt for fuel. However, burning peat destroys the bog habitat. Why is it important to protect habitats like bogs?

While bogs are important, they are also dangerous obstacles for walkers. Who found it difficult to avoid getting stuck in the mud? If you were walking your Scottish terrier in Scotland and came across a bog, what steps could you take to check where you were walking? (e.g. wear waterproof boots, keep the dog close, test the ground with a stick)

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Active games

The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.

Contact games and activities

Make sure everyone understands what contact is acceptable, and monitor contact throughout the activity.

Speedy Scottie dogs may find it too easy to avoid the bogs and may enjoy the game more if the number of bogs was increased. You could also make the playing area narrower.

Scotties who repeatedly get stuck may need the playing area to be widened.

Have quiet, safe areas for people to get their breath back at either end of the playing space.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Beavers Thistle Award
Beavers Creative Activity Badge

Research bogs and find out how you can make your own for the local wildlife. Take extra care to put up signs warning that there is a bog nearby, or somebody could get stuck!

Visit The Wildlife Trusts or RHS for more information about making your own bog.