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Play Drip Detectives

Plug holes in a pipe in this plumbing challenge and retrieve your float, but watch you don’t spring a leak!

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You’ll need

  • Tables
  • Access to water
  • Buckets
  • Towels
  • Large jugs
  • Lengths of drainpipe, with one end sealed
  • Drill, with different-sized bits suitable for boring holes in drainpipe
  • A selection of items for plugging holes
  • A selection of floats, such as ping pong balls or rubber ducks
  • Amalgamating tape
  • Washing up bowls

Before you begin 

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There's also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.   
  • Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help. 

Planning and setting up this activity

  • Check that the bottom end of your length of drainpipe is water-tight.
  • Drill some holes in the each drainpipe. These need to be all along the pipe at varying intervals. The holes should be different sizes and, if possible, different shapes. This should be done by an adult before the session begins.
  • Place each pipe with the sealed-end facing down in a washing up bowl on the floor. Put down towels too.
  • Drop a float, such as a ping pong ball or rubber duck, into the pipe, making sure it’s at the bottom.
  • Put out some items or materials to potentially help plug the holes. You could use paper, pebbles, duct tape, kitchen roll, tin foil, socks, plasticine, tape, balloons, toilet roll tubes and other craft materials lying around.

Running this activity

  1. Gather everyone together and explain that you’re going to challenge them to see which material works best to stop a pipe from leaking.
  2. Ask everyone to get into small groups of up to five people. Assign each team to a pipe, washing up bowl and towels. 
  3. Explain to everyone that they need rescue the item at the bottom of the pipe. They’ll need to plug the holes with the materials available, then fill the pipe with water to help rescue whatever is at the bottom of the pipe.
  4. Each group should take some time to examine the materials they can use.
  5. Alternatively, you could assign each group a different material to see which one works best.
  6. Give the groups 10 minutes to work together to plug the holes. It’s up to you whether the teams are allowed to hold items against or in the holes, or if it has to be freestanding.
  7. After 10 minutes, someone should pour water from a jug into each pipe to see if the plugs hold.
  8. If the float, such as a ping pong ball or rubber duck, rises to the top, the team should try to grab it.
  9. If no-one succeeded and the plugs didn’t hold, everyone should try again.
  10. Finally, demonstrate and then let everyone try to patch the pipe with amalgamating tape, which should provide a more permanent solution to leaks. You could also demonstrate how pipe repair clamps and push-fit fittings can be used to fix holes.
  11. You can try to find a way to repurpose the pipe you’ve used. It might be a nice feature in a flower or herb garden, such as to support plants or grow strawberries in.

Reflection

This activity was all about learning how to fix a leaking pipe and what might work best. Everyone needed to think about the materials available and how they can be used effectively. Which materials worked best and which didn’t work at all? Did anything work well enough that you could potentially use to temporarily fix a pipe? What would you need to do next?

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.

You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.

Poles and long objects

Be careful when moving poles or long items. Take care if the ends are sharp. Have appropriate supervision for this activity.

Heavy and awkward objects

Never lift or move heavy or awkward items alone. Ask for help or, if possible, break them down into smaller parts.

Glue and solvents

Always supervise young people appropriately when they’re using glue and solvent products. Make sure there’s plenty of ventilation. Be aware of any medical conditions that could be affected by glue or solvent use and make adjustments as needed.

Water games and activities

Be careful when doing activities with, in, or near water. Check surfaces and reduce the risk of slipping where possible. Make sure you have appropriate supervision for this activity.

  • To make this activity easier, you could have fewer holes in the pipes. 
  • To make this activity harder, you could have more holes in the pipe or use a longer pipe.
  • Make sure to have accessible equipment and methods available, such as left-handed tools, tearing instead of cutting out, thicker materials for easier grip, or using items that make noise for anyone with visual impairments. 
  • Make sure any equipment is laid out in a way that’s accessible to everyone. There should be space or access for everyone to move around and reach anything needed. For example, you could also put items on a table, rather than the floor if people struggle to bend down.
  • Make sure there’s enough time for everyone to try the activity a few times, and have plenty of adults available for support. You could run the activity over multiple sessions and have backup activities for early finishers, so everyone can work at their own pace. 
  • Some people might not like how it feels to touch some items or textures, or they may not like getting messy. No-one should be forced to touch something they feel uncomfortable with. They could wear gloves, use another object to interact with the item or find another way to do the activity. They could work in a pair or a group too, so someone else could do that part of the task.
  • People can move at their own pace, so you don’t need to make it competitive unless it works for everyone.You could also reward good communication, creativity or teamwork, instead of speed or being the first. Remind people to encourage each other and that it’s not about winning, but about taking part, working well as a team and having fun.
  • People can work in pairs or small groups, as needed. If needed, let people be in bigger group sizes to make sure everyone’s supported in taking part in the activity. Everyone could also work all together as a one big group, depending on what will work best for your group. An adult or young leader should always be available to help and support people.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Cubs Our Skills Challenge Award
Scouts DIY Activity Badge
Scouts Skills Challenge Award

If you enjoyed this activity, why not try Patch it up

Give young people the chance to drill the holes in the pipe, with appropriate supervision. They should be confident in the young person’s ability to use the drill.