'What if' camp challenge
You’ll need
- Scenario card pack (1 per group)
- Paper or pencils
- Timer or stop watch (optional)
Before you begin
- Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Take a look at our 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.
- This is a great activity to run during an online session. Check out the advice on using Zoom and other popular digital platforms and the guidance on being safe online.
Planning and setting up this activity
- Print out the scenario cards one pack for each team.
It's important to stay safe while using breakout rooms, you can find more information about using breakout rooms on the Digital Platforms webpage.
For this activity:
- Split everyone into breakout rooms for the discussions.
Running this activity
- Gather everyone around and inform them that today they will imagine that they are at camp. And suddenly—everything stops working! There’s no electricity, no gas, and no batteries. Can your patrol use teamwork, creativity, and Scouting skills to adapt, stay safe, and keep camp running? They will be given some different ‘what if’s’ scenarios and they should work together and solve them.
- Divide everyone into teams of 3-4 and give them a scenario pack each.
- They need to choose one person to write and one person to report back to the whole section.
- They will be given 15mins to do each scenario card and then every team needs to report back to the whole section.
- Set the timer for the first scenario.
- End of the 15mins call everyone back.
- Go through each scenario one by one, with each group giving their answer to each scenario.
- Once everyone has given their answer, the leader can reveal a suggested answer.
- You can give teams points based on their answer and winning team could be given a prize (optional).
Scenarios
You’ve got plenty of food but no gas or matches.
What if you had to cook a meal using only what’s around your campsite?
How would you light a fire or prepare food safely?
Discussion Prompts:
- What natural materials could you use to start and sustain a fire safely?
- How would you make sure your fire area was safe and left no trace?
- What Scout fire-lighting techniques or skills could help you?
- What meals could be cooked with minimal tools or utensils?
- How would you ensure hygiene and food safety without gas or electricity?
- How could your patrol share tasks to get food ready efficiently?
All your torches and lanterns have dead batteries, and the power is out. You need to finish setting up camp before it gets dark.
How could you find your way safely, or keep morale high in the dark?
Discussion Prompts:
- What Scout skills help you stay safe and calm when it’s dark?
- How can you use natural light sources like the moon or stars to move safely?
- How would you keep the patrol together and prevent anyone from getting lost?
- How could you create light using safe materials found at camp?
- What are the dangers of moving around camp in the dark, and how can you reduce them?
- How could this situation build trust and teamwork in your patrol?
Your phones and radios are out of power.
What if you needed to contact another patrol across the field or the leaders’ site?
How could you send a message without technology?
Discussion Prompts:
- What traditional Scout signalling methods could you use (Morse, semaphore, whistle codes)?
- How would you ensure your message was clearly understood?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of visual vs. sound signals?
- How could your patrol plan a communication system before camp starts?
- What real-world situations might require you to use these skills?
- How can good communication prevent panic or confusion in an emergency?
It’s cold and raining, and you can’t use heaters or gas stoves.
What if you needed to keep warm and dry through the night?
What could you use to build shelter or stay comfortable?
Discussion Prompts:
- What materials or natural resources could help keep you dry and insulated?
- How would you set up a shelter that protects from wind and rain?
- How does layering clothing help you stay warm?
- What activities could help keep your patrol’s spirits up while you wait for the storm to pass?
- How can you plan ahead to prevent this situation on future camps?
- Why is it important to stay dry to avoid hypothermia?
It’s the second night of camp and most of your patrol’s batteries are flat. Torches are dim, your lantern won’t last much longer, and you still have two days left. There’s no mains electricity.
Discussion prompts:
- Which battery-powered items are essential for safety at camp?
- Which items are “nice to have” but not necessary?
- How would you decide what gets used first?
- Could you share equipment instead of everyone using their own?
- Why are rechargeable batteries better for the environment?
- What are the downsides of disposable batteries?
- How could solar chargers or hand-crank torches help at camp?
There’s no electricity for music, videos, or games.
What if you had to entertain yourselves for the evening?
What games, songs, or activities could you do together?
Discussion Prompts:
- What traditional Scout activities could you do to have fun together?
- How can everyone contribute an idea or talent to entertain the patrol?
- What makes a good campfire story, song, or skit?
- How can you make sure everyone feels included in the activity?
- What are the benefits of group entertainment compared to using devices?
- How could you make this “no electricity” time a positive experience for everyone?
What if you had to find your way back to base after sunset?
What techniques could you use to navigate safely in low light?
Discussion Prompts:
- How can you use natural navigation (sun, stars, shadows, or terrain)?
- What are some landmarks you can use to orient yourself?
- How could you make a basic compass if you had simple materials?
- What should you do if you realise you’re lost at night?
- How can your patrol prevent getting lost in the first place?
- How does staying calm help you think more clearly when navigating?
Suggested Answers
- Use flint and steel, fire strikers, or magnifying glass and sunlight to start a fire.
- Build a reflector oven or rocket stove using tin cans or bricks.
- Cook simple foods like Bannock, foil-wrapped potatoes, or stick bread.
- Share light sources between patrol members rather than everyone using their own.
- Use Use solar-powered lanterns or torches that recharge during the day.
- Use hand-crank (self-charging) torches that generate power when wound.
- Make candles from wax scraps or use glow sticks if available.
- Set up a campfire for light and warmth.
- Use reflective items or white clothing to help see paths.
- Pair up and use the buddy system to move safely in the dark.
- Layer clothing properly (base layer, insulating layer, waterproof outer layer).
- Use sleeping bags correctly and add liners for insulation.
- Use semaphore flags, Morse code, or whistle signals.
- Create a message runner system — one Scout carries messages.
- Build a signal tower or use mirrors for light signalling by day.
- Draw messages in the dirt or with sticks on the ground.
- Build a tarp or bivvy shelter using ropes and pegs.
- Use layers of clothing and blankets for insulation.
- Keep moving with light exercises or games to stay warm.
- Line the ground with plastic sheeting, mats, or dry leaves.
- Gather all battery-powered equipment and check remaining charge levels.
- Prioritise essential items (safety lighting before comfort items).
- Create a shared lighting system rather than everyone using their own torch.
- Turn devices off when not in use.
- Rotate usage between patrol members.
- Always remove batteries from equipment when not in use for long periods.
- Store spare batteries in a cool, dry place.
- Keep batteries in original packaging or a battery case to prevent short-circuiting.
- Never mix old and new batteries in the same device.
- Check expiry dates before camp.
- Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones.
- Bring fully charged power banks.
- Run a campfire with songs, stories, and skits.
- Play team games like charades, wink murder, or werewolf.
- Make up your own Scout talent show or quiz night.
- Tell ghost stories or make up funny camp legends.
- Use compass.
- Use the North Star, Sun, or natural landmarks to orient yourself.
- Look for moss, tree growth, or water flow to identify directions.
- Stay put if lost — signal for help instead of wandering.
Reflection
This activity showed how adaptable and resourceful Scouts can be when faced with challenges. By thinking creatively and working together, we learned how to manage without electricity, gas, or batteries using teamwork, problem-solving, and practical Scouting skills. It reminded us that preparation and cooperation are key when things don’t go to plan. We discovered that with communication, calm thinking, and a positive attitude, we can turn any setback into an adventure. Most importantly, we realised that our greatest power at camp isn’t electricity, it’s the teamwork and resilience within our patrols.
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.
Make it accessible
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
If you enjoyed this activity, try some of our other activities sponsored by Varta