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X marks the spot

First suggested by UK Network Team
Learn how to use what3words by racing against other teams to complete this treasure hunt.

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You’ll need

  • A mobile phone device per team

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. 
  • Make sure the right people know the date, location, meeting point, what to bring, and arrangements for drop-off and collection. For Network members who are driving, ensure parking is safe and accessible, with a well-lit drop-off and collection point away from traffic. 
  • Check the weather forecast and sunset times. Remind everyone to dress appropriately for changing conditions and ensure the activity will have sufficient daylight to complete safely. 
  • This activity relies on each group having a mobile phone device capable of downloading and running the what3words app. This may require Wi-Fi in a secure location, such as the meeting place or a young person’s home, or mobile data. The app can be used offline once downloaded and set up, but location services must be enabled. Be aware that using location services continuously may reduce battery life. 

Planning and setting up this activity 

  • Decide where to run the activity: this could be rural or urban depending on your group and goals.
  • Choose some key landmarks or specific locations within the area. There are two ways to select these:
    • Explore the area in person and use the what3words app to mark each location. This is ideal if you want teams to spot objects or solve clues on site.
    • Plan remotely using what3words to select locations on a map, for example, to create a specific pattern or shape with the locations.
  • Make a list of the what3words phrases for each location that teams will follow.
  • Determine how teams will interact with each location: will they solve a clue to find the what3words address, or reach the location first and then complete a challenge, find an object, or solve a puzzle?
  • Create any tasks, puzzles, or challenges for each location. Decide how they will be delivered: at the location itself, or by contacting base once the team arrives. Plan how teams will receive the next location.
  • Travel the planned route beforehand to check accessibility, timings, and any potential hazards. Hide objects or tasks in advance at each location if needed. 

Running this activity

  1. Gather everyone at the chosen starting location.
  2. Give a safety briefing, including boundaries, emergency procedures, contact methods, expected duration, and how updates or information will be shared.
  3. Explain the activity and its aim. This could be reaching the finish first, collecting the most points, or solving a code or puzzle.
  4. Explain that navigation will use what3words. Teams will be given a starting phrase and must navigate to each location, either finding the next clue on site or contacting base to receive it. Clarify any additional rules or tasks.
  5. Split the group into teams and ensure everyone has a working mobile device with battery and signal, as well as the what3words app installed for the activity.
  6. Give out the first clues and start the teams on their treasure hunt. Monitor progress, provide support, and make adjustments if needed. 

Reflection

This activity encouraged teamwork, problem-solving, and navigation skills as groups worked together to find specific locations using what3words. Participants had to communicate effectively, plan their routes, and decide how to tackle each challenge. It was useful to reflect on how easy or difficult it was to find the exact points, and whether the clues or addresses were clear. Teams demonstrated creativity and persistence, particularly when working out tricky locations or solving puzzles. Overall, the activity provided a fun, collaborative way to practice navigation, decision-making, and problem-solving in a real-world setting. 

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.

Outdoor activities

You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.

Visits away from your meeting place

Complete a thorough risk assessment and include hazards, such as roads, woodland, plants, animals, and bodies of water (for example, rivers, ponds, lakes, and seas). You’ll probably need more adult helpers than usual. Your risk assessment should include how many adults you need. The young people to adult ratios are a minimum requirement. When you do your risk assessment, you might decide that you need more adults than the ratio specifies. Think about extra equipment that you may need to take with you, such as high visibility clothing, a first aid kit, water, and waterproofs. Throughout the activity, watch out for changes in the weather and do regular headcounts. 

Online safety

Supervise young people when they’re online and give them advice about staying safe. Take a look at our online safety or bullying guidance. The NSPCC offers more advice and guidance, too. If you want to know more about specific social networks and games, Childnet has information and safety tips for apps. You can also report anything that’s worried you online to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command. As always, if you’ve got concerns about a young person’s welfare, including their online experiences, follow the Yellow Card to make a report.

  • To make this activity easier, Use a smaller area, reduce the number of checkpoints or simplify the challenges.  

  • To make this activity harder, you could Give clues or puzzles for each three-word address, requiring teams to work out the phrase before navigating or limit the hints so teams must rely on maps, compass skills, or teamwork to progress. 

Make it accessible

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

26 in 26: a Network Challenge

If you enjoyed this activity, you could try geocaching. 

This activity can be designed in teams, where each group creates their own set of checkpoints, clues, or tasks for another team to follow. This allows young people to take ownership of the activity, use their creativity to design engaging challenges, and think strategically about navigation and problem-solving. It encourages collaboration within teams as they plan and agree on tasks, and it gives other teams a fresh, participant-led experience.