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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

Discover what this means

Zorbing

Zorbing comes in all shapes and sizes – choose your adventure and see where it’ll take you.
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What to expect

There are lots of different ways to get stuck into zorbing. It usually involves an adventure inside an inflatable ball, but you could end up rolling down a hill, travelling across water, or even playing football. You may find that different activities suit people of different ages – chat to whoever will run to session to see what they’d recommend for your group.

What you’ll learn

Most people probably won’t have tried zorbing before, so it’ll give people a chance to take a deep breath and try something new. They’ll have to dig deep and support each other to find their brave and give it a go.

Fun facts

The greatest distance travelled by a zorb ball in a single roll is 570 metres. The record’s held by Steve Camp from South Africa, though his magnificent journey happened in New Zealand in November 2006. How far did you travel?

Handy hints

  • Dress for the occasion. Check with the centre to see if they have any rules about what you should (or shouldn’t) wear, and pass the information on to everyone else.
  • Grab some extra hair bobbles. People with long hair will probably need to tie it back. Take a few extra hair ties, just in case anyone forgets.
  • Have something else planned. If you’ll have to take it in turns, prepare another activity to keep everyone entertained when it isn’t their turn in a zorb.

Safety

You must always:
Be safe outdoors:
  • Check the weather forecast
Other activities:
  • Where an activity is not covered by any other rules members must follow rule 9.1 and assess the risk, ensure that members can be kept safe and that all equipment is suitable for its use.
Joint activities with other organisations:
This activity can be led by you or someone else in Scouts
You can go to a centre or use an activity leader who is not part of Scouting:
You must find a suitable provider who meets the following requirements:

  • The provider must have public liability insurance.

Guidance

Reflection

Zorbing is a great opportunity to try something new. How did people feel before they tried zorbing? What did they expect? People may have been excited, or nervous, or both at once. They might’ve expected it to make them dizzy or out of breath. Did zorbing meet their expectations? Would people try another zorbing activity if they had the chance? Do they think they’d feel differently beforehand, now they’ve tried one kind of zorbing? Sometimes trying new things is easier when people have similar experiences to compare it to.

Zorbing is also a great opportunity to be courageous – getting inside a big inflatable ball can seem intimidating or scary, so well done to everyone who gave it a go. Were people worried about anything before they began? How did they deal with their fears? They may have chatted to someone, asked questions, or watched someone else give it a go. How did people support each other? People could think about how they could use what they learned next time they’re feeling afraid – would it help to talk to someone else, follow a role model, or give it a go one step at a time?

  • Zorbing can often be adapted so more people can give it a go. Many outdoor centres have facilities that cater for people with additional needs and experienced instructors to help everyone achieve their goals. Get in touch with your local provider to chat through the needs of people in your group – make sure you give them plenty of notice.
  • Anyone who’s worried about being closed in the zorb could give it a practice go before the activity takes place. You could also agree a stop signal with anyone who’s nervous.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Beavers My Adventure Challenge Award
Cubs Our Adventure Challenge Award
Scouts Adventure Challenge Award

There are many different ways to try zorbing – if people enjoyed the session, see if you can try another type of zorbing next time.

If you have the choice of activities, let the young people make the decision. They can choose whether they’d rather work as a team for zorb football or experience an adrenaline rush by rolling down a hill, for example.