Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Kids at the Campfire Cub Scout Survival Talk

I've been tapped to give a "survival" talk to a group of Cub Scouts, something past hug a tree and carry a whistle.
How to do this, without scaring the children, I plan on talking to the parents and leaders there present, and making suggestions as to clothing etc (the average 10y/o aren't shopping for their own clothes). Talking to big online retailers of camping stuff, there's not a lot of companies making decent stuff for kids. The coat and sleeping bag is easy. For an adult, an argument can be made that a winter parka, the puffier the better (trapped warm air) and long enough to reach thighs if not knees (assuming climbing harnesses aren't needed). So too kids, big puffy synthetic long parka. As long as they grow more north then east/west, it will last them. Sleeping bag, Wiggys regular 0 degree MARPAT on special $120. Fold the excess under them, they will grow into it, they will be warm, and it will last them into and through adult hood. Synthetic undies, wool/pile, puffy pants.

We treat environmental hypothermia all year round in our ED in the Bronx, Kids, due to size and lack of body mass are 100 times more susceptible to hypothermia then adults, Suggestions welcome.

i was the camping chairman for cubs and scouts for about 12 years so i have done a lot of this. cubs are pretty easy. make it simple. you don't want to get into the hardcore survival stuff with cubs cause frankly its not necessary. that comes later with scouts.

the way i did it was to come to a den/troop meeting with my full gear. backpack, tent, bag, stove, food, mess kit, fire starter, etc. i would break the pack down, set up the tent and stove and show them everything and how it worked. when they were cubs we had a hiking club and each hike we did something that the kids had to be prepared for. as cubs they all had to bring their pack with whatever was needed. when they got to be scouts, we did the same prep for overnight backpacking trips. everybody had a list and everybody was responsible for their own stuff.

as a side note, i also made walking sticks for all the kids as motivation to get to the "25 mile club". it was great fun. i miss it. i still collect nice little trees for sticks with the idea that maybe i'll get back into it sometime.

Cub to Boy Scouts was a major part of my life. I can't imagine not being involved in some capacity or other. Good and bad, do it all again in a heart beat, and I still contend, there's stuff there, that you would be hard pressed to learn anyplace else.

But the physiology of the thing, can't be disregarded, simply kids are more susceptible to hypothermia then adults, and my ED treats an adult at least once a week, in da Bronx.

Was active with scouts and often involved with winter campouts. Their absolute biggest issue was their rough and tumble play in snow that got them absolutely soaked. Without an adult presence and accompanying fire, they would have frozen to death. Not many kids out there with concerns for issues 5 minutes into the future.

Regardless of environment, an entire day long program should be relatively easy to assemble. One could easily spend 1/2 of a day on the various means of starting fires.

Being cubs though, they probably have about a 5-minute attention span, so keep it lively.

"Good and Bad" We inadvertently but predictably, we almost started a brush fire.


The stuff from Wiggys don't need a fire, they don't need to be dry, they just don't come in kids sizes, so they need a dry set of clothes and a fire.

Glad someone isn't busy whining and actually doing something for the kids. I went through the Cubs, Boy Scouts, and Explorers. I'm an Eagle Scout. I drifted away from the scouts as my church decided to no longer support the troop. Maybe it is time to help them out again. I enjoyed having my son in Scouts but the grands didn't get that influence except from their Dad and I. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

A common adage around here is: "Where there's smoke, one will find a Boy Scout."

I'm an Eagle scout too, and understand your desire to get/stay involved.
I recognize the serendipitous event my time in scouts was, the relationship between the adults and kids, was the best of all worlds. Room to grow, but totally there and involved when needed, and never afraid to box an ear or give a kick in the ass when appropriate and needed. These days, they look funny at you when you don't have a kid in the troop, but with the current mess that is BSA, I have absolutely no problem with being the "black sheep". To my mind, when done correctly, a scouts whole world exists within his patrol and by extension troop. They don't know from Council or region. Kids know when their cared about and for. And just for the record, there is no place for human sexuality in scouting. Done.

Regards, Jim

Rusty, I have a plaque somewhere, with the date my dad got his eagle, and when I got mine. There is room on it for 2 or 3 more entries. My sons experience with scouts, was pretty typical, come, go, stay, nobody gives a [bleep]. Compare that to mine, if you missed a patrol or troop meeting, the SPL or PL is on the phone, where were you, everything ok? With predictable results in my sons case, as well as mine. If the adults set the example of being actively involved with the kids, and establishing that "culture", there is a trickle down to the kids relationship with each other. [bleep] flows down hill, so does good, and in todays social environment, that's needed more then ever. As much as scouting is a bastion of tradition, and that makes it a target, it is by it's very nature, more so, an agent of good.

Any adults who work with the Scouts today have my admiration. There was a political wind at a certain point I didn't want to fight. And personnel I couldn't back after some of my buddies got out of Scouting Leadership. My church stopped sponsoring and I just got out. That was about the time when my son graduated and entered the Marines. He did the SOC thing and I was concerned about him more than the Scouts. That was before they called them MARSOC by name. God Bless the Boy Scouts and the US Marines. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Thank yous and him for his service.

I'm a "true believer" regards Boy Scouts, but back on point, adult or kid;

-Clothing as totally independent shelter, with enough in your pockets/attached to you, to make a reasonable effort, but your clothes should be adequate for the worst the location and season has demonstrated it's capable of (historical weather records) with the understanding that it can and likely will get worse. Records are made to be broken.

-Past that, sleeping bag, tarp/tent, pad, food and water. Add pot with cover and stove, then the rest...
The sleeping bag can be used with the clothes to lower the temperature of the bag (if their Wiggys), and just this much, will do more to keep you alive than any other prep. If I had to choose 1 out of all the above, it would be my 0 degree or better Wiggys bag. Next a really good pad.

I like and trust Wiggys. It's all I'll use, and Hilleberg tents, best I've found.

ETA: before yous say no to Wiggys, please conduct an experiment with your favorite bag. You and it in a cold shower, and in the most grievous conditions you can find, out onto the driveway or whatever, on your pad, wring out the bag and go to sleep. Please do this close to home, so you can retreat if you get too cold. This simulates a scenario that happens quite frequently, in that you and your bag are wet. I fell asleep in mine.