Campout and Camporee Programs

Camporee Basics

Camporee Theme Ideas

  • Amazing Race
  • Bear Essentials
  • Character Campout: Character Campout Guide | Character Campout Writeup - Contributed by Roger Claff, Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 1570, Herndon, VA, reclaff@aol.com
  • Chills & Thrills
  • Cookoree
  • Eco-Challenge: Such a camporee might include a Compass Game, Orienteering Hike, Fly Fishing, Wall Challenge, Tires Challenge, Swinging Log Challenge, Search & Rescue Exercise, Scout Scrabble, and Campsite Inspection. (From: Scouts-L - Camporee Chairman Cliff Golden c60clg1@CORN.CSO.NIU.EDU
  • Feast of the Hunter's Moon: This commemorates the tradion of trappers and Native Americans to get together and trade wares at the end of the trapping season during the "Hunter's Moon" in the fall (usually October). Traders, Voyageurs, Trappers, Native Americans, and Settlers in authentic costume can enhance the experience with a focus on skills for survival from the 1700s.
  • Girl Scout Campore: Example at http://www.geocities.com/girlscoutcamporee2000/
  • Midnight Madness Orienteering: Could include a compass course using light sticks as markers for the scouts, blind-patrol challenge (navigating obstacles without losing contact with other in a controlled area), astronomy, and ghost stories.
  • Mission Impossible: Better than an explaination - visit Cliff Golden's website at http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/9857/links.htm#camporee to see this one.
  • Mountaineering: Well dress up in buckskins and bring in the black powder demonstration reenactors. This a great time to try out wilderness skills and have a good time with old fashioned cooking. Could feature the new climbing merit badge, backpacking skills, and cooking.
  • Orienteering Rangers
  • Railroading Learn more about this idea at railoree.homepage.com or download a summary and railoree plan.
  • Rocket's Red Glare
  • Scout Olympics
  • Service to Seniors: Camp at or near a nursing home and share food with residents along with songs, stories, and service projects.
  • Spirit of George Washington Read about the annual camporee conducted by the National Capital Area Council on the grounds of Mount Vernon.
  • Star Wars Rendevous on the Ice Planet Hoth Let your Scouts use their imagination to help plan this one. Great opportunity for a districtwide PLC night of pizza, movies (Star Wars of course), and planning with your district camping commitee.
  • Undergound Railroad During the years before the Civil War there was an organized network of people who helped fugative slaves escape from the South with safe-houses and secret routes to avoid capture. This network became known as the underground railroad and helped many hundreds of slaves to make their way to freedom. With a little imagination this could be used with stalking, tracking, and other hiking/camping skills to reenact some of the activities used to foil bounty hunters. The subject matter may be very sensitive and needs to be addressed in a manner that celebrates freedom and those who sought freedom. This may also be a great opportunity for culteral awareness and work towards American Heritage and American Cultures merit badges.
  • Wateree
  • More Ideas? Steve Tobin's The Netwoods Virtual Campsite has some great planning ideas at http://www.netwoods.com/d-activity.html

Other Camporee Ideas

  • Camp-Breaking Contest: Have a contest judged by all SPLs in camp on which Troop does the best job of breaking camp. Factors could include "Leave No Trace" principles, organization, time, and so forth.

If you have a camporee idea or documentation related to a successful camporee, please let us know so that we can share your successes with other Scouters. Unfortunately, some of the wonderful resources described above are no longer available, primarily because the author of the publication or resource did not send us a copy or their website no longer exists. If you find a link in the list above that no longer works, please let us know that information, too. Please send an e-mail to the webmaster. Thanks.


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