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Orienteering
Checkpoint challenge: Navigate like a pro!
Get ready to navigate the great outdoors with 'Orienteering'! Scouts will use maps and compasses to find checkpoints, honing their navigation skills while working as a team. It’s an adventurous challenge that combines problem-solving, physical activity, and teamwork in a fun, outdoor setting.
Before you begin
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Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely
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Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short
on helpers
What you'll need
- Compass
- Paper maps
- Clipboard
- Paper and Pencils
- Markers for checkpoints
- Stopwatch or timer
Planning your activity
Orienteering is a thrilling outdoor adventure that combines navigation skills, teamwork, and physical activity. Scouts will learn how to use a map and compass to navigate a course, finding checkpoints along the way. This guide will help you organize and run a successful
orienteering activity.
Choose a Location
- A park, campgrounds, or a scout-friendly outdoor space with varied terrain.
- Ensure the area is safe, accessible, and has enough landmarks to make the course interesting.
Set Up the Course
- Place 5–10 checkpoints around the area.
- At each checkpoint, leave a unique marker (e.g. A code to write down or a stamp for their card).
- Test the course to ensure the checkpoints are reachable and maps are accurate.
Run the activity
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Split Scouts into Patrols to encourage teamwork and safety.
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Each Patrol must find all checkpoints in the correct order or as many as possible within a set time limit.
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Patrols must stay together.
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Emphasize Leave No Trace: Don’t disturb plants, animals, or landmarks.
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Start the Course, staggering each Patrols start times by a few minutes to reduce crowding.
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Provide each Patrol with a map, compass, and checkpoint recording sheet.
After the activity
- Once all of the Patrols have returned, collect their sheets and count
their scores. - Award points to each Patrol for:
- Each checkpoint found.
- Completing the course in the correct order.
- Bonus points for teamwork or creative navigation strategies.
- Celebrate with small rewards or recognition, such as titles like “Master Navigator” or “Trailblazer Team.”
Change the challenge level
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Ensure all Scouts have whistles and know how to signal for help
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For younger Scouts, keep the course simple and focus on basic map-reading. For older Scouts, add challenges like extra checkpoints or a more complex terrain
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Have a backup plan in case of rain, like indoor map-reading exercises or a virtual orienteering challenge
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Allow experienced Scouts to mentor younger ones in using maps and compasses
Reflection
This activity was about being a team player and developing skills to try to beat the challenges at the checkpoints. In this activity, you needed to work as a team.
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What strategies worked well?
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What challenges did you face?
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Did anyone discover a new skill or strength?
You also worked on your navigation skills to make sure you stuck to the right route.
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Did you find navigating challenging?
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Did you discover new routes or places that you hadn’t noticed before?
