Cubs Autumn Camp 2016

I have just had one of the most fab, but very exhausting weekends ever! Friday, Saturday and Sunday I was off with Joshua and Brandon at Belchamps for the Autumn Scout Camp. My role for the weekend was a parent helper / leader type role which pretty much meant everything from running activities, to child minding kids running wild in the woods, to serving up dinner, to washing up after 30+ people and so on. The days started early as the kids were in dorm type rooms which meant once one of them woke, the rest did. The kids were kept busy all day long with loads of activities and then each evening we had a camp fire followed by a movie which would often see them all going to bed way past 11 o'clock.

 

One interesting thing about spending so much time with a big bunch of kids is that you realise what little sh1ts some of them are. Honestly we complain about our three at times, but my goodness when you see the behaviour of some of these kids you realise ours are like little angels. Its no wonder the parents were keen to pay the money to get rid of the little brats for a weekend.

 

Brandon did amazing as it was a Cubs weekend but as me and Joshua were going, they said he could also come along. So given that he was the youngest there and the only Beaver, he mingled with all the boys really well and thoroughly enjoyed himself. The weekend consisted of loads of activities including crate stacking, assault courses, human fussball, water rollerz, wood hiking etc.etc.

 

 

The weekend started on Friday night with the cubs investing the newest member Ryan.

Joshua took some homemade cream cakes for all the Cubs as an early celebration of his 9th birthday.

 

On the first night we enjoyed hot dogs and smalls around a camp fire.

Josh and Brandon cooking their marshmallows on the embers of the fire.

Brandon tucking in to his "small", a melted marsh mallow sandwiched between two chocolate biscuits.

Joshua with his "Small".

After the fire we watched "Cool Runnings" using a projector on the wall. With the lights out this worked really well.

Despite a late night the kids were all up early on Saturday and ready for the leaders to prepare breakfast.

Joshua and Brandon launching a rocket into space.

Some of the cubs around their favourite tree to climb.

All geared up for the first proper activity of the weekend, crate stacking.

Brandon's group went first and were absolutely fearless and had really good team work.

They achieved a height of 11 crates and then the instructor could not reach any further and pushed them over....

.....leaving the kids dangling in the air like Spidermen.

Joshua started in a team of 3 and his team took their time to get into a routine and to work together.

But as the crates got higher they realised they had to help each other out.

Eventually they hit a new record of 12 crates high which was pretty wobbly to say the least.

They decided to kick the crate towers down themselves rather than let the instructor do it.

Joshua just hanging around on the safety line.

Whenever the boys had a bit of free playtime, Brandon was obsessed with playing with the lacrosse type catchers, and he was really good with them as well.

Next activity was the Water Rollerz.

The kids went in two at a time like giant hamsters.

Amazingly Brandon stayed completely dry.

Joshua loved the Water Rollerz and came out exhausted.

Pushing so fast his team mate is about to face plant.

Brandon getting very daring and climbing up rather high in a tree!

Saturday evening we went for a 3 mile hike through Hockley Woods and also did a little goecaching and Pokemon-Go on the way.

The Cubs all started to tire before we had even reached the half way stage.

So to give them all some energy for the hike back we bought them all an ice-cream to get some E-numbers!!!

Saturday evening and we built a much larger camp fire and then settled down to watch Yogi Bear on the projector.

Brandon was feeling it by Saturday evening and fell asleep on the floor whilst watching Yogi Bear.

 

In the morning we had the most beautiful fiery sky as the sun rose. Overall the weather for the weekend was amazing given that it was mid October.

First activity of the day for Sunday human fussball with Joshua and Brandon taking up positions as strikers.

Joshua and Brandon getting stuck in to the football.

 

After lunch we hit the assault course to see who was the best ninja warrior.

Joshua climbing up the tower.

Brandon tackling the over / under tires.

Good balance by B on the see-saw.

Brandon climbing up the tower.

Brandon slaloming through some tire stacks.

Climbing through the tire screen. Or going over the top as most of the kids preferred.

Joshua on the tire wall.

Joshua on a wobbly bridge.

Charging across a balance beam at speed.

Brandon making his way down the inside of the tower.

Brandon emerging from under the cargo net. Luckily it wasn't that muddy on the assault course.

Great action shot of Joshua crawling out from the cargo nets.

 

Brandon on the wobbly bridge.

Little B coming down a plank ramp.

Brandon on the balance beams.