The Badge Archive

Games – Leave No Trace Relay

Items Needed:

  • Seven station signs, each representing one of the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace.
  • Materials for station activities (e.g., recyclable and non-recyclable items for sorting, markers and paper for creative tasks, or small props for scenario-based challenges).
  • A timer or stopwatch (optional).
  • A copy of the 7 Leave No Trace Principles (printed or displayed for reference) at each station.

Instructions:

  1. Arrange seven stations, each representing one Leave No Trace principle.
  2. Group scouts into small teams to encourage collaboration and problem-solving.
  3. Teams move between stations, completing the activity or answering the question at each one. Set a time limit for each station to keep the challenge engaging and on schedule.
  4. (Optional) Reflect and Share: Once all teams have visited each station, gather everyone together. Discuss the activities and how they relate to the Leave No Trace principles.

Station Ideas

Station 1: Plan Ahead and Prepare

Basic Activity:

Name one thing you should bring on a camping trip to be prepared.

Activity: Trip Planning Challenge

  • Scouts create a checklist of essential items for an overnight camping trip (e.g., maps, food, weather-appropriate clothing).
  • Provide scenarios like “Unexpected rainstorm” or “No bathrooms available.” Scouts must adjust their checklist for the situation.
    Materials: Blank paper, pens, Scenario cards.

Alternative Activity: Weather Preparation Game

  • Provide scouts with a weather forecast for an outdoor trip (e.g., “It will be sunny during the day but very cold at night”). Scouts must choose from a set of pre-written items (e.g., sunscreen, sleeping bag, warm jacket) and explain their choices for the trip.
    Materials: Weather forecast cards, item cards with images/descriptions.

Station 2: Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Basic Activity:

  • Point to the best spot to walk or camp (use a visual like a printed map or a photo showing different terrains).

Activity: Path Design Puzzle

  • Create a map showing different terrains (grass, rock, sand, trails) and ask scouts to design a hiking path that follows durable surfaces while avoiding sensitive areas.
    Materials: Printed maps or drawings of terrains, markers or stickers to mark paths.

Alternative Activity: Camp Layout Challenge

  • Provide a map of a campsite, including areas like rocky terrain, grassy areas, and wetlands. Scouts decide where to pitch tents and set up a cooking area while avoiding sensitive spots.
    Materials: Printable campsite maps, markers for placement.

Station 3: Dispose of Waste Properly

Basic Activity:

  • Sort a pile of items into “Trash” and “Recycling.”

Activity: Trash Sorting Game

  • Provide a mix of recyclable, compostable, and non-recyclable items (real or toy versions). Scouts must sort the items into the correct bins.
    Materials: Recyclable and non-recyclable props (empty containers, wrappers, etc.), labeled bins or boxes.

Alternative Activity: Litter Hunt Simulation

  • Scatter small items around a designated area to represent litter. Scouts pick up the “litter” and sort it into trash, recycling, and compost categories.
    Materials: Small, lightweight items (e.g., paper scraps, fake leaves, bottle caps), labeled bins or bags.

Station 4: Leave What You Find

Basic Activity:

  • Name one thing in nature you should leave behind instead of taking home (e.g., rocks, plants, or shells).

Activity: Artifact Preservation Roleplay

  • Display fake items like rocks, leaves, or shells and ask scouts to discuss why they should remain untouched in nature. Scouts can also share ideas for ways to enjoy and preserve these natural items (e.g., take photos instead).
    Materials: Fake or natural props like rocks, leaves, or shells; index cards explaining the significance of each item.

Alternative Activity: Photo Scavenger Hunt

  • Instead of collecting items, scouts “hunt” for natural objects (e.g., a unique leaf or a cool rock) and take photos of them to share with the group. Discuss why leaving these items in nature is important.
    Materials: Cameras, smartphones, or paper to sketch items found.

Station 5: Minimize Campfire Impacts

Basic Activity:

  • Name one safe way to cook food without using a campfire.

Activity: Safe Campfire Setup

  • Provide materials like sticks, stones, and paper to simulate building a campfire. Scouts demonstrate how to create a fire responsibly using an established fire ring or alternative methods like camp stoves.
    Materials: Small props (sticks, paper, stones, toy stove), printed guidelines on safe campfires.

Alternative Activity: Campfire Safety Trivia

  • Prepare multiple-choice trivia questions about campfire safety and Leave No Trace guidelines, such as firewood gathering, using camp stoves, or fire bans. Scouts answer questions as a team.
    Materials: Trivia questions and answer cards.

Station 6: Respect Wildlife

Basic Activity:

  • Choose whether to “watch quietly” or “move closer” to a picture of an animal. Discuss why your choice is the right one.

Activity: Wildlife Observation Simulation

  • Show images or videos of wildlife in different scenarios (e.g., birds nesting, deer grazing). Scouts practice observing quietly without disturbing animals. They can also brainstorm ways to avoid harmful interactions with wildlife.
    Materials: Wildlife photos/videos, list of possible harmful interactions (e.g., feeding, getting too close).

Alternative Activity: Wildlife Do’s and Don’ts

  • Present scenarios related to wildlife interactions (e.g., “You see a baby bird on the ground” or “You find an animal’s food scraps”). Scouts discuss what to do and why, reinforcing the importance of respecting animals.
    Materials: Scenario cards optional wildlife photos.

Station 7: Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Basic Activity:

  • Demonstrate how to share a trail by stepping aside for a group or person passing.

Activity: Trail Etiquette Roleplay

  • Scouts practice how to share trails respectfully. Create scenarios, such as encountering hikers, bikers, or large groups, and ask scouts to act out the best way to interact with others.
    Materials: Scenario cards, markers or labels to designate “trail areas.”

Alternative Activity: Conflict Resolution Roleplay

  • Create scenarios where scouts might encounter conflicts on the trail (e.g., a noisy group nearby or a crowded area). Scouts roleplay respectful ways to handle each situation while maintaining Leave No Trace principles.
    Materials: Scenario cards, optional props for roleplay.

–

Tia Kennard