Section 9 of your Scouts BSA Handbook has a great section on Camping. It’s a good idea to keep your Scouts BSA handbook on hand while actually preparing for your first few campouts.  

• You can find a personal gear checklist on page 268. Use this checklist every time you go on an outdoor trip in Scouting.

• Instructions on how to load your backpack are provided on pages 272 and 273. You’ll learn the best methods to pack for camp.

When the Troop meets for an overnight camping trip, show your correctly-packed backpack to your Scoutmaster, Senior Patrol Leader, or Patrol Leader. Have your Scouts BSA Handbook and a pen ready for your leader to sign off on Tenderfoot requirement 1a!

Read pages 274-279 of your Scouts BSA Handbook to learn everything a Scout needs to know about choosing a tent, pitching a tent, and making your bed outdoors. 

Watch the video below for more helpful information.

By working with your patrol to cook meals, you’ll learn planning skills and teamwork.

Why is it important for each patrol member to share in meal preparation and cleanup?

In a well-functioning team, everyone has a role. The same is true of your patrol! Imagine that one of the Scouts in your patrol wants to do their own thing: they didn’t help with preparation or clean up, but every meal they still ate a ton of food. That wouldn’t make you too happy, right?

It’s important to keep your camp dishes sanitized, as dirty dishes can cause illness and attract wild animals. When cleaning your cooking utensils, make sure to take extra care around sharp or hot objects! It's a good idea to wash your cooking knives before placing any other dishes into your soapy wash buckets.

The 3-Bucket Scouting Method For Washing Dishes

Even your dishwashing should also follow the Outdoor Code guidelines. Try to avoid wasting water, getting chemicals into the forest, and spreading food scraps around. For a quick lesson on how to properly clean your dishes during a camp, watch the following short video.

Page 325 of your Scouts BSA Handbook says that mealtime is a terrific opportunity for you to sit down with your patrol and enjoy good food and the fellowship of Scouting. Even a simple meal can be turned into a special moment. With the busyness of cooking behind you, you can eat together and talk about what you've done on this outing or share memories of your past outings.

Remember - a Scout is reverent. There are many versions of grace available for you to say before each meal.

A square knot is great for closing garbage bags, attaching ropes to your bag (to be untied later), and using a rope as a belt. This knot is easy to tie and it’ll work for most rope-joining purposes.

Two half-hitches are used to tie a rope to a post. Two half-hitches aren’t adjustable, so this knot is great for clotheslines, hanging a rope across the top of your tent, or attaching a rope to a ring. Keep in mind, this knot shouldn’t be used to secure heavy loads.

The taut-line hitch is a loop knot, like the two half-hitches. However, it’s also adjustable! This makes the taught-line hitch great for securing tent lines, changing the length of a permanent line, or tying down loose objects.

You’ll need to earn your Totin’ chip before handling knives, saws, axes, or any other woods tools. After you’ve earned yours, the next step is to learn how to properly care for these items. These tools can get expensive, but regular maintenance will lengthen their lifespans and help you to get much more good use out of them!

It’s best to learn how to handle dangerous tools under qualified supervision. Work with a Scoutmaster when you actually try these methods out for the first time. In the meantime, watch the video below to see the proper handling, care, and use of sharp tools.

Section 4 of your Scouts BSA Handbook is all about First Aid.  This helpful section starts on page 105.

The first aid treatments you’ll need to learn to earn the Tenderfoot rank are particularly useful for injuries occurring during hikes and campouts. 

Pages 150 and 151 of your Scouts BSA Handbook describes how to reduce exposure to injury. Many accidents and injuries can be prevented if you are careful to avoid potentially dangerous situations. On the other hand, trouble can occur when you take chances, ignore the rules, don't use common sense, get in a hurry, or are overconfident or fatigued.

Keep these general guidelines in mind:

• • Be prepared. Always think ahead to what might happen next. Do we have the right gear in case the weather turns cold and wet? Is our stove set up on a stable surface so it can't tip over and burn someone? If I'm going to use an ax to chop wood, are other Scouts clear of the area? What might be under that rock I'm about to pick up?

  • Seek knowledge and skill. Know how to properly use stoves, woods tools, and other potentially dangerous gear. Use gear the right way, and always wear the appropriate personal safety gear, such as safety goggles.

  • Know and accept your limitations. Don't be tempted to try something you know is risky, such as swimming in an unsafe area, shooting rapids you aren't prepare for, or climbing a tree to retrieve a snagged bear-bag rope.

  • Follow the rules. The BSA has extensive guidelines for many activities.

The buddy system is when two people — you and your buddy — travel together and watch out for each other. If something were to happen to you or your buddy, the other person would call for help.

Stay calm and use the acronym S.T.O.P.  

The S.T.O.P. method gives you steps that will help you find your way back.  Here’s what each letter stands for:

• • Stop: Stop where you are and remain calm. Wandering further could get you even more lost.

  • Think: Now, it’s time to think. How did you get to where you are? Did you take a wrong turn? What was the last recognizable landmark that you saw? Can you retrace your steps?

  • Observe: Look at your surroundings. Try to spot any landmarks that could lead you back and listen for voices.

  • Plan: Make a plan to backtrack or get to a known location. Try to conserve energy and keep yourself comfortable. If all else fails, make yourself easily identifiable and signal for help.

Study pages 252 and 253 of your Scouts BSA Handbook to learn about safe hiking.

The goal of backcountry travel is to move through the backcountry while minimizing damage to the land. Understanding the impact of travel on the land is necessary to accomplish this goal. Damage occurs when hikers trample surface vegetation or communities of organisms beyond recovery. The resulting barren area leads to the development of undesirable trails and erosion.

• Pushups (Record the number done correctly in 60 seconds)

• Sit-ups or curl-ups (Record the number done correctly in 60 seconds)

• Back-saver sit-and-reach (Record the distance stretched)

• 1 mile walk/run (Record the time)

Use this worksheet to document your plan and keep track of your activities.

Now it’s time to show off your hard work! After you’ve practiced these exercises for a month, you should be able to see some improvement. Even if your progress is minor, progress is progress!

Not only is this a way to show respect to your nation, but it’s also something that will come in handy for flag ceremonies, which are a big part of your Scouting experience. Learn how to do it on pages 58-60 of your Scouts BSA Handbook.

Service hours are another major part of your Scouting experience. In the back of your handbook, there is a section where you can keep track of these hours. This is something you’ll want to stay on top of since service hours are required for nearly every rank.

A great way to complete this requirement is to help out with an Eagle Scout Project in your Troop.

The BSA EDGE method is a four-step technique for teaching a skill or concept to someone else. It stands for Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, and Enable. 

• The trainer first EXPLAINS how something is done, 

• Then DEMONSTRATES it while explaining again. 

• Next, the trainer GUIDES the learner through the steps of the task, giving feedback and assistance as needed. 

• Finally, the trainer ENABLES the learner to do the task on their own, checking for understanding and mastery.

For this requirement, think back to your Scouting activities and everyday life. What four points of the Scout Law have you lived by? Have you been trustworthy, friendly, courteous, cheerful, or brave? What actions have you taken that demonstrate this? Be ready to explain.