Children find fun, thrills and new skills at the 1st North Sydney Scout Group
There is a group of young adventurers in McMahons Point, some as young as five, who can not only navigate their way through a park using just a map and a compass, but also create a raft of their own making and sail it on the waters off Balmoral.
At the 1st North Sydney Scout Group, everyone gets a chance to experience adventure in the great outdoors, while learning important life skills and gaining so much more. The joeys (aged five to eight) and cubs (aged eight to 11) recently took part in the Sydney Summer Series orienteering challenge in Mosman and Northbridge, finding checkpoints as they navigated a course with a topographic map and a compass.
Alice Martin is a cub scout leader with the group, and says the activities are of great benefit to the children involved. “Scouting is a great activity for kids of all ages,” says Alice. “It teaches important life skills like navigation and decision making, but also encourages curiosity and a love of the outdoors.”
Alice has been volunteering as a leader since son William started in Kindergarten and has seen the great affect scouts can have on the children involved.
“One of the biggest surprises that I’ve found with Scouts is watching the kids grow and develop their social skills alongside their fine and gross motor skills,” Alice admits. “When kids first join they are reluctant to stand up in front of the group and present on anything,” she says, explaining that over time, the growth and development they see in the children ‘culminates in their ability to stand up proudly in front of the group and present clearly.’”
Alice says the joey and cub scouts take part in many activities during their weekly meetings in McMahons Point and regularly participate in camping and campfire cooking, bushcraft and STEM activities like making bird feeders. Bushwalking to Bradleys Head, visiting the SES at the Coal Loader and helping with beach clean-ups are just some of the highlights.
The joey and cub scouts have even made their own rafts, using knots they learned to tie and floatable items like pool noodles and pilates rollers. Earlier this year the group participated in the 73rd Sirius Cup, which is a big regatta at Balmoral Beach with more than 800 other scouts, and road-tested their rafts.
The joey scouts at the 1st North Sydney Scout Group are looking for more members aged five to eight to join in the fun. There is a free four-week trial period for new participants. For more information, visit: 1st-north-sydney.group.scoutsnsw.com.au/contact
