Materials to Bring
Bucket of firewood, lighter fluid, lighter, camping chairs, cones, rope, tent, canopy, hammer
Introduction
- Prayer
- Pledge to American Flag
- Pledge to the Christian Flag: I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose Kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and liberty to all who believe
- Trailmen’s Oath: On my honor I will do my best to serve God and my country, to respect authority, to be a good steward of creation, and to treat
Badge – Camping
As stewards of God’s creation, we endeavor to enjoy the land without disturbing or destroying it. We should practice Low-Impact Camping:
- Pack in only what is necessary,
- Stay on the trails
- Leave no trace
- Practice fire safety
- Dispose of water and wastes properly
- Seek to leave an area cleaner than when we arrived
Skill 1 – Identify an ideal site for tent setup
- Site should be flat and level
- Not near or under trees
- Soft ground if possible
- Not in a water channel (in case of rain)
Skill 2 – Set up a Canopy
Use hammer and stakes to secure. Make sure to setup somewhat away from fire.
Skill 3 – Set up a Tent
Name one leader, follow his instructions. Secure the rain fly and stake in the tent.
Questions
- Why do we stake down a tent?
- What are some hardships we may encounter?
Game
Doggy, Doggy, where’s your bone?
In this game, the child who is the Doggy turns around while someone steals his “bone”. The bone can be any object, but with smaller kids using a toy bone might make it easier to understand. When the Doggy turns around, all the children attempt to look guilty while Doggy guesses who stole the bone. With little ones, let them guess until they pick the right person, then it’s the next child’s turn to be doggy. If you are playing with older kids, you can add a limit to guesses.
Bible Story
Read Exodus 33: 1-11
What did God command the people to do now?
Why was God still willing to give them the Promised Land even after they sinned?
What tent does this refer to?
What was the purpose of this tent?
Why would Moses go out to the tent? Who else could go out and why?
What happened when Moses went into the tent? What did the people do when they saw the cloud?
What does verse 11 show us about Moses’ relationship to God? How does God speak with us?
Homework
- Study the low-impact camping material listed above
- Practice setting up a tent in your backyard, playing in it, and putting it away properly