Scoutcraft

Outdoor adventures are important for everyone for a variety of reasons. Studies have shown that people who spend more time outdoors are healthier and happier. A lot of this comes from the ready availability of unfamiliar situations and new experiences. These experiences build confidence to try new things, as well as patience with the process of learning new skills - things that will help in future outings as well as throughout life in general. There is also a natural development of leadership skills, as many situations require teamwork. Good leaders are also good learners.

Scouting is largely based around outdoor activities. Time spent outdoors as a youth provides the foundation for a lifetime of learning, leading, and being a healthy member of society. There are a core set of skills that make time spent in the outdoors safer and more enjoyable - many of those skills are required to achieve the rank of First Class. Collectively, these skills are referred to as Scoutcraft.

Troop 7's Scoutcraft Academy breaks down these outdoor skills into the 9 categories below. The goal is to learn these core skills to a degree that you are proficient at them. This isn't a quick memorization of something before you get it signed off in your book. Ideally, you should be able to apply these skills as prompted on various Troop 7 outings and activities.