To run a cub scout camp

But the comparison to South Korea is irrelevant as totally different experiences and expectations re self funded fundraising and sponsorship for example. £400 for summer camp in the UK is wild. We live in a ok area economically and few would pay that.

Makes me realise how spoilt we were at my group - we had our own big tents, trailers to transport everything, I think we basically had all the kit. We actually used to raise money lending the big tent out for weddings and community events.

Basic fee is £300. Your own group will be adding costs for food, gas, transport, gala tent hire if applicable, etc. We're charging £400 but we don't need to hire any kit, just a van to transport it all, and we're not arranging transport for the kids themselves.

Too long. Too expensive. I've been involved with Scouting for nearly 20 years and camps are never more than 3 nights / £75. The only one that was a week was overseas Kandersteg. This weekend is Explorers camp. Two nights £10 although at that age they are pretty self sufficient.

Before I forget THANK YOU for volunteering!

I'm just trying to recall the camp schedule from when I did it. I think we used to do a 1-2 nighter that was a county camp for the eldest cubs and the youngest scouts in about late September time. a 1 nighter end of October that was always absolutely freezing, a spring camp during the may bank holiday, again usually 2 nights and then a summer camp during the summer holidays which was 2 or 3 nights.

As leaders we often went down the night before and pitched the cooking tents and our own tents so we could have a night "off" as well, and then the kids could arrive early on the Saturday morning for one night camps. Get tents pitched and usually keep them til late afternoon the next day for the shorter camps.

I think most of the the point of it (at that age) is the tent pitching and the washing up and the camp fire etc. Add in some orienteering in a field and a bit of archery and everyone's had a great weekend.

I think it's really important to remember that the aim of cubs is for them to have fun and then for them to want to go to scouts, really. So it's about preparing them and readying them for that - can they do a few knots, not throw themselves into a camp fire, get their tent up with adult supervision, keep their sleeping bag successfully inside their tent (we still used the old fashioned tents rather than "hike tents"), get to sleep without mum and dad there, manage to go to the loo in the night, eat unfamiliar food. That's the entire point of camps in cubs.

Beaver leader here and mum to a cub (and a beaver and Squirrel...). My cub has recently just done a weekend (2 nights) which seemed enough tbh and cost £40 although I appreciate you may be in a fancier area. I was also a scout (in the late 90s) and did week long stays but my son who's 8 was pretty wiped after 3 days (2 nights) full on activities. I'd rethink the length tbh and rein in the cost. Good for you though for being thoughtful though. Its a thankless task more often than not. If it weren't for my scout leader back in the day and my eldest being a mini explorer I would never have signed up. I too am very much of the mind that without scouts I'd be a very different person. Would also love if parents appreciated the impact (although I dont expect any gratitude its often overlooked as cheap babysitting)

Although I'd make it less than a week I have to say....

I think its great that you give your time to scouting , and sure its appreciated by all involved.

My son joined as a scout and now an explorer, its been great for him, and he has loved the camps but think the longest his group offers is 3 nights. Poacher will be is first long one. They do 4 weekends a year.

How weird

This is not my experience of cub scouts children

OP thinks parents are being precious about sending 8 year olds away for only 5 nights but asked his mummy whether he should post mumsnet. Make it make sense.

You are not owed the parents wanting to send their children with you though.
I would never send my 8 year old away for an almost week with someone they met once a week. Clearly many parents agree which is why uptake is so low. Perhaps look at your own strategy rather than lashing out and blaming the parents.

Your scout group must be subsidising that, I have paid £500 for my son to go to poacher!

I used to be a leader on cub camps about 15 years ago. The longest we did was 3 nights and honestly it was too long. The kids didn't sleep well, therefore we didn't sleep well. I got about 8 hours sleep over 3 nights between all the kids who were up and down. We used to mainly do 2 night camps which were the sweet spot I think. And then scouts would run 2-3 nights the rest of the year and a week in the summer. And then explorers could run longer ones. I don't think we ever saw an issue where they were unprepared for the next stage, and my dad ran the scout troup so I am pretty sure I would have known about it.

It's wonderful you run camps but I would go for 2-3 nights I think.

YABU- You're the pied piper of hamelin
YANBU- Parents are being to precious and camp sounds great

I haven't voted as your poll question is ridiculous.

I've been involved in different roles for over 40 years, and I've had 3 dc go through all sections, all totalling nigh on 200 nights each by the time they hit 18, so I am all for camps and all sorts of experiences that the children get on camps, but I don't know of any groups that take cubs away for a week (or 5 days as you later said). I suspect that is your issue. Cubs are of an age where 2 nights is usually enough. Possibly 3 for the older / more experienced / more confident ones. I've not come across a Group that does a longer camp until the dc are of Scout age. Even then some of the younger ones struggle.

I do agree things have changed a lot since COVID, but I do think cub camps are better over a weekend, and leaving them wanting more, and that has always been the case since before you were born.

Beaver and Scout leader here. I think 2 nights is enough for Cubs. £200 for a 5 night camp is pretty good value BUT it's just a bit long for 8-10 year olds. I've taken Scouts on week-long camps and that's hard enough. Drop it back to 2 nights and take the pressure off.

Your poll is pretty inflammatory and baity. Parents are not precious because they don’t want to send their children overnight with strangers.

I’d say it’s very unusual for children aged 8-10 to go away for a week; that wasn’t even the norm when I was that age. What is the build up? I’d be cool with between ages 8-10, beginning with one night and building up to 3 max by the time they are 10. For me a week would be suitable from more like 12. It’s a bit exaggerated to say kids won’t be ready for university if they haven’t been away from parents for a week by 10.

I do agree in some respects, that parents these days are particularly anxious and as such they restrict their kids from opportunities for independence that they need. I disagree strongly with tracking kids for example and view that as being 90% about parents soothing their own anxiety. But resilience comes from feeling secure and building independence gradually.

My cub does 2 night camps although she would like to go longer I think

And just to say thank you for volunteering your time, it’s so important to give children these opportunities and allow them to gain independence and take risks in a managed way like camp or PGL. These events are a heck of a lot of work to organise but the kids get so much out of them. I love seeing an anxious girl absolutely flourish over a weekend at PGL or similar.

I think it’s too long for the age group, as others have said.

Two nights max for cubs, I’d say.

At our local Scouting group, they don’t do week long camps until Scouts, and that’s once a year, and tbh a lot of the Scouts just do the weekend ones still.

Also, £200 isn’t a lot for what they’re getting, no, but it is a lot for some families to find.

I think it’s that rather than it being a bad idea to camp as such.

My DS adores Scout camps if that helps - he is 12 though.

DD9 has brownie camp next weekend. It’s 2 nights- after school Friday to Sunday afternoon, £80, no actual camping required as they have dorms in a building on the site which is one of those typical outdoorsy scouting centres. It gets a great turn out. In winter they also do 1 night sleep over in the church hall.

Anything during the school holidays always runs a risk of clashing with family holidays. £200 is a lot of money for some families and stops it being as inclusive. 5 nights is also a long time away from home for an 8YO and a long time to spend roughing it camping. DD had 2 nights camping on her school residential and that was more than enough for her, we’d have no issue with her being away for 5 nights per se, she’s doing a 6 night school ski trip next year, but honestly she wouldn’t want to camp for that long.