Planning is probably the most essential ingredient for a successful camp. If you plan everything down to the last detail well in advance, you will be able to relax and enjoy your camp without having to worry about what to do next. The following links will take you to the various stages in the planning process, or you can work your way through from start to finish :

First steps in planning your camp:
In the UK at least, and I suspect everywhere else in the Guiding and Scouting world, the first thing to be dealt with is official Forms - these have to be completed and sent in at least six weeks prior to the date of your proposed camp. Forms are a necessary evil. You may hate the very thought of yet more paperwork, but they are for your protection as well as the girls'.

The standard camp planning application form for UK Brownies, Guides and Rangers is the A/A form - a self-duplicating multi-layered set of forms which has to be completed with all the requested information and signed by your District Commissioner before being sent off to your local Camp Adviser. Don't leave out any of the information requested on the form - it'll only end up back with you to be completed - if you don't know the six-figure grid reference of your chosen camp site, for instance, look it up in your local library; if you don't have definite numbers for camp yet, make a "best guess" estimate, details such as this can always be changed later on nearer the date. If you intend going off-site, include the date(s) on the form, and you MUST give details of any "adventurous activities" you intend doing. NB: if you are including any water sports - canoeing, kayaking, sailing, rowing, rafting or any other sort of boating - you MUST also complete an A/B form and send it in along with your A/A form.

You can't take your unit camping on your own, and anyway you wouldn't want to, it is simply too much for one person to cope with. There needs to be a camp licence holder* in overall charge, someone to act as QM and see to all aspects concerning feeding the campers, and someone to act as first-aider as a bare minimum. If you are taking large numbers, you will need additional adults to ensure the official girl-adult ratios are met. These extra adults may be parents or willing friends - they do not necessarily have to be members of the Association. You may also want to - or have to - take your own children with you : any younger children must have an adult allocated to be responsible for them.

*You may not have yet taken your official Camp Licence : don't worry. I got round this one for five years before I finally got round to getting my own licence by camping on Guide Association sites and finding out who else was going to be there and asking to camp alongside but not actually with them, or going along with a licensed camper's unit and having a joint camp. This is also an excellent way of learning how to run a camp yourself. Alternatively, you are allowed to take a small party of girls (eight in Guides) camping for no more than two nights without needing a licence.

Choosing a suitable camp site:
This is largely a matter of personal taste. You may go by experience or, if you are new to this camping lark, you may have to trust recommendations from friends and associates. Most regions have one or more official Guide campsites and most Scout Association campsites also welcome Guides.
Campsites vary in amenities, from a basic field with nothing else provided to fully-equipped sites where all you have to provide is the Guides and their own personal kit. Be aware that camping in a farmer's field may sound fun, but it will probably involve erecting, using, emptying and cleaning chemical toilets, and unless there is at least a tap or stand-pipe, even water will have to be taken with you. Fully-equipped sites will usually supply tents, cooking equipment, on-site water, flush toilets and showers, and may even arrange activities for you. We prefer the middle road and usually camp on a local Scout Association site which has hot and cold running water, flush toilets and showers but where we take all our own equipment. (Believe me, camp lats. are not fun and although we put up a lat. tent and chemical loo for emergencies, it is very rarely used! At my time of life, I like my amenities en-suite.)

What you are looking for in a camp site will depend very much on what you want to do while camping : if, for instance, you want to have an "activity" holiday then you will want a site which either can arrange these activities on-site or one which is near to suitable activity sites; if you want a traditional camp with opportunities for backwoods cooking, tracking, pioneering etc, then you would probably opt for a camp with access to suitable woodland.

Having found your camp site, try to visit it if at all possible. Time how long it takes to get there and inspect the camping field and the facilities on-site. Have a look round the countryside surrounding the site and check out the routes of any proposed off-site walks, and especially have a look at traffic levels on the roads. If you are satisfied with what you see, go ahead and book the site - over the phone and confirm it in writing if at all possible - that way you can discuss it with the warden/owner/secretary etc.

Getting organised:
I make lists. Lots of lists: equipment lists - what camping equipment we actually have, what we need to take, where it is stored and what we need to borrow; first aid lists - what's in the first-aid box, what needs replacing, what we need to buy extra; craft supplies lists; food shopping lists, and most important of all, KIT LISTS!! Even the act of writing it down helps the memory, and lists act as a check-sheet when finally packing. (To download the kit list, right-click on the underlined link and select "Save Target As...")

It is traditional for Guides and Brownies to theme their camps, and while not actually compulsory it is certainly a good idea and helps focus your ideas when planning. For a selection of camp theme ideas click here. Alternatively, you may want to ask the girls themselves for their ideas.
Once you have decided on your theme, you can go ahead and apply it to all aspects of your camp. Use your theme to plan all your activities, camp patrol names, menus, games, crafts - the lot. And whatever you do, don't forget to write everything down.

If you ask any seasoned camper what makes everything tick, they will tell you it's all down to the food! Keep them well fed and they'll be happy. This very important aspect of your camp is dealt with in detail here, but it also needs to be included in your planning. You need to know if any of the girls (or adults) is a vegetarian, if anyone has any food allergies and if anyone really hates any particular food (onions are usually top of this list.) We don't usually cater for food fads - it is amazing how the fresh air makes even the fussiest eater hungry - but genuine dislikes are usually treated sympathetically.
Plan your menus in advance, but be prepared to be flexible, especially if the weather decides to take a hand - it is no fun standing in the pouring rain cooking steamed sponge puddings which take two hours to cook! (Been there, done that.......) - save them till another day (unless of course it starts raining AFTER they've started to cook, in which case you're stuck with them.....)

Once your QM has decided on the menus, you will need to write out a shopping list. You will have to take into account the storage facilities (or lack thereof) on your camp site : it is no good buying frozen food if there is no freezer, and fresh meat needs to be refrigerated or eaten on the first day. Bacon and especially sausages also need cold storage, and although a cool box is very useful for keeping things cold, once the ice blocks have thawed it becomes just another box unless you have facilities for re-freezing the blocks.


Rotas are a must to ensure the smooth running of your camp. Once you have numbers (and names) confirmed, divide the girls up into patrols or working parties. These may be their regular patrols or you may want to let them choose their own groups, but make sure that any loners are included and watch out for possible personality clashes - they will be living, eating, sleeping, BREATHING close together and things can and do get a little fraught especially with older teenagers.

I allocate rota jobs as cook patrol (supervised by the QM - the older the girls, the more they can do, with Rangers doing the lot!), wood-and-water patrol (keeping the woodpile stocked and water containers full), health patrol (keeping the toilet facilities clean and tidy, emptying rubbish bins, etc.) and camp duty patrol (general tidying, tent care, and anything not covered by the other patrol duties!) Everyone is responsible for looking after their own tents and personal kit, and everyone washes their own dishes immediately after every meal. If a copy of the rota is put up at the start of the camp where everyone can consult it no-one should have an excuse for not knowing what to do. If your girls are inexperienced campers, it is also a good idea to add an explanation of each duty.

Transport to and from camp:
This can often be one of the biggest headaches of all. Depending how far from home you are camping, you may be able to rely on parents to deliver the girls to the campsite, leaving you to get the equipment there, or you may have to arrange transport for everyone and everything. If you do have to arrange for transportation, ask around your Guiding friends - they may have contacts - or get several quotes. Coaches or buses can carry you, the girls and all the equipment wherever you want to go and may be the only option, but they can be VERY expensive. If you do have to hire a bus, do so well in advance and provide the bus company with a detailed map of where you want to go and let them know when you want to arrive at the site; DON'T forget to book for the return journey too!

It is for this reason (cost) that we as a company do not travel far afield except for very special occasions and events; we prefer to use a site where the parents can deliver (and collect) their daughters - this also has the added bonus that families can join us for our end-of-camp campfire - and we can get all the equipment there in our own cars and a small(ish) trailer.

Costing your camp
MUST be done accurately - you will have to keep detailed accounts for auditing along with the rest of your books.
You will need to take into account camp site fees, food, craft and games equipment, consumable materials (toilet rolls, washing up liquid, etc. etc.), transport (including days out) and ANYTHING else to do with your camp that you have had to pay out - postage, forms, badges etc. Until you have actually done your shopping some of these amounts will only be estinates, but make sure you OVER-estimate and don't leave yourself out of pocket.
Once you have reached a final total, divide it by the number of campers and inform the parents how much camp is going to cost - and be prepared to justify your price.

If your planning is detailed, sound and accurate it will go a long way towards a successful camp. Keep copies of everything you do and put them in a safe place - you will find them very useful for next year........