Scout Activity Library
Printed 16 June 2026
Balaka Falls & Hunts Creek Loop Walk
A fantastic, flexible bushwalk exploring the northern and southern tracks of Hunts Creek, taking in the sights of Balaka Falls before turning around at Statham Avenue.
Equipment: Compass, Map, First aid kit, Backpacks, Water bottles, Torches/headlamps
The Meeting Point: Meet at Lindisfarne Crescent Reserve, Carlingford. Gather the group on the grass for a quick safety brief and headcount.
Leg 1 (Entering the Track): Safely cross Lindisfarne Crescent as a group and enter the Hunts Creek walking track, heading towards Balaka Falls.
Leg 2 (The Outbound Journey): Take one of the two parallel tracks (either the Northern or Southern trail) heading westward. Tip: Pick one side for the way out, and save the other side for the return trip to keep things interesting for the youth!
Leg 3 (The Crossing): Continue hiking westward, carefully crossing Northam Drive to stay on the bushwalk track on the other side.
Leg 4 (The Turnaround Point): Follow the trail all the way until it emerges at Statham Avenue. This is the designated halfway point. Stop here for a rest break, a quick drink of water, and a headcount.
Leg 5 (The Return Loop): Turn the group around to head back eastward. When you reach the split trails again, take the opposite track (Northern or Southern) back towards the start to experience the reserve from a different perspective.
The Finish: Recross Lindisfarne Crescent back into the reserve for final dismissal.
Barrel Dodge (The Cauldron)
A classic, high-energy Scout game where players form a ring and pull each other in a spin, trying to force opponents to knock over the central tower of barrels without letting go of their teammate's hands.
Equipment: Buckets, 3 x Large water barrels (the classic blue scout hall drums) 1 x Long wooden pole
The Setup: In the exact center of the hall, stack the three blue water barrels securely on top of each other to form a central tower. Balance the long wooden pole perfectly on top of the highest drum so that it hangs out evenly on each side.
The Circle: All players form a large circle around the stacked barrels and tightly lock hands.
The Spin: On the Leader’s whistle, the circle begins to spin and move around the barrels.
The Objective: Players must use their weight and momentum to pull, push, or maneuver other players into the barrels or the hanging pole, while fighting to stay clear of the obstacle themselves.
Elimination Rules: A player is eliminated if:
They touch any part of the barrels or the wooden pole.
They knock the pole off the top of the drums.
The Break: If the circle breaks, both the player who let go and the person whose hand they dropped are immediately out.
Resetting: Whenever someone hits the obstacle or a link breaks, the game pauses. The remaining players reform the circle, reset the pole on top of the barrels, and start the spin again.
Winning: The game continues, with the circle getting smaller and smaller, until only two players are left. The final survivor who forces the other into the obstacle wins!
Kaa’s Tail
An energetic, fast-paced skipping game where players must jump over a low-spinning rope (Kaa's tail) to avoid being eliminated.
Equipment: Rope, 1 x Long rope with a weighted rope ball (or soft beanbag) securely tied to the end.
The Setup: Have all players stand in a large, wide circle facing inward.
The Position: The Leader (or an older Scout) stands directly in the center of the circle holding the rope.
The Practice (Warm-up): Announce that there are two warm-up lives at the start of the game to get used to the timing.
The Action: The center person begins to spin the rope around in a low circle, keeping the weighted end gliding along or just above the floor.
The Objective: As Kaa’s tail approaches, players must time their jumps to leap over the rope.
Elimination: If the rope touches a player’s feet or legs after the warm-up lives are used, they are “out” and must step backward out of the circle.
Winning: The game continues until only one player is left standing, who is crowned the winner.
North Rocks Dam & Bidjigal Loop Walk
A scenic and adventurous bushwalk starting from Perry Street, navigating past the historic North Rocks Dam, crossing into Bidjigal Reserve, and returning via a street-and-footpath loop.
Equipment: Compass, First aid kit, Backpacks, Water bottles, Torches/headlamps, Sturdy closed-toe walking shoes Sun hat and sunscreen Rain jacket (just in case)
The Meeting Point: Meet at the end of Perry Street, North Rocks. Conduct a safety briefing and headcount before setting off.
Leg 1 (The Start): Safely cross the road and walk along Loyalty Road, heading towards the bush track entry.
Leg 2 (The Dam): Follow the trail to make your way down to the North Rocks Dam. Walk safely underneath the dam wall, heading north into Bidjigal Reserve.
Leg 3 (The Crossing): Cross the creek over to the eastern side of the track. Continue along the trail as it winds toward the bridge.
Leg 4 (The Bridge Climb): Carefully make your way under the Renown Road bridge. Scramble up safely onto the concrete footpath.
Leg 5 (The Return): Follow the footpath along Renown Road until you reach the traffic lights. Safely cross at the lights and follow Perry Street all the way back to the original starting point.
The Finish: Conduct a final headcount and debrief.
Poison Ball
A fast-paced dodgeball variant where players must dodge balls being rolled across the floor while trapped inside a shrinking circle.
Equipment: Balls, 1 or more x Soft dodgeballs (or lightweight foam balls)
The Setup: Have all the youth stand in a large, wide circle facing inward around the perimeter of the hall.
The Rollers: Designate a couple of Leaders (or a few chosen Scouts) to stand on the outside of the circle holding the soft balls.
The Action: On the whistle, the rollers begin to roll the balls across the floor into the circle, targeting the players’ feet and legs.
The Rules: * Balls must be rolled along the floor.
Any ball that rises above the knee does not count, and the player is not out.
Elimination: If a legally rolled ball touches a player below the knee, they are out. They must leave the inside of the circle and join the outside as an extra “roller” to help eliminate the remaining players.
Winning: As more players are eliminated, the balls speed up. The last player left dodging in the center of the circle is the winner.
Pool Noodle Hockey
A fast and furious 1-on-1 indoor hockey game where players are paired by height and called into the center to score goals using pool noodles.
Equipment: Balls, 2 x Half pool noodles (used as hockey sticks) 1 x Soft, lightweight ball (soccer ball size) 2 x Benches (placed at opposite ends of the hall to serve as goals)
The Setup: Place a bench at each end of the hall to act as the goals. The ball starts in the exact center of the room.
Pairing Up: Line up all the Cubs/Scouts in a single line from shortest to tallest.
Numbering: Count them off in pairs. The first two (shortest) are Number 1, the next two are Number 2, and so on. This ensures fair, evenly-heighted matchups.
The Sidelines: Divide the pairs into two teams. Team A lines up along one side wall of the hall, and Team B lines up along the opposite wall.
The Call: The Leader calls out a number (e.g., “Number 5!”). The two players assigned that number run to the center and pick up a pool noodle.
The Face-off: Before hitting the ball, the two players must tap their noodles on the floor, then against each other’s noodle, repeating this three times while chanting “Hockey 1, Hockey 2, Hockey 3!”. The Match: After the third tap, the ball is live. Players try to hit the ball into their opponent’s bench. To score, the ball must roll under the front of the bench. All other Cubs must remain on the sidelines, cheering not interfering.
Time Limit: Each round lasts until a goal is scored, or until the maximum time limit of 90 seconds is reached. Players then return the noodles to the center and head back to the sidelines.