Sending your Cub to camp can be daunting: what do they need? Why not denim? How many shoes? Here's a guide to what you need: you'll find a list in Online Scout Manager for the actual event, which you should use to check off everything. 

• You'll usually travel to and from camp in Cub uniform. 
• Cubs won't be hiking with packs on their backs. Make sure they have a bag - gym bag, rucksack, whatever - that they can carry or wheel short distances. But otherwise any bag is OK: in fact, holdalls are easier than rucksacks.
• You'll need clothing: this should be synthetic (nylon), not cotton, because it dries faster and the weather is often wet. So no jeans or thick cotton joggers. The ideal stuff is hiking gear from Decathlon or similar, called "Technical". 
• For summer, a sun hat is great because it reduces the chance of sunburn or even heatstroke. 
• For winter, get your Cub to wear multiple layers. A snood is great to keep their necks warm. Gloves are great. But basically: send more tops so they can wear a T-shirt under a long-sleeve T-shirt under a fleece under another fleece under their coat. 
  • If you Cub does football or rugby and has sport under-armour then that is perfect for camp, it is warm and dries well. 
  • Or thermals.
• Always send a woolly hat: it gets cold at night.
• And of course a waterproof coat. Waterproof trousers are fine things, if your Cub will wear them. But you must must must have a waterproof coat with a hood. 
• Shoes really depend on the weather. If the weather is fine and the Cubs aren't going on the water, they can probably just wear trainers all weekend and will be just fine! But we usually can't rely on the weather, so some kind of stronger shoe is desirable: a lightweight hiking boot or even wellies. The key thing is that they have worn them a bit before: brand-new shoes will give them blisters, so take them out for a few walks first. If you can, at least two pairs is good. Sliders or flip-flops can be useful because we make Cubs take off their outside shoes if we go inside. 
  • If the camp has a hall or hut (usually does) and we eat or meet in it (depends on weather) then slippers will be useful to change into when inside. But they are another thing to lose.
• If there are water sports on camp then you have to assume your Cub will get completely soaked and need a complete change of clothes. This is particularly tricky for shoes: they can't wear Crocs or sliders in boats because they will fall off their feet in the water. An old pair of trainers is ideal, but you may not have them. If you can, a pair of walking/hiking shoes, plus trainers, will cover all eventualities. If that doesn't work for you, ask the leaders and we will see if we can rustle up some boots. 
• At night it can get cold. Warm pyjamas, but also layers of warm tops to put on. They'll be in their sleeping bag, but another blanket to go over the top can be helpful. 
• On sleeping: you'll need a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat as an absolute minimum. If you send an inflatable mattress (with its pump) you'll still need a sleeping mat (and inflatable mattresses are hard for Cubs to use). You can send a pillow if you want, send it in a plastic bag to keep it dry, or inflatable.
• You must supply a bin bag for dirty and wet clothes. 
• Lots of socks. To be honest, Cubs don't wash or shower, so other underwear is pretty optional (ugh) but socks get wet all the time. 
• They do brush their teeth so toothbrush and toothpaste. Some hankies are good. 
• Make sure your Cub has a torch for going to the loo in the night and because everyone else will have one. 
• Send a cuddly toy to help with going to bed in a strange place. 
• Consider sending a book or magazine that they might want to retreat to read if they want some alone time. Some sweets are frowned upon by the leaders but will make your child popular.
• A water bottle. 
• We have a tuck shop or souvenir shop usually: send no more than £5 and tell your Cub to keep hold of it, not lend it to anyone. 
• But send nothing you will miss if it does not come home! The Cubs are great, but tracking belongings and keeping tents tidy are challenging for eight-year-olds. Yes, your kid will love taking their Pokémon cards. But they have to be fine with losing them. 

We can't stress enough how you have to label absolutely everything and if you do not it might not come home. Especially Cub jumpers, Cub tops, and Cub neckers: to label neckers unwind them, there is a label inside! 

You should get all the things together, with your Cub, but they should pack their own bag at home. This means they will recognise their own stuff, and they will be able to pack it away themselves at the end of the camp. 

No penknives, mobile phones, electronic games, or anything else that presents a hazard, is a screen, or you might mind not coming home.