Basic Adult Leadership Outdoor Orientation (BALOO)
BALOO "Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation"
Ask a boy why he wants to be a Cub Scout, and nine times out of ten he'll answer "to go camping."
Cub Scout Packs may conduct a pack campout (overnight) activity, as long as the activity is conducted at a council-approved location and is under the direction of a leader in the pack trained to do so. Packs are encouraged to do a campout in both the fall and spring. The reasoning being that each boy will have a positive outdoor experience within 60 days of joining a Pack. The new training course to prepare these leaders is called Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO for short).
A pack camp-out, at a location approved by the local council, is a great way for families to have fun and build confidence in outdoor skills. This kind of camping isn't the rugged high adventure outing geared toward older Boy Scouts. It's what you might call "soft camping," where families can simply drive up to a campsite and pitch a tent within a few feet of their vehicle's rear bumper. The emphasis is on family fun activities that don't require lots of advanced outdoor skills.
The goal of the pack overnight activity is to provide a successful pack event that is Age appropriate
- Based on the purposes of Cub Scouting
- Successful in whetting the appetite of the Cub Scout, his parents, and the leaders to want to do more in the outdoors
- A fun time with family and friends
- Chapter 10 of the Cub Scout leader Book (as revised in 2000) has more information and background on this outdoor activity area.
BALOO is a new course for one or more members of the Pack Committee in how to plan outdoor excursions and camping trips for Cub Scouts. This training is not intended as an overnight experience, but rather a preparation of the Cub Scout leader interested in learning about overnight camping activities.
A day of fun and learning prepares pack leaders to plan and carry out "entry-level" outdoor experiences, one that is safe and appropriate for Cub Scouts. Although this training is not required for all Cub Leaders, but at least one member of a Pack Committee must be BALOO trained in order for their Cub Scout Pack to be authorized to go camping. This training is not designed for Committee Chairman or Cubmasters but is instead focused on the Committee Member who will be in charge of Pack Camping.
The one-day BALOO session will give your pack's outdoor activity leader the tools to conduct a safe and successful overnight.
It is not a heavy skills program. The morning BALOO sessions include the why and how of Cub Scout camping — planning, equipment, meal preparation, and campfire programs. In the afternoon, Cub Scouters rotate among four round-robin sessions—fire safety, stoves, and lanterns; first aid and sanitation; nature hikes and games; and cooking. Scattered throughout the day are plenty of the four S's: songs, stunts, stories, and showmanship. With proper planning and your BALOO-trained leader, your pack should be set for a fun and exciting weekend event.
By completing this training course the participants will understand the focus of the Cub Scout level of the BSA program, acquire the skills and confidence necessary to plan and carry out a successful Cub Scout-level overnight activity, and increase their knowledge of the resources available from the BSA for carrying out this activity.