Beaver Camp

When Big Boy's Beaver troop was asked if they'd like to go on an overnight camp, sleeping in a local Museum, Big Boy was excited. So excited that he forgot our pact to never ever go camping and immediately it was all he could talk about. It was also agreed, that to make things easier on the leaders at the camp it would be much more sensible for Daddy or I to go as a helper to BB's troop as we could take care of BB's medical needs. Without the drawing of straws or the flipping of a coin I volunteered to go because having a DBS check (thanks to being a governor) kinda proved that I'm safe around children.

Big Boy in his Beavers gear

Despite hating camping, I thought of myself as being really lucky, because I'm sure that every parent of a Beaver has wondered just what happens on camp and I was going to be able to experience it! When we got to camp the boys from the troop decided where we were going to sleep and luckily for us they decided that we should sleep in the Computer Room, rather than in the Cobbled Street. So our bed for the night was in front of a bank of telephone exchanges.

Sleeping in front of the Telephone exchanges

We went for a night hike, to a local Windmill and I have to admit it was rather fun walking with all the Beavers and Leaders in the dark and using our torches to light the way.

A night hike to a Windmill in Milton Keynes

When we got back, after a quick round of soup and bread rolls we all sat down to watch a film. Or rather those of the Beavers who weren't already falling asleep, like BB watched a film (Night at the Museum by the way). I agreed with the leader, that as the other two boys in the troop were still awake and enjoying the film, I'd take BB back to our sleeping area and she'd watch the film with them. BB got ready for bed and was asleep in seconds. When the boys and the leader came back, they too got ready for bed and soon they were fast asleep. Every two hours I woke up to test BB's blood sugars (he was high because of the excitement) and check on the other boys. 

Big Boy asleep on Beavers Camp

BB woke up at 6am, and lay in his camp bed until 7am, when the troop leader woke up the other boys and everyone got ready for breakfast. Big Boy loved the first breakfast, (Yes, first breakfast, he had two) of Cereal and despite never eating the stuff at home, was soon tucking into a packet. I'm sure that it was something to do with having the milk in the box that made it so appealing.

Big Boy eating Cereal from a packet

After a second breakfast of Bacon and Sausage Butties, (my first breakfast!) we spent the morning carrying out various challenges such as writing our names in morse code, transmitting messages in Morse code, translating morse code messages, making phone calls, sending emails and a lot of other challenges before lunch (Burgers and Hot Dogs). 

After lunch we did a finished a few more challenges and the hour or so before parents were due to pick up their children was filled with camp fire songs (complete with dodgy actions), various games and looking round at the leaders and children I could see the appeal of camping. I could even see the appeal of being a leader in Beavers. Of course getting home and being in my own bed was even better than camp in my opinion, but Big Boy seems to think Camp was the best and is already counting down the days until Christmas Camp. I guess I'm going to that too.