On the 22 August 1 st Claremont Cubs held our annual Pack sleepover and it was
once again a huge hit! This is an important event on our calendar as many of our
Cubs have either never slept in a tent before or have never slept away from their
parents before.
We pitched our Scout bell tents inside our hall, explaining to the Cubs the different
parts of a tent and tent etiquette – how to care for them and how to behave in and
around a tent. Dinner was simple hot dogs followed by hot chocolate and getting
ready for bed. The Cubs were excited to sleep in tents with their friends while
knowing that their Cub Leaders were sleeping in the middle between the boys tents
on one side of the hall and the girls tents on the other. Once everyone was settled
down in bed, we enjoyed some bedtime stories in the form of South African folk
tales. Our Cubs are really enjoying the National Challenge theme of My Heritage!
Heavy rain in the night meant that everyone slept all cozy – glad to be camping
under a roof! 7am Saturday morning we set of for a 1km at Scouts Pace through the
neighbourhood before tucking into muffins and fruit for breakfast. Next it was packing
up (dry!) tents and cleaning up so that the Meerkats could come into the hall at
8:30am for their meeting!
One parent shared: “I just wanted to share how incredibly impactful these sleepovers
have been for our boys. After the last one, we saw a noticeable boost in their
confidence, not just in sleeping away from home, but in how they approached new
experiences overall. These moments might seem small, but they’re huge steps in
helping our kids grow into resilient, capable young people. Thank you for creating
such a safe and supportive space for them to take these steps. “
-Lucy du Toit, Pack Scouter
