Complete Camp Cookout Activity: Lunch, Craft, Hobo Stoves, Match & Fire Permit all in one!
Our cookouts at camp are one of our most popular activities at camp. The 'Hobo' stoves or 'Buddy Burners' we made have been used 3 times so far, and the girls can't get enough. They request them every camp! We have the girls plan everything they need from food to utensils and fire-making materials. Recommended for Brownie level and up.
These fires are small, therefore burn through the wood quickly. Have them work in teams: one cooking, and one tending the fire. Then they switch.
Plan
This page has the all-in-one: training/badge/permit idea, grilled-cheese lunch and the matching themed craft, and even the special merit crest to accompany it!
Give training for Match & Fire Permit safe use of Matches
Hand out Match & Fire printable permits
Hand out special merit crests
Prepare grilled-cheese
Make fires in teams of two
Cook the grilled-cheese (one girl cooking, one tending the fire. Then switch)
Put-out fires
Training
We first give a course that was created by Scouts: the Match & Fire Permit safe use of Matches.
Girls learn about the different types of matches, safety, igniting and procedures. We test them to earn their permits.
We also incorporate other badge-work here too. For instance, what is required for fire (oxygen, spark and fuel, more safety procedures like safe places to have fires, fire bans, and different ways to put out fires). Different types of wood, tinder and kindling and different set-ups for fire building (tee-pee, log cabin...)
We discuss what to do for emergencies: who to call, basic first aid, stop, drop and roll, and smoke inhalation.
One of our Guiders is also a certified Fire Warden. So we even talk about fire safety at home and camp, and all the related emergency plans. Our Brownie unit is filled with amazing Guiders!
We give out 'Match & Fire Permit' cards. They have four corners that can be torn off. A corner is torn off if any unsafe procedures are displayed. If a girl looses all four corners, then she looses her permit. Only those who hold a permit are allowed to make fires at camp.
How to make a 'Hobo' Stove
There are many variations of this stove to make. The top can remain to cook directly on, it can be removed and used with a frying pan, or used with a metal grate. Here is what we found worked the best. Make sure to wear gloves!
Collect large metal coffee-style cans. Make holes around the bottom and top for smoke venting and air-flow (a triangle pointed end of a can-opener works well)
Cut two holes like small doors to use for feeding the fire and venting; one each side of the can. (Metal tin-snips work really well for this purpose). Fold sharp metal edges towards the inside of the can
Craft
Spray paint bottle-caps black
Spray paint mini-popsicle stick black
Drill small hole for safety pin in popsicle stick
Glue to bottom of bottle-cap
Cut small orange and white fun-foam
Glue to make small grilled-cheese sandwich
Draw grill marks with pencil
On a final note, I recommend scouring the tops of the cans with a wire brush and applying a light coat of vegetable oil before storing. The cans, which will likely sit in the shed for another year can get rusted. I learnt this lesson the hard way!
A quick clean up will save and prolong the use of these stoves.