Outdoor Adventures

Experience exciting outdoor adventures that will challenge you and your group to a new level.

It is important to give our girls opportunities to develop or improve their outdoor skills in different areas. Research has shown that integrating Environmental Education and outdoor activities into children’s daily lives received lower ratings for behavioral conduct disorders, anxiety, depression, and obesity than peers with less access to nature. Only through hands on outdoor activities can we truly advance our efforts to have the nation’s youth develop a lifetime of emotional awareness of the natural environment.

Girl Scouts of Central Illinois offers a variety of outdoor adventures including summer camp (day, community & resident camp), equestrian (horseback riding) challenge course & climbing wall, boating and archery.

If you are taking your girls camping, Basic Outdoor Training is required. Basic Outdoor Training where you will learn about site information, resources, camp fire building techniques, progression of camping, menu planning, outdoor cookies, recipes, and camp activities. This is an adult only training and is required in order to take girls camping. Check the events calendar for trainings.

To request participation in our outdoor adventures, please complete our Outdoor Adventure Request Form. Outdoor requests must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the requested date.

Archery

Try your hand at using a bow and arrow. Learn tips on shooting style, form and work to improve your aim. In addition to learning basic archery, safety rules and range etiquette, you will have the opportunity to participate in a tournament. This sport of bows and arrows is a blast-especially when shooting at balloons filled with candy!

Range Locations

Camp Tapawingo

Camp Widjiwagan

Camp Kiwanis

Must be 3rd grade or older to participate in archery activities. See the Outdoor Adventure Request Form for additional information and restrictions.

Boating

Did you get introduced to boating at camp over the summer, or have you always wanted to learn? Join us at camp for this fun boating workshop where we’ll go from the basics to sending you out on the water by yourself in just a couple of hours. First we’ll discuss boating safety issues and how to use paddles to get us where we want to go. After you master your skills on land, jump in a boat and see what you can do on the water.

Dock Locations:

Camp Tapawingo
Camp Widjiwagan
Camp Kiwanis

Must be second grade or older to participate in the majority of boating activities. See the Outdoor Adventure Request Form for additional information and restrictions.

Challenge Course

Develop and refine your group teambuilding, problem solving and communication skills as you work through a series of team elements on our low course. Once that’s mastered harness-up and faces new challenges at 20 or 40 feet on the High Ropes Courses or while scaling one of our three rock walls.

Course Locations:

Camp Tapawingo - Low Teams Course, High Ropes Course, Outdoor Rock Wall
Camp Widjiwagan - Low Teams Course, High Ropes Course, Outdoor Rock Wall

For the best group experience a group of 14 is the maximum 6 minimum. Climbers must be in grade 6 in order to participate in the majority of the elements. Climbers must be 45 - 275 pounds and 41/2 to 6 feet tall, those under 5 feet tall will face additional challenges on the high ropes course due to the height of the elements. Due to group dynamics it isn't possible to determine how much climbing your group will do or how much time the course will take. You may be done early or late.

Decatur Urban Program Center - Indoor Climbing Wall

Scale to new heights all year long at the indoor climbing wall at the Decatur Urban Program Center. Participants should be in grade 2 and up.

Safety

Our facilitators are fully trained in their subject matter. Inspected are done annually. Girl Scouts of Central Illinois camp facilities are accredited by ACA and meet Safety Activity Checkpoints.

Facilitators Needed

GSCI is always in need of adults to facilitate our outdoor adventures. Training takes place annually. Contact Chloe Machula at cmachula@girlscouts-gsci.org if you are interested in becoming a facilitator.

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