Activities
All activities taking place at the centre are included in the summer camp fee. For activities taking place outside the centre, extra fees may apply.
About activities in center camp weeks
IMPORTANT! Activities at our center camps are of course dependent on us having the skills present in our volunteer staff in the week in question, which can carry out a given activity. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that all types of activities will be available in all weeks. But we always do our best to ensure as wide a selection as possible.
Nature & environment
Nature and environmental activities have always been present at the centre. But over the past few years, we have been even more committed to providing exciting and contemporary activities. This has most recently culminated with the establishment of our new Nature and Environmental Lab, which acts as the home of all our activities and communication in this field.
The Nature- & Environment Lab
At Houens Odde Scout Center we have got a new Nature & Environmental Lab
In the summer of 2018, we chose to close our summer-open grocery store, Provianten, at the Activity Center, as fewer and fewer scouting groups used it – and because a number of grocery stores have been opened near the center. At the same time, running the small summer shop was no longer cost efficient. Instead we wanted to focus our resources on more scouting activities. In addition, these indoor square meters were only used for 4-5 summer weeks a year. We felt that we could be better utilized and for other purposes.
With the closing of the store, new opportunities arose. That is why a small team of volunteer Houmen, with a background in the centre’s nature and environmental group, embarked on creating a new exciting activity in the former shop premises at the activity center.
In the summer of 2019, we opened a new nature and environmental lab, where the center’s many nature activities will from now on be based. The total budget for the project was more than DKK 100,000. The Outdoor Council of Denmark sponsored DKK 50,000.
In the nature and environmental lab, it is possible to get very close to insects, plants and the smallest constituents of nature using professional microscopes and stereo-magnifiers.
At the same time, we have linked digital storytelling with the more classic nature storytelling, in a modern nature and environmental lab. This is done through video and interactive digital touch installations.
We have now been given the opportunity to focus even more on environmental problems in the world, plastics in the sea and nature and much more.
Going out into nature should not be replaced
Going out into the woods with binoculars, collecting glasses and a magnifying glass or going down to the beach to catch small animals and insects, should never be replaced by the new nature and environmental lab. Instead, it should support these activities, and provide more opportunities to get really up close with nature. The lab must give inspiration to thoughts and debates about nature and environment.
Beautiful scenery commits
Houens Odde is situated in some of Denmark’s most beautiful scenery. With the fjord almost all the way around, old deciduous forest, hilly landscapes, small watering holes, beautiful viewpoints and rich wildlife.
At the same time, we are Northern Europe’s largest scouting center – and the coupling of the two facts obliges.
That is why Houens Odde must be strong in conveying these experiences and knowledge to scouts of all ages. We do this with this project, which is created, fundraised and led by volunteer forces in the circle of Houmen at the center.
It is also our hope that the new nature and environmental lab will be the place where the volunteer forces at Houens Odde can continue to develop and test new nature and environmental dissemination / storytelling methods and projects.
We look forward to welcoming you in our exciting new lab.
Houens Odde would like to send a special thank you to the Danisk Outdoor Council, who have chosen to support the project with the nice amount of DKK 50,000. It really means a lot and is for us a seal of approval of our ideas about storytelling and teachings about nature and the environment.
Nature activities
Explore nature at Houens Odde. There are open fields, woods, water holes, marsh and coast where land and aquatic animals can be caught, trees examined and plants studied. Get close to nature with the nature activities.
Some activities are carried out in the group asself-lead activities, others with a staffmember who can guide.
Among the activity offers may be:
- Catch aquatic animals
- Measure the height of the tree
- Fishing with rod
- Find animal tracks
- Make a bug-suction device
- Build bird boxes
- Bird watching
- Mouse Traps
- Nature Bingo
- Forest Hiking
- Nature Park Lillebælt activities
Environmental activities
SCENES stands for Scout Centers of Excellence for the Nature, Environment & Sustainabillity, and is an international collaboration regarding eco- and environmental aware scout centres can be part of (read more about SCENES). In connection to this, we have developed a number of exciting activities, where scouts at the same time can gather knowledge about the environment and sustainability.
Sea activities
Houens Odde is a peninsula situated i Kolding Fjord. This means we can offer great sea activities both on shallow waters and with deeper waters under the keel.
Sea activities
As activities the center offers raft building and sailingboats, canoeing, accommodation on a large raft or a trib on our large motorized raft.
For scouts aged 13 and above, we aso offer kayaking i sea kayaks or sit-on-top kayaks.
Some sailing activities are lead by the leaders of your own group, while others must be managed by the center’s volunteer staff.
Adventure
The adventure activities leaves room for the element of competition. Hit the mark with bow and arrow or try to climb to the top in the trees or in our special climbing equipment.
Climbing & archery
Archery
Try a special challenge for scouts from 11 years and up. Hit the mark in archery. Here it is the performance of the individual scout that counts, but when competing as a group, the individual’s performance also matters for the overall group.
Be aware that the equipment requires some physical strenght to use.
Climbing
Get to the top in the big beech trees at Houens Odde.
Climb the top of a tree with the guidance of one of the Scout Center’s volunteer Houmen or try to follow a specific path up the trees.
The climb takes place with safe and modern climbing equipment.
All climbing activities are led by a certified climbing instructor.
New climbing activities
In the spring of 2020, a brand new climbing area opened at Houens Odde. With 2 new activities, where you and your scouts can reach the tree tops at Houens Odde, 15 meters above the ground level.
So, whether you’re up for the thrill or want to challenge your scouting friends – we promise there is somthing for everyone.
The new climbing activities at Houens Odde have been made possible with the support of the Danish Outdoor Council.
Handicrafts
Mosehuset & the blacksmith are the creative workshops at Houens Odde. Test your skills in a variety of crafts and make something you can use at camp or take home and be proud of.
The Mosehus
There are plenty of tools in the Mosehuset, and you can work with either wood, leather, coconut shells, horns and bone, wool and soapstone, and we have activities and challenges for all age groups. There are volunteer center staff – Houmen – who guide the activities, but scout leaders are expected to assist the scouts with the activities.
We have a wide selection of materials, including:
- Leather work
- Woodcut in fresh birch wood
- Work with horns, bone and coconut shells
- Work with wool, felt, cord and yarn
- Candle making
Near the Mosehuset there is a campfire and a primitive oven for cooking activities. There are recipe folders in the Mosehus, but scout leaders have to shop groceries and run the activity themselves.
The blacksmith
Next to the Mosehus the blacksmith is situated. Here we offer blacksmith activities for scouts of 11 years or older.
Take a piece of iron, heat it up and shape it with the forge hammer into a spike, a pot hook, or anything else you need. Get control of how a piece of iron becomes a useful product when heated in the ace and hammered into shape on the anvil.
With molten tin, jewelery can be cast, which afterwards can be polished with file and sandpaper. Use a finished shape or create a shape with motifs from a ring, button or coin.
Teambuilding
Learn to collaborate in the group or patrol to achieve the best results. The activities are mainly for scouts of 11 years or older.
Teambuilding
There will be guidance in the team building activities and the cooperation and the role of the individual will be evaluated.
The activities can be things like:
- Toxic waste mission in a radioactive area.
- Pipeline – coordination and patience.
- Construction via radio communication.
– and more…
International activities
Houens Odde International Scouting Centre – Northern Europe’s largest scouting center! As an international scout centre, you have a unique opportunity to try your hand at a variety of cool activities. You can even earn yourself badges by participating in some of our activities.
International activities
Goose Game
Join The Goose Network on a visit around Europe, to meet scout centres. Did you know, for example, that Sweden has a scout centre that is a whole island? The tour takes place in the patrol, which compete with others in fun activities from different countries, to the tones of atmospheric music – the best globetrotters will win!
Kolding Adventures
Where does the hike go? King Christian the 4th grew up in Kolding, living at Koldinghus. Take part in an exciting city tour around Kolding, where the patrol will have ample opportunity to play tourists using Instagram. As a reward, you have the opportunity to buy cool badges to show that you have completed the Kolding Adventures trip.
You, me and us
International activities are not just for large scouts. You, me and us are pulling the big world down to the eyes of the smallest scouts, and giving the scouts an understanding of being part of a huge community. Use your creative skills, listen to a good story and learn something new.
Demos Cratos
Demos Cratos is a game about building societies, made as part of the KFUM Scouts in Denmark’s collaboration with the Tunisian Scout Movement. The game requires thoughtfulness, good physics and a good relations – who will build the best community?
Theater & music
Our Drama and music activities consist primarily of so-called “box-activities” which are managed by the camp participants themselves.
Theater - & music activities
Our basements abound with costumes, makeup, props and instruments.
When there is life at the center, you may therefore encounter “military people”, princesses, orcs, pirates, retirees, hippies, smugglers and many other characters.
If you want to try improvisational activities, we have some playing cards with instructions that you can borrow.
We also have some boom-whackers – plastic tubes, each of which emit a certain tone when striking them against the thigh.
About activities at the summer camps
Activities at our summer camps, are dependent on the fact that during the week in question we have the skills present in our volunteer staffs who can conduct a given activity. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that all kinds of activities will be available every week. But we always do our best to ensure as wide a range as possible.
Summer camp information
There are a lot of things which are nice to know when going to Houens Odde on a summer camp. We have gathered this informortion as well as frequently asked questions here:
