Outdoor Learning Opportunities

Experiencing the outdoors is a big part of Girl Scouting and an adventure that girls will remember forever! Spirit of Nebraska offers a series of outdoor learning experiences that prepares leaders with essential skills to take girls to any outdoor camp setting, and incorporates the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Want to take your girls on an outdoor adventure that involves traveling away from the typical troop meeting location?

You must complete Explore Out.

Completing Explore Out will allow you to learn essential information to safely take girls outside of their typical troop meeting place by learning the value of outdoor adventures, the progression of outdoor activities, signs and indicators for girl readiness, how to use Safety Activity Checkpoints and valuable safety guidelines for specific situations, and becoming familiar with the appropriate forms and paperwork related to outdoor activities.

There is no cost, but does require you to download and print the Explore Out Guide and complete Explore Out Online Quizzes. It will take you approximately 30 to 45 minutes to complete.

Want to take girls on an outdoor adventure that involves building a fire, sleeping outdoors, or cooking outdoors?

You must complete Explore Out and attend a Sleep Out
Camp Out learning session.

Sleep Out Camp Out learning sessions prepare you with essential skills to safely take girls into a variety of outdoor settings and learn night-time outdoor skills through an overnight camping experience. Skills covered include tenting, dressing/packing, leave no trace principles, outdoor fire-building, outdoor cooking methods, dishwashing, emergency preparedness, girl-led experiences, knot tying, hiking, and outdoor evening activities.

Upon completing a Spirit of Nebraska Sleep Out Camp Out learning session, a volunteer is certified in Sleep Out Camp Out outdoor learning for 5 years. Before the end of the 5 years, the volunteer must complete Outdoor Learning Recertification in order to continue taking girls on outdoor experiences and remain current in Spirit of Nebraska outdoor learning.

Volunteers that completed a service area outdoor learning
course prior to Fall 2009, before Sleep Out Camp Out was
developed, must complete Sleep Out Camp Out in-person by
Fall 2014 in order to maintain outdoor learning certification.

Want to take girls on an outdoor adventure that ONLY involves staying in a lodge or cabin and building a fire?

You must complete Explore Out and attend a Lodge Out
Cabin Out learning session.

Lodge Out Cabin Out learning sessions prepare you with essential skills to safely take girls to a lodge or cabin setting. Skills covered include leave no trace principles, girl-led experiences, dressing/packing, hiking, and outdoor fire-building.

Visit our Outdoor Learning Schedule link below to find upcoming Sleep Out Camp Out and Lodge Out Cabin Out sessions.

Upon completing a Spirit of Nebraska Lodge Out Cabin Out learning session, a volunteer is certified in Lodge Out Cabin Out outdoor learning for 3 years.

Before the end of 3 years, if a volunteer wants to continue to take girls on outdoor experiences, the volunteer must follow outdoor progression and attend a Spirit of Nebraska Sleep Out Camp Out learning session.

What do you need to bring to Sleep Out Camp Out?

What to Bring to Sleep Out Camp Out

After you’ve attended Sleep Out Camp Out, come back and print this Outdoor Cooking Guide. It will give you many of the great recipes that you experienced at your Sleep Out Camp Out training that you want to make for your girls!