For most of the year a corner of the Scout hall has been out of action due to a large stack of cardboard boxes that had been gathered for a special occasions.
The remnants of that large stack of cardboard boxes are now piled in my front porch awaiting disposal as they have now served their purpose.
Last night most of our Scouts came to my place and built themselves some rather elaborate shelters from the boxes, held together with great lengths of packing tape. In part the experience was to increase awareness of the issue of homelessness — and there was some very thoughtful discussion about this during the evening — and to learn more about the insulating power of humble cardboard … but also — and probably predominantly — to have fun.
By midnight — give or take some late chatting — 11 kids were comfortably ensconced inside their homes (with sleeping bags and sleeping mats, so we weren’t roughing it all that much), and before long the yard rang with the sound of snoring.
The kids had used up most of the boxes in the process of constructing their cardboard campsite, so I ended up with just a single box, big enough for my head and upper torso. I ended up sleeping on my front porch, which is a little more sheltered than out on the main lawn area, but even so I was amazed at what a huge difference the box made to my temperature. I reckon I was at least 5° warmer than I would have been without it, and so I ended up having a surprisingly comfortable night’s sleep (which is just as well, given how tired I was).
On waking this morning, various heads appeared from various holes in the houses, to face the chilly morning and report on the general warmth inside the boxes.
Not long after this the houses were trashed. Literally.
Anyway, it was a fun overnight activity … although I’m inclined to stir the kids a little by saying that it won’t be counted as one of their “nights under canvas”!
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