Year 4 Students' Exciting Journey Beyond Singapore: Outdoor Adventure Week in Malaysia with Beyond Expeditions!
Hola from the wild and wacky crew leading the charge at Adventure Week with our fabulous Year 4 explorers!
Attention International Schools in Singapore! Are you ready to elevate your students' outdoor educational experiences to new heights? Look no further than Beyond Expeditions, where we specialize in creating transformative outdoor education adventures beyond Singapore's boundaries. Nestled in the serene coastal town of Mersing, Malaysia, our campsite offers a safe, nature-filled haven for unforgettable school camps.
Join us for an exhilarating adventure as we team up with an international school for an unforgettable residential Adventure Week in the picturesque coastal town of Mersing, Malaysia. Imagine this: 190 enthusiastic Year 4 students, divided into two batches, bubbling with excitement for their inaugural residential 3-day, 2-night camp away from home! The anticipation is palpable as they set foot on the pristine beaches of Mersing, poised to embark on a journey brimming with exploration and companionship. And the partnership with this school? It's been our joy for over two years, with many more adventures on the horizon!
(Check out the Amazing Race we hosted for their Year 7-9 students back in 2023! An all-in-one adventure for students to immerse in the culture and history of Singapore through transformative and exciting challenges!)
So come along with us as we bring you through the happenings of this residential camp for these students in Mersing, and also show you more of this beautiful outdoor space your students can seek both adventure and safety in! Imagine your students rafting through azure waters, building shelters in the heart of the jungle, and roasting marshmallows under a starlit sky. These are just a few of the unforgettable experiences awaiting your students with Beyond Expeditions. Our carefully curated programs combine adventure, learning, and personal growth, ensuring an experience they'll never forget.
Welcome to our student sanctuary, the Teluk Gorek Chalet and Campsite in Mersing!
Double the fun, double the excitement! Every student squad had a dynamic duo of trainers leading the team!
Campsite goals: Beachfront bliss!
Here, nature's our neighbor, and every wave brings a taste of adventure for our students!
And check out the playground we call home!
With sprawling grounds, endless beaches, and a horizon that stretches for miles, our campsite is a canvas of adventure waiting to be explored!
Outdoor education at Beyond Expeditions is not just about exploration—it’s about transformative learning and adventure.
We want outdoor education to be a thoughtful journey that gradually introduces young explorers to the wonders of nature, where we uniquely combine essential survival skills with fun and engaging activities, using a kid-friendly approach to handling tools that are typically not child-oriented by educating and involving the explorers in activities within a controlled setting.
When this international school approached us to organize their residential Adventure Week, we knew we had to pull out all stops to ensure an experience they would never forget. From the get-go, our team of experienced educators and outdoor enthusiasts collaborated closely with the Head of Outdoor Education to tailor a program that met their objectives.
The objective for the junior year group? To provide their students with a safe, comfortable yet exhilarating introduction to life away from home, packed with opportunities for learning and personal growth.
At our Mersing campsite, we can accommodate large groups of students, with comfortable chalets and ample space for activities. Plus, with an additional chalet next door, we can expand to accommodate even more students, making it perfect for school-wide camps and events. Situated in an isolated spot without traffic, your students will be surrounded by the tranquility of nature, providing the ideal setting for learning and exploration.
For this specific camp, we had about 200 students onboard with us!
Welcome to our humble abode, where rustic charm meets comfort.
Meet us at the beach, where students unite with nature and each other, finding solace in the rhythm of the waves and the whispers of the breeze.
Our campsite is dotted with pockets of play spaces, where students can unleash their inner adventurers and let their imaginations run wild, all while staying connected to the great outdoors!
And so, the stage was set for an action-packed adventure that would ignite the students’ curiosity and instill valuable life skills. Let's take a closer look at the highlights of the camp and how Beyond Expeditions brought thei vision to life!
Rafting: Confidence-Building Adventures on the High Seas
For this segment, our experienced trainers lead students through the raft construction process, where students use PVC pipes and drums to set the stage for an unforgettable voyage on azure waters. It's more than just water play; it's a journey of self-discovery and teamwork that will leave your students feeling empowered and exhilarated!
Here’s Shah, one of our Outdoor Education specialists, leading the segment on raft-making. He first gives students the lowdown on all the gear they will be using to make their raft.
He will then demonstrate some rope ‘tricks’ for our young student crew to try their hands at while making their raft!
Safety is our first and utmost priority.
Before heading near the water, our team ensures that students are equipped with properly fitted life jackets, every strap securely fastened.
Each student first attempts to strap on their own buoyant buddy, feeling the thrill of independence as they encounter their very first life jacket!
Our team of trainers will then move around the group, checking on every student and adjusting the straps and buckles if needed.
‘Life jacket’ fashion show, anyone?
Time for the students to rock their life jackets at the beach!
With a focus on our junior school adventurers' well-being, the trainers will now engage them in thorough water confidence tests, before moving on to the raft-building activity.
Our trainers are very detailed and firm with their instructions, as they prepare the students physically, mentally and emotionally for their time in the sea.
Strategically positioned in a triangular formation, our trainers create a safe zone in the water, allowing students to gain confidence through controlled challenges.
Our vigilant trainers continuously ensure the students’ safety, fostering assurance in the water. Our trainers also got the students to gather in a circle, their arms locked with one another before they are instructed to stay afloat in the water for one minute.
Then, the real test of teamwork begins as they collaborate to construct a sturdy raft.
Time to put those knot-tying skills to the ultimate test!
Students aim for knot-perfection as they work hard to secure every piece of their raft puzzle together.
They’re also put to the test when it comes to working together as a team.
How do we navigate differences in opinions, how do we respect everyone’s input while still ensuring the team is progressing towards achieving the task?
Once the raft structures were completed, it’s time to take them to the water.
Let’s see the results of their teamwork.
Students are instructed to pack water booties for this camp, and here’s where they come in handy!
These Year 4s are tiny but mighty; just look at them carrying the entire raft together!
Hold onto your hats and life jackets – it's showtime!
Laughter echoes, screams pierce the air as students brave the moment of truth. Will their raft rise victorious, sailing into the sunset, or will they face a splashy surprise?
While on the raft, your students will also learn other essential skills, such as using the paddle to steer the raft.
Or… if you don’t have a paddle, making waves with the classic hand-paddle technique!
Outdoor Cooking: Unleash Culinary Creativity in the Wilderness
Get ready to kindle a flame of culinary curiosity in your students with Beyond Expeditions' tantalizing outdoor cooking adventure!
In this exciting segment, students turned humble sweet potatoes into culinary delights! Guided by our skilled team, they'll learn the art of slicing sweet potatoes into delectable slices in a safe manner, while exploring various cooking techniques using the versatile Trangia set.
Whether frying, boiling, or steaming, students have the freedom to experiment and create their culinary masterpieces with this humble yet versatile ingredient, and amidst the process, our trainers constantly focus on ensuring students venture into the outdoor cooking world with an eye for safety.
For many students, this marks their first foray into the world of cooking, making it a truly novel and enriching experience.
As they immerse themselves in the joys of outdoor cooking, they'll not only satisfy their taste buds but also cultivate essential skills in resourcefulness and initiative.
And the end result? Some delicious sweet potatoes cooked by the students’ themselves!
With each student adding their special touch, it's a recipe for delicious memories that tastes even better when cooked by their own hands!
There’s just something magical about eating food that you prepared all by yourself, from washing the ingredients to choosing the method of cooking it, and we want the students to experience all of that for the first time.
Natural Shelter: Resilience-Building in the Wilderness
Watch your students discover the power of perseverance and resilience with Beyond Expeditions' natural shelter-building activity! The students learned to construct sturdy shelters using bamboo, tarp, and paracord, working together in groups of 7-10 to figure out how they could build a structure that effectively withstands strong winds and rain. Our trainers then simulated these natural external factors to test the sturdiness of their creations.
Here’s a shot of the various paracords and a ‘natural’ mallet made out of a tree stump! We want the students to see that whatever we can find in nature, is whatever we can use to make things work for us.
(Early 2023, we hosted 200 of Tanglin Trust’s Year 5 students for an overnight outdoor education programme stretching over four days! Get a glimpse of how these young ones tackled four essential campcraft skills in this article here!)
Let us bring you through what the students experience in this segment.
After introducing the resources we are going to use to build the shelter, our trainer then begins to demonstrate how it’s done.
Our trainer starts off by showing the students how to tie the bamboo poles in a way that makes them stand, while also being sturdy enough to hold the shelter.
Here’s a close-up shot of the knots.
A bamboo pole is then laid horizontally across two of the structures.
The trainers proceed to show the young ones how to work together to lay the tarp over the structure, creating an effective shelter that can protect them from elements of nature when they’re out in the wilderness!
Now, time for the students to show us how it’s done!
This segment presents opportunities for the students to get down and dirty, as they handle the ‘natural’ mallet, pegs, paracords and bamboo poles all by themselves.
Our trainers are roaming the area, looking out for potential safety hazards while also watching the students carefully, in case they need to intervene to ensure safety.
Amidst the bustle of the activity, the students could be seen enjoying themselves as they slot themselves under the tarp, squealing and giggling when it was time for the trainers to simulate real weather conditions of ‘heavy rain’ (pouring buckets of water) and ‘winds’ (with a leafblower) against their shelter structure!
Fire Lighting: Ignite Curiosity and Innovation
In this segment, we unveil one of our trademark highlights, setting ourselves apart by teaching our students the authentic art of wilderness fire starting! Gone are the days of relying on lighters and cotton balls; we embrace the 'au naturel' approach, harnessing the power of a ferrocerium rod and utilizing natural materials to ignite flames in the great outdoors.
The students are first taught about the type of natural resources they can forage for, that will be useful for starting a fire in the wilderness.
Dry leaves, twigs, coconut husks; the students went all out here!
Then came the fun and also tough part; learning the right way to strike a ferrocerium rod to create that spark!
Amidst the bustling activity of our expedition, the tenacity and resilience of two particular students shone brightly. Long after the official conclusion of the fire lighting activity and the call to move on to the next challenge, these young adventurers remained steadfast in their pursuit of success. Undeterred by the passing of time or the mounting pressure, they persisted tirelessly, their determination unyielding.
Their unwavering commitment to mastering the skill of fire creation became a beacon of inspiration for their fellow peers. In their relentless pursuit of a spark, these young students not only conquered the physical task at hand but also inspired others on what perseverance and resilience looks like.
(Back in 2022, the fire-lighting segment brought much exhilarating tension for students from Singapore American School! Through the challenge of mastering this survival skill, the students displayed critical thinking, tenacity and camaraderie that even their teachers have never seen before!)
Water Filtration: Environmental Stewardship in Action
Mastering the art of producing clean, drinkable water from natural sources in the wilderness is a crucial survival skill, especially considering the human body's need for hydration every 24 hours. While we won't delve into the entire introduction and demonstration provided to the students, here are some intriguing insights to shed light on this vital topic.
Filtration serves as the initial step, eliminating large and small sediments from the water. However, even after filtration, water remains unsafe due to invisible viruses lurking within. To render it potable, purification is essential. This involves boiling the water, with the boiling point varying based on altitude. For instance, at Mount Everest, water boils at approximately 68°C. Alternatively, disinfecting tablets such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or iodine can be used to eradicate viruses and bacteria to a certain extent.
Armed with nothing more than a 1.5L bottle and a piece of cloth, the young Year 4 students embarked on a quest to forage natural materials and fashion a water filter prototype within a 30-minute timeframe. The goal for the students was to then determine which pair could produce the cleanest water from muddy samples poured through their filters!
Students were excitedly watching the water drip from their self-made filter, and exclaiming as they notice the differences in results. It was an eye-opener for these young ones to see that just from using stones, pebbles, and other natural materials, black muddy water can be transformed into clearer water!
Navigation: Chart a Course for Success
During this segment of our adventure-filled expedition, we divided the students into four clusters, each eager to explore the intricacies of navigation under the guidance of our expert instructors. Led by our skilled team, participants embarked on a crash course in navigation, delving into the fundamentals through engaging activities like map drawing.
As students delved into the intricacies of navigation, they were introduced to the 5 ‘D’s of navigation: direction, distance, description, duration, and destination. Our instructors demonstrated how to use different compasses effectively, empowering students to navigate from point A to B with confidence and precision.
Through hands-on learning experiences, students not only honed their skills in identifying true north and estimating distances but also gained invaluable insights into orienteering techniques. By the end of the session, participants emerged with a newfound understanding of navigation, equipped with practical knowledge they could apply in real-world scenarios.
Evening Walk: Connect with Nature and Each Other
For both camp runs, the students embarked on a sunset walk with Beyond Expeditions' trainers.
Trainer Shah appears again; this time, to brief the students on how every student should put on their lightstick before we all head out of the hall.
Each student receives one light stick each.
They were then instructed to bend them and create a wristband to be worn; a light ‘buddy’ to accompany them in the dark outside.
Besides their light stick wristbands?
They also were told to hold onto each other’s shoulders; these are their human buddies!
With trainers and teachers positioned strategically at different points of the group to ensure safety, it’s time to take those steps out into the wilderness!
As they treaded along the jungle paths near the campsite, the hustle and bustle of camp life faded into the background, replaced by moments of pure connection with nature. The students got to experience what it truly means to walk in nature; a natural dirt path instead of concrete, huge trees towering over them from both sides of the path, the sounds and smells of the forest enveloping them as they stroll along.
Guided by our experienced team, these young adventurers witnessed the magic of twilight, encountering elusive nocturnal creatures and listening intently to the chorus of insects that serenade the night. Each step unveiled a new facet of Mother Nature, sparking curiosity and awe in the hearts of these young, budding explorers. For these students, this wasn’t just a walk – it was a transformative experience that broadened their horizons and deepened their appreciation for the world around them.
Campfire: Celebrate Achievement and Camaraderie
To round up the camp, the Year 4’s launched into a thrilling evening with Beyond Expeditions' electrifying campfire extravaganza! Get ready to applaud the accomplishments of these students as they shine in an evening of music, laughter, and unity under the starlit sky.
We also got to witness the young students stepping into the spotlight to share their skills and talents, crafting shared memories that will endure for a lifetime. This wasn’t just any campfire – it was a jubilant celebration of triumph and camaraderie that left the students beaming with pride and ready to conquer the world!
Just look at these girls go!
Talk about starting the evening with a bang!
Our students dazzle and defy gravity with tumbles and jaw-dropping stunts, setting the stage for an evening packed with thrills and spills!
Lights, camera, sing-along!
Our stage that evening wasn’t just for acrobatics – it was also a spotlight for our budding songbirds!
From soulful serenades to toe-tapping tunes, our students take center stage, filling the evening air with melodies that'll echo in our hearts forever!
Woah, watch out; we had one of our own trainers take the stage to lead the students in a dance too!
And guess what? Luck was on our side as the rain stayed away both nights, ensuring the campfire festivities went off without a hitch, turning each moment into an unforgettable blast! Plus, those pretty fairy lights didn't just add to the magical atmosphere; they also provided a safe path for the kids to navigate the campsite in the dark, adding an extra touch of enchantment to the evening.
( Check out how we hosted Project Week for the students of United World College back in 2022, where they got to pick up both soft and hard skills of wilderness survival!)
Whether you're looking for a week-long adventure or a weekend getaway, we can customize our programs to suit your school's curriculum and objectives. From team-building activities to environmental conservation projects, we offer a wide range of activities designed to foster leadership, resilience, and personal growth.
And with Beyond Expeditions, you can rest assured that your students will be in good hands. Our experienced team of educators and outdoor enthusiasts is committed to ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants. From planning logistics to providing expert guidance during activities, we take care of every detail so you can focus on inspiring your students.
Don't miss out on the opportunity to take your school's curriculum beyond Singapore's borders with Beyond Expeditions. Contact us here today to learn more about our Mersing campsite and how we can tailor a program to suit your school's needs. Let's unlock limitless adventures together and create memories that will last a lifetime!
Plus, for those seeking even more excitement, we're thrilled to announce that we also run the Duke of Edinburgh's Bronze Award program at our campsite. Year 10 students from an international school in Singapore will be embarking on their exhilarating journey this May. Don't miss out on this chance to be a part of something truly special!
Article written by: Valerie
Valerie, a freelance writer with a quirky infatuation with steamed buns and slightly bizarre food combinations.
(“Try soft-boiled eggs and hot milo!”)
She wishes to keep writing stories that bypass typical food reviews and appreciation of scenery, stories that inspire readers to pursue curious conversations about the unique cultures and lifestyles of every country.
