Bobcats

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Bobcats A youth organisation aimed at young people from School Years 1, 2 and 3. Fun, friendship and activities to get moving and build confidence.

Why is outdoor play so important?Sometimes young people need space to run, explore, get muddy and simply play.Outdoor pl...
21/09/2026

Why is outdoor play so important?

Sometimes young people need space to run, explore, get muddy and simply play.

Outdoor play gives children and young people experiences that are difficult to recreate indoors.

Running, climbing, balancing and exploring help develop coordination, physical confidence and fitness. Uneven ground, changing weather and natural surroundings also encourage young people to think about their environment and make decisions for themselves.

Then there are the social skills.

A simple outdoor game can involve communication, teamwork, negotiation, problem solving and dealing with disagreements. Young people create their own rules, change their plans and learn how to play alongside others.

There is also freedom outdoors.

Not every activity needs a score, certificate or formal learning outcome. Sometimes giving young people the opportunity to explore and use their imagination is enough.

At Pathfinders UK, we believe play has a purpose, even when young people do not realise they are learning.

They might just remember climbing a tree, building a shelter, exploring somewhere new or getting covered in mud.

We see the confidence, independence, friendships and resilience developing along the way.

Find out more about Pathfinders UK:
https://linktr.ee/Pathfinders_UK

Why does Pathfinders UK think resilience in young people is so important?Growing up does not come without challenges.You...
21/09/2026

Why does Pathfinders UK think resilience in young people is so important?

Growing up does not come without challenges.

Young people will experience disappointment, mistakes, change, difficult decisions and times when things simply do not go their way.

We cannot remove every challenge from their lives, but we can help prepare them to deal with those challenges.

That is what resilience means to us.

Resilience is not about being tough or pretending that something does not hurt. It is about learning how to cope, knowing when to ask for help and having the confidence to keep moving forward after a setback.

At Pathfinders UK, we build resilience through experience.

A young person might miss the target and try again. They might struggle with a problem-solving challenge and need to change their approach. They might feel nervous about an outdoor activity but decide to give it a go. They might take responsibility within a team and discover that other people are relying on them.

These experiences may seem small, but each one teaches something.

I can try again.

I can ask for help.

I can learn from mistakes.

I can deal with things not going to plan.

I can do difficult things.

We do not want young people to grow up believing they must face everything alone.

We want them to grow up knowing that setbacks happen, support is available and one difficult moment does not define what happens next.

That is why building resilience is such an important part of Pathfinders UK.

Find out more about Pathfinders UK:
https://linktr.ee/Pathfinders_UK

Why does Pathfinders UK teach target sports to young people?At Pathfinders UK, target sports are about far more than hit...
20/09/2026

Why does Pathfinders UK teach target sports to young people?

At Pathfinders UK, target sports are about far more than hitting a target.

Activities such as archery and air r***e shooting give young people an opportunity to develop concentration, patience, self-control and personal responsibility.

Before taking part, young people need to listen carefully, understand instructions and follow clear safety procedures. They learn that equipment must be treated responsibly and that their actions have consequences.

Target sports also provide immediate feedback. If a shot does not go where intended, the young person can think about what happened, make an adjustment and try again.

That process teaches an important lesson. Getting something wrong does not mean giving up. It means learning, adapting and having another go.

Progress is also personal. Young people can measure their improvement against their own previous performance rather than simply competing against someone else. This can be particularly valuable for young people who may not enjoy traditional team sports.

For Pathfinders UK, the target is not the real purpose.

The real purpose is developing focus, responsibility, confidence, resilience and self-control in a safe and supportive environment.

That is why target sports have a place within our SAFES approach.

Find out more about Pathfinders UK:
https://linktr.ee/Pathfinders_UK

Why do our Bobcats create randomly decorated food?Sometimes the activities that look the simplest have much more going o...
20/09/2026

Why do our Bobcats create randomly decorated food?

Sometimes the activities that look the simplest have much more going on behind them.

Giving our Bobcats food to decorate and letting their imaginations take over is not about producing something perfect. In fact, perfect is definitely not the aim.

It is about creativity, choice and independence.

Young children get the chance to decide what they want to make, choose colours and decorations, experiment with different ideas and see what happens.

Along the way they are developing fine motor skills, hand and eye coordination and concentration. They practise following simple instructions, taking turns, sharing equipment and working alongside other children.

There is also something important about giving children permission to create without worrying about getting it wrong.

If their biscuit ends up with three eyes, blue hair and enough sprinkles to cover the table, that is absolutely fine.

They made the decisions. They created it. They can be proud of it.

At Pathfinders UK, learning does not always look like learning.

Sometimes it looks like a very strange biscuit.

Find out more about Pathfinders UK:
https://linktr.ee/Pathfinders_UK

Address

Bolton Road, Manchester
Salford
M278

Opening Hours

Monday 6pm - 7pm

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