Lets look at some of the things you can do as a pioneering project, you could start with something simple like tabletop pioneering, all scouts can do this without much preparation. All that is needed is some twine, and some sticks gathered from a suitable bush or tree close to where you meet. No matter what you want to do, be it a bridge, or perhaps a trebuchet, by making a model first you can see if what you want to build is either possible, or practical full size.
Pioneering can open up a completely new world for your Scouts, its something they can all do together without a great deal of space or equipment, all you have to do is make it equally challenging and interesting and they will have lodes of fun doing it. One of the greatest tributes you can get as a Leader is, when a group of young people say to you after having completed for the first time 'as a Patrol,' a pioneering challenge during a competition. That was brilliant I wish our Leader would do things like that with us! Well what's stopping you?
another thing to consider when teaching or starting a pioneering project is, you don't have to be constructing large objects. (the number of Leaders who say to me 'we don't do pioneering because we haven't got any pioneering poles' never ceases to amaze me!) On the contrary pioneering can be something like a simple camp gadget made out of broom handles or small branches, or if you want to do something a bit more complicated, like the ones in the photos below, then you will need some small spars. The main consideration is the suitability of the project in comparison to the ability of your Scouts. Remember its got to be sufficiently challenging and not to complicated, and/or at least have a purpose, otherwise it will become boring.
Activities involving ropes can be dangerous. Therefore If you decide to replicate any of the activities, shown and described on these pages, they must be done under the supervision of a responsible person or instructor. When using knots the choice of materials; the age, size, and condition of ropes; and the accuracy with which you tie them is crucial. Also using the correct knot for the job, is just as important as maintaining all your pioneering equipment in first class condition. For this reason no responsibility can be accepted for incidents arising from the use of this material.