Skills/Tricks to teach kids on "adventures"

SWVA_Tim

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Jan 6, 2015
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Christiansburg, Virginia
So when my two boys and I go on, as they call them "adventures", whether it be a 2 hr hike by the house, a day long float, or overnight trips I try to teach them skills they can learn to use as they get older... building fires, navigation, knots. What are some skills that you think every outdoorsman should have in their bag of tricks. A few I would include:

1. Building a fire in wet conditions with multipule methods (kids love using the flint and steel)
2. Basic use of a compass and map (for the older kids)
3. Identify common plant and tree types (esp. poison ivy and oak !!)
4. Identifing animals by tracks.

I've noticed as I have tried to do this with them my weaknesses come to light very quickly, so its a win/win.

Love to hear thoughts from y'all
 
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Oct 29, 2014
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I'm very interested in feedback on this as well. I'm a volunteer 4H instructor and we just started up Virginia's first hunting/wildlife/outdoor skills club. We did our first outing on Sunday where I taught about 20 kids how to take a bearing on a compass.
 

LostArra

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May 9, 2013
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Oklahoma
Pitch a tarp into an A-frame tent. My kids used to love tents aka "forts".
Now 30 years later they are still tent campers.
 

Akicita

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Colorado
Confident Mindset

Every skillset taught should end with a positive outcome. Reinforce knowledge based skillsets by having them teach someone else the skillset you taught them (sibling, friend, etc.).

When met with challenge or adversity try pushing them a little farther. The body can endure much more than the mind thinks it can during physical challenges. Don't accept a defeatist attitude with mental challenges you know they can accomplish.

Frustrations are a result of mismanaged expectations - Set realistic expectations for the skillsets you are going to teach based on their natural strengths and subject matter knowledge. . . Just as they learned to crawl before they walk and run, you should approach advanced skill sets and knowledge in the same way.

1. Mindset
2. Shelter
3. Water
4. Fire
5. Food
 
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ScottinPA

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May 13, 2016
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Russell PA
Timely topic. My youngest just asked me Monday if he and I can go a trail walk behind the house. He wants an old pack to carry and such. Hope this weekend's weather works for a quick hike for us to look for sheds, deer sign, turkey sign, and learn the lay of the land. Made this Dad proud.
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
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2,191
confident mindset

every skillset taught should end with a positive outcome. Reinforce knowledge based skillsets by having them teach someone else the skillset you taught them (sibling, friend, etc.).

When met with challenge or adversity try pushing them a little farther. The body can endure much more than the mind thinks it can during physical challenges. Don't accept a defeatist attitude with mental challenges you know they can accomplish.

frustrations are a result of mismanaged expectations - set realistic expectations for the skillsets you are going to teach based on their natural strengths and subject matter knowledge. . . Just as they learned to crawl before they walk and run, you should approach advanced skill sets and knowledge in the same way.

1. Mindset
2. Shelter
3. Water
4. Fire
5. Food


^^^^ this i agree 100%
 
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Feb 24, 2016
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2,191
Earthworms are 85% protein.
And they are edible. Submerge in water for 30 minutes to purge them first. (Slowly roast on flat rock)

A shoestring (Part of it) can be used for a lot of different things. Tourniquet, splints, shelters, ect ect

The brim of a hat can be used for many different things. (Internally plastic part used for cutting as a patch ect ect)

Building a splint in case of a broken leg

How to sharpen a hatchet safely

How to property dry wet clothes by a fire. (Clothes drying racks made from sticks)

How to build a hammer from a Tree branch and trunk. ( I use this one a lot)

How to use sassafras limb to scrub your teethe.(If you have sassafras)
 

jmez

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Piedmont, SD
How to identify Hounds toungue (beggars lice) and cockle burrs and not get within three miles of either kind of plant!
 

406

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Nov 28, 2016
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Pitch a tarp into an A-frame tent. My kids used to love tents aka "forts".
Now 30 years later they are still tent campers.
"Forts" is exactly right. Bring a water bottle to test "rainproofness" when done. "What would we do right now if it was going to be dark in 45 minutes and we decided that we had to stay right here over night?"

That can lead into "where does _____ like to build their forts? Why there?" And now you're into animal behavior.

Map courses are great. A bunch of survey flags set up in a field or park. Letters on each one. If they do it right it will spell a "secret message".
"From START" go 70 yards on a bearing of 120, write down the letter you find.
From there go 30 yards at 50°, write down the letter you find"
This is how I introduced compass work to the kids when I did wilderness therapy programs.

Have them help plan and package meals, have certain ones as "their" meals that they prepare in the field.

Even when you see something, give them a chance to see it "first" and then compliment their "good eye". Positive reinforcement for always paying attention to surroundings.

With games, challenges, bets, whatever... A half mile hike can be an all day adventure.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
Joined
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Fishhook, Alaska
One thing I've done with a friends kid was teach map/compass via successive easter egg hunts.

First year (7 yr old or so), we did the basic concept of "North" by having him follow the magnetic north arrow t to find a series of eggs in a line.

Next year he got a start point and a random numeric bearing to follow through the woods to find six eggs in a line.

Last year he just got a written list of bearings and distances. After he found each egg, he had to correctly put in a new bearing to find the next one. Essentially orienteering on a small scale. Kid nailed it and found every one.

Still considering how I'm going to up the game this year, but it should be fun!
 

twall13

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Jan 21, 2015
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Utah
Great thread. I need to do more of this stuff with my 8 year old. I've stuck to the basic how to bait a hook, clean a fish, etc. for now but I like the fire starting and orienteering stuff brought up as well as the different ways to get them to pay attention to their surroundings. I've offered a dollar for every rabbit he spots before me on one adventure and that was fun; the incentive certainly kept him looking around and noticing movement.
 
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Joined
May 9, 2012
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Location
Bothell, Wa
Teach him to identify unknown forest sounds.

Took my nephew hours to figure out a squirrel was dropping pine cones. Still not sure if he ever figured out the grouse drumming sound though :).
 

Akicita

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Aug 3, 2016
Messages
498
Location
Colorado
One thing I've done with a friends kid was teach map/compass via successive easter egg hunts.

First year (7 yr old or so), we did the basic concept of "North" by having him follow the magnetic north arrow t to find a series of eggs in a line.

Next year he got a start point and a random numeric bearing to follow through the woods to find six eggs in a line.

Last year he just got a written list of bearings and distances. After he found each egg, he had to correctly put in a new bearing to find the next one. Essentially orienteering on a small scale. Kid nailed it and found every one.

Still considering how I'm going to up the game this year, but it should be fun!

Nice!!! I'm going to use this one with my grand kids. . . Maybe I'll give them triangulation references and make them account for declination.
 

toddb

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Jun 21, 2014
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298
It is a shame we can't do something like this to all 50 million school aged children in the U.S. It would sure get a lot of them on the right path. But good job guys, more time kids are in woods is going to lead to lots of good things.
 
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