survival training and tips for kids

C

carpediem

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Dec 11, 2000
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I have three daughters, 7, 6, & 4. The family goes camping about 7 to 9 times a year. We camp, off road, hike, etc. I've done some backpacking and hunting. I am looking for tips on training the kids. I have started with the basics of proper clothing, hydration, food, fire starting, they each have a SAK Hiker & a Buck Selector. I want them prepared to stay alive if something happens to mom and dad.
Please post or email your experiences or suggestions, for outdoors or the city. Since we live in Southern CA we primarily go to the desert in winter, the mountains in summer. Without getting to lengthy I think you get what I'm looking for.

Thanks,
Tom
 
I can't advise too much on the specifics of the areas you go to, but I'd like to give a VERY general piece of advise. It will probably be like preaching to the choir, but here goes:

I have found that opportunity is your greatest tool. I simplify my lingo (bacteria becomes "bugs"), I try to avoid technical stuff, and try to expand my lesson to the world at large, or at least as big as my children can understand it. I have not yet begun to teach them survival, per se (my oldest is 3 1/2), but I take every opportunity I have to teach them about the natural world and all of its wonder.

My son can tell you about the water cycle, can tell you a couple of edible plants and a few poisonous ones, knows what deer prints look like, and knows that bear poop means that bears are near (a very important concept!) Of course, it's all at a three-year-old level, but I think he's really grasped these ideas for good. We talk about these things constantly as the occasion allows, and he remembers it all.

I think that the more you get them into the right kind of surroundings (your many camping trips) and the more that you instill an appreciation for nature, you'll find your kids taking an interest in their surroundings and getting really excited about the outdoors. I cherish my times when I get to hold my kids on the front porch and watch them glow at the sunset, because they are learning.

As you can tell, I can go on and on. I probably have not mentioned a single thing you have not already thought of or done, but maybe something I've said will be of help to you.
 
A copy of "Lost in the Woods" by Colleen Politano is a good start. It's a great survival guide for teaching very young kids:
Lost in the Woods
Then there's the section on Doug Ritter's site:
Equipped
Those are both excellent resources, and the local library will get the book and movie for you.
 
Tom,

If you go to places were there is no person near by and something happens to Mom and Dad, the kids need to stay where they are and wait for help. You don't want them to walk for help. Since your kids are too young I think for ''survival training'' like making a fire, hunting, fishing, etc, you should only tell them (many times) to stay where they are if something happens and make noise etc if they hear people around.

You should always tell a family member where you are going exactly and when you are coming back so at least one person will know where to search.

I think that is all you need to do until they get a little older.

Juste my opinion,

Fred
 
Some good ideas and information. I appreciate any and all contributions, ideas, or personal experience. As I have watched my kids learn some basic things I have also tried to instill in them a team mentality, to stay together and work together. To think ahead of the present situation, to find more than one use for assets at hand, and so on. I bought each of them a butt pack and water bottle. I like to give them a tarp, string, etc. and have them build a shelter, fire pit, gather wood. These games seem to really stick with them unlike playing with a toy and not seeing the fruit of labor. With the wood gathering they see how long their wood will last, how sturdy their shelter held up to the wind, and so on. Great fun for them and dad.
 
I second the motion on Doug Ritters Equipped to Survive site. There's a great section on survival tips/training for kids.

The most important piece of gear for kids, IMO, is a whistle. I'd get them a Fox 40 or mini before doing anything else.

Let us know how it turns out!

Take care,
Chad
 
Forgot to mention that, they all have a Fox-40 on a neck lanyard, emergency bags, power bars (they actually like the chocolate/peanut butter), TP, etc. in the butt packs. I'll check out Ritter's site, thanks.
 
I suggest:

Outdoor Survival Training for Alaska's Youth (Student Manual With Instructors Manual)by Dolly Garza

Also this one:
"Willy Whitefeather's Outdoor Survival Handbook for Kids"
by Willy Whitefeather

Descriptions of both are at www.amazon.com but I also found the Willy Whitefeather book for sale at http://half.ebay.com/

Dolly Garza's book is the better of the two, IMO. To order:

http://www.uaf.edu/seagrant/Pubs_Videos/pubs/SG-ED-16&17.html

another page with some new books I'm not familiar with:

http://www.uaf.edu/seagrant/index.html

Good luck!
 
Tom Brown has a book on teaching survival for kids. I used to use it when I taught at an Outdoor education camp between semesters at the Home of the Tostito's bowl champions....OSU!

Gadget54
 
I would think that the main thing would be to make the camping FUN. When kids are having a good time they start to pay more attention to details and you can work in little tidbits here and there. At those ages, you can make everything a game. But most of all, make sure they are comfortable on their trips. No child is going to learn a lot in a short time but if they start to look forward to the camping, you will be surprized how much they rake in.
 
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