Kids and Bushcraft/Outdoor Skills

[MikeWilkinson]

I love getting out and about with my little 'uns and showing them little bits of bushcraft here and there

Some of my favourite things are winter twig hunts - getting them to identify trees just by there twigs and leaf litter - see the woodland trust website for some great tools for this.

Kids Hammocking - even if it is just getting them out in yours for the afternoon whilst you have a picnic - I had to make my 4 yr old her own one out of an old fifi bed sheet!

Animal hunts/spotting - looking for the tracks, their homes and occasional them!

Foraging.

Give it another year and we will start on knife craft and fire craft.

Whats your favourite thing to do to get the kids outside?

[Martin]

...Whats your favourite thing to do to get the kids outside?

Lock them in the shed. :p

Martin

[Mouldsy]

I try to bring the kids along as much as I can, we teach them a little every time we are out like different ways to get a fire going, wild food, it's just amazing to watch how much fun they can have round the fire plus the natural playground they have when they are in the woods, we also do some knife work with them, at the minute we are teaching them how to make forks to cook sausages over the fire, best thing about it is they don't even realize they are learning new skills every-time they are out, I only hope they have as much fun and learn as much as I did when I was young. Good on you for getting your weein's out with you they will get some good memories that will stay with them for good.
Davy.

[Ashley Cawley]

Some great ideas there Mike, thank you.

I don't have a youngster of my own (yet), but I do have a younger brother (aged 9), I take him out in the woods quite a lot, "just for a brew in the woods" as we say, but it often develops into more and I'm always teaching him when I can :)

Sometimes he's a Cowboy:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_dzoenG8Svds/TKDzeCrvtrI/AAAAAAAA-NM/MhlanrrL0vE/s640/IMG_3022.JPG

Other time's he tells me he's int he British Army running away from "the Gerrys!"
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_dzoenG8Svds/THKehZthBnI/AAAAAAAA9GI/-cyzgf7TWgY/s640/IMG_1709.JPG

I do all sorts with my brother Joe, fire-lighting, some plant & tree ID, tracks, he's just started staying out overnight at the end of the summer, he enjoyed hammocking.

On his first overnight camp with me I also taught him to fish, which we had fun filming! - He could do it fine off camera but as soon as it was rolling he couldn't quite perform on film so it made for a funny one which I'll post up shortly...

[Ashley Cawley]

http://vimeo.com/17193838

[Bambii]

Thats a great picture Ashley, of your brother running.

I guess i am the kid, i've never really had anyone help me out. Self taught :)

[Bernie]

Funny video Ashley. A very good example of how we put too much effort into things when we first try. Casting should be far less effort than that. The brush and branch casting was so funny because we've all done it before. Nice recovery though.

[MikeWilkinson]

Thought I'd share this. Got out with the dogs and Girls on Sunday morning, was a little below -7 Celsius when we got out the car. After a little walking we came across a nice little area with a good bed of dead leaves. Perfect for shelter building.

Well me being me, thought this would be an ideal time to teach the kids how to build a debris shelter - in this case a brew shelter.

144
Little Stream - Frozen Solid 3 inches

143
Early Morning Frost

142
Charlotte getting out of the Wind.

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The Brew Shelter - another foot of leaves on top and fire in front, could sleep in there no probs - Fill it full of leaves and burrow in, could probably do withouth the fire.

141

Charlottes and her mini shelter for Hedgehogs - She learnt something.

With all the activity we stayed nice and warm and with a brew on in front of the shelter we were toasty afterwards, shame we had to go home... But Isobelle who is camera shy was getting a little bored - only two so has a pretty short attention span.

So shelter building - great for kids big(me) and small at any time of year. :p

[Matt]

Hey Mike, looked like a beautiful morning, I love this weather :). Great pics, thanks for sharing.

Matt.

[Metal mug]

I love getting out and about with my little 'uns and showing them little bits of bushcraft here and there

Some of my favourite things are winter twig hunts - getting them to identify trees just by there twigs and leaf litter - see the woodland trust website for some great tools for this.

Kids Hammocking - even if it is just getting them out in yours for the afternoon whilst you have a picnic - I had to make my 4 yr old her own one out of an old fifi bed sheet!

Animal hunts/spotting - looking for the tracks, their homes and occasional them!

Foraging.

Give it another year and we will start on knife craft and fire craft.

Whats your favourite thing to do to get the kids outside? I make a house out of candy and treats in the forest then dress as on old witch. I keep getting shut in the stove though. ;)