Kids and bushcraft

[steve1975]

As a kid i used to spend loads of time in the local woods. Building shelters rope swings and the likes. It was on a recent walk with my kids in those woods that got me thinking of doing some bushcraft with them. So far its been a couple of walks and some simple shelters. Over the winter I plan to teach them some basics like useful knots and igniting tinder using a firesteel. What other basics could i do around home and the garden.

[fish]

what ages are they? mine are 5,7,10,12. they like to whittle wood too,shoot catapults,make simple bows and arrows,climb trees, all manner of stuff.

[Silverback]

Tree ID, water collection, FIRST AID !! - kids should be taught first aid at school IMHO

[paulthefish2009]

Basic knife skills would be good and as Sapper says first aid is very important and should be something covered at school. Paul

[Silverback]

and if you need some first aid stuff for kids Steve i have loads of resources

[steve1975]

Tree ID, water collection, FIRST AID !! - kids should be taught first aid at school IMHO

Good ideas. To be honest my tree id skills are shamefull something we can learn together. And basic first aid is defiantly a must.. They are age 7 and 9.

[FishyFolk]

At age 7 and 9 they definately should learn how to handle a knife. Some simple whitling on a stick is a good starter on how to learn to safely use a knife.

[Ashley Cawley]

Good suggestions so far, there's also making & cooking bannock on the campfire! :o

[paulthefish2009]

yeh nice one Ash,even if you get them to get a brew on,get out in the woods,light a fire and make some hot choccy (all kids love hot choccy). Paul

[steve1975]

Well now I have just learned something. Bannock just Googled it think i remember doing some in the cubs many years ago. Thanks for the ideas, its gave me a few options.

[FishyFolk]

Barbecue some hot dogs on spits over the fire and let the kids use a knife to make them.

[Ehecatl]

Steve - I would suggest (in addition to the other great ideas) teaching them knots. You can give their own bit of para-cord to practise with and perhaps use the animated knots website and list some that would benefit them. They can even have a go when travelling in the car!

[steve1975]

Already planning on knots. Starting with reef and figure of eight knots. Got plenty cord i work in a blind shop.

[OakAshandThorn]

Definitely tree ID as Sapper said, and wild plant identification - FORAGING :). Nothing too difficult, but teaching them about the easily recognizable edibles and of course the distinct poisonous greens to avoid is a great start ;). Just make sure they know NOT to consume any plant that they cannot positively identify.

[AL...]

And most of all MAKE IT FUN!!!! kids learn more when they are havin fun and it sticks with them.
Thats what I did with my 3
Just my 2 pennies worth

Cheers
AL

[steve1975]

Well think i will be purchasing a couple of books soon. Think a selection of those Collins gem guides will be going on my amazon wish list for Christmas. As i have said my knowledge is limited at the moment but we will learn together. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[steve1975]

And most of all MAKE IT FUN!!!! kids learn more when they are havin fun and it sticks with them.
Thats what I did with my 3
Just my 2 pennies worth

Cheers
AL

I will mate. They seem keen at The moment. Shame the the weather is so awful. No fun going out in j heavy rain or sub zero temp. Still plenty opportunities to do things like practice knots n stuff.

[surplus 6]

cool thread, it's got me thinking. my kids are 8 and 13, so we may have to do some field trips next year and brush up on lots of things between now and then.
any surgestions for books to read on plants etc?

[steve1975]

http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/kit/reviews/how-much-does-knowledge-weigh-1kg-in-this-instance-see-which-books-i-carry.html


These are going on my amazon wishlist.

[surplus 6]

thanks for that, just updated my amazon wish list with all them and the addition of a collinns gem first aid book. I can see some fun times to be had next year T^

[Silverback]

as I said before anyone wanting free first aid resources to download and print, PM me

Please try to be specific as to your needs and supply an email address

[David_JAFO]

hello,
In the mid 1980's our Regt/Unit & Volunteering as with my Local Outdoor Education Team
in my spare time we used to go around local Primary schools teaching these basics.
One of the favourites of the kids was cooking on a flat stone firstly with either a slice of bacon
or a gammon steak to grease the stone then fry an egg on top of this, jacket potatoes was another,
plus getting a brew on the go too.
Basic Shelter/Fire construction putting together a Survival Kit in a baccy tin & the old favourite
see how many useful Survival items you could cram into a matchbox.
With the Health & Safety P.C Brigade Laws etc.. this soon put a stop to these activities
with schools.
Although I am aware that the UK Govt these days are trying to get kids outdoors again.
We shall see how this develops as time goes on :wink:
Regards
David

[RobD]

It is still possible to do this in schools now but the Risk Assessment forms you need to fill in really turn you off from doing it.

It comes down to risk - many people are not willing to risk their career for some activities. It is a real shame though.

[fish]

its a part of the reason i took my kids out of state school and now teach them myself.

[f0rm4t]

How's that working out for you fish? Is it a taxing affair, mentally/emotionally? Do the kids miss being in school? Do you have to stick to a curriculum and do they have to sit GCSE exams.
I'm really intrigued with this. How do you go about preparing to home school? Fascinating!

Cheers

[bushcraftybob]

Teach them well and they can do anything ... i could leave my boy to set up full camp at about 11 years old.. and trust everything would be good and safe .. having saying that.. i never actually let him .. just in case ..But now when him and his teenage friends go camping im happy he will be very safe (or so i think)... try leather bag making (heres a top tip .. go to world of leather etc and ask for any old leather samples brochures .. perfect for small bags etc .. and each book has about 10 -15 samples .. so loads of small leather projects .. if you get some .. halfers !!)... swedish log candles (or whatever they are called) ..

[BJ]

I have a young family member who's mum wouldn't dream of letting him loose with a sharp instrument. Yet I have shown him how to use a knife and sitting comfortably he has made a walking stick for himself with decorative rings, varnished and with a leather hand loop. On showing his parents he was that proud when they asked him where he bought it and he could say he made it. Their amazed looks and his big smile has made him a bush-crafter for life.
BJ

[AL...]

Magic stuff BJ :)

Cheers
AL

[beermaker]

Totally agree with Sapper - kids should be taught first aid in schools. Agree with Fish and RobD too - health and safety in schools is ridiculous with no room for common sense and judgement. I used to teach woodwork and engineering in a secondary technology college and the hoops I had to jump through were enough to make you weep. I took my traction engine in once as part of the 40 year "celebrations" and despite having full risk assessments, boiler inspection certificates and several million quids worth of insurance, they still weren't happy and said the risk assessments weren't thorough enough (although they were good enough for all the other schools I take it to, and just want to add I used to write risk assessments in industry when I was an engineer). Simply rewrote my risk assessment word for word on their paper and all of a sudden it was "much better". Absolutely pathetic!

I've since left mainstream education and now work in a small independent school on a farm and I've never looked back! I now teach, amongst other things, woodwork, blacksmithing, bushcraft, tractor driving, not to mention common sense and judgement! :D

[sam_acw]

Can you PM me about the place you work in? I'm interested in alternative education ideas and how it works in practice.

[surplus 6]

Totally agree with Sapper - kids should be taught first aid in schools. Agree with Fish and RobD too - health and safety in schools is ridiculous with no room for common sense and judgement. I used to teach woodwork and engineering in a secondary technology college and the hoops I had to jump through were enough to make you weep. I took my traction engine in once as part of the 40 year "celebrations" and despite having full risk assessments, boiler inspection certificates and several million quids worth of insurance, they still weren't happy and said the risk assessments weren't thorough enough (although they were good enough for all the other schools I take it to, and just want to add I used to write risk assessments in industry when I was an engineer). Simply rewrote my risk assessment word for word on their paper and all of a sudden it was "much better". Absolutely pathetic!

I've since left mainstream education and now work in a small independent school on a farm and I've never looked back! I now teach, amongst other things, woodwork, blacksmithing, bushcraft, tractor driving, not to mention common sense and judgement! :D

please don't shoot, but I used to be a HS&E Advisor at a large family owned excavator company in staffordshire, the truth is alot of the problems associated with h&s are not the health & safety exec but the management of an organisation, and how they think it reads. it was very frustrating trying to convince them that things could be done as the risk assessments etc in place were ok. but they see the no win no fee adds on tv and it makes them s**t themselves. needless to say I don't do h&s now. totally agree with the comments about kids learning in schools, hell I did casting aluminium/wood work (with sharp tools!!!!) metal work/car maintenance and lived to tell the tale. when I was pre teens I got my knife and axe badges at scouts for knowing how to handle them properly. bring back common sence I say, we all lived to tell.

[beermaker]

No danger of shooting Surplus6 - I totally agree! I did the same thing at a factory which manufactured plastic trim for the automotive sector and then again in the Technology department at the school. The massive majority of "issues" were the result of unqualified and inexperienced morons in management positions. The perfect example was our facilities manager, who believed my risk assessment was not thorough enough, yet when I copied it word-for-word onto his blank form, it miraculously became a thing of beauty! Utter joke! Too many people in charge who don't know enough to do their job properly so find security in just saying "no", too many ambulance chasing solicitors looking to make a few quid and not enough common sense in society in general. I used to regularly teach casting, blacksmithing and MIG and Oxy Acetylene welding in a secondary school but it's all been stopped since the management team took "health and safety" advice, and then we wonder why no-one can do anything practical for themselves any more!!