DIY SURVIVAL SUMMER CAMP

GET YOUR KIDS OUTSIDE AND HAVING FUN WHILE LEARNING A THING OR TWO

- JIM COBB

Well, we’re about a month into summer. Right about now is when parents start to get desperate to get their children outside. This happens for one of two reasons. Either the parent is tired of the incessant, “I’m bored” coming from their mini-me, or they realize they’ve not so much as seen their child in the last three weeks because said youngster has been holed up in their room like a political prisoner, albeit one with high-speed internet.

Getting them outside to burn off some energy and get some sunshine is great. Doing so while also teaching them valuable skills is even better. You can kill two birds with one stone by coming up with your own summer camp sessions. These don’t require a big investment in supplies and most you can do even in urban areas, either in your backyard or at a local park.

LOST & FOUND

One of the first things you’ll want to make sure your child understands is what to do if they get turned around on the trail and are unsure of where they are or how to get back. S.T.O.P. is an acronym that stands for

S = Sit down and remain calm. Take some deep breaths.

T = Think about your situation. How did you get here? Where did you stray from the trail?

O = Observe your surroundings. Are there footprints you could follow? Any other clues as to where you are and how to get back to the trail?

P = Plan carefully what you are going to do.

The best solution in most cases is to just stay put and let searchers come to the child. It is vastly more difficult to find a moving target, particularly one that wanders aimlessly as they get more and more upset.