Gone are the days of playing with knives and spears and on to the days of IPods and gears. As a mom of three I believe if we want to change the world for our next generation we have to change the next generation. Kids don’t know how to get dirty anymore. They are clean, techy, headphone wearing, internet surfing, game boy junkies. I never mean to generalize, there are kids out there that know how to catch a fish. It is my opinion that we have lost the foundation of survivalism in our kids. There is still such a thing as scouts and girl guides but it is not the same as it used to be. We need to shift the status quo and give our kids an opportunity to light fires, play with knives, cook food on a flame and so on. Here are a list of thing we should do with your kids. They are resilient little creatures so give them the opportunity to make mistakes and figure it out on there own (with guidance fo course).
- Grow vegetables from seeds –
- Have local edible and medicinal plant foraging skills
- Meeting Dietary need from wild plant and game
- Make a fire and know fire safety
- Cook on an open fire
- Open a can of food with and without can opener
- Be able to tell if food is too spoiled to eat
- How to safely use a knife
- How to shoot a sling shot
- How to hunt small game with snares, traps and sling shot
- How to fish and hunt-bow & gun when old enough
- How to clean fish and wild game
- Find water and identify if it’s safe to drink
- Filter and boil water to drink
- Basic first aid
- Basic hygiene practices
- Find or build a shelter in the wilderness
- How to stay warm, cool and dry in the elements
- How, Why and When to stay hidden
- Self defense
- How to make a basic weapon and how to use it
- Be able to run and walk a good distance and be in generally good shape
- How to climb a tree- to get away from predators, get directional barrings, and hunt.
- How to read a map and use a compass
- How to read the sky for directions, time and approaching bad weather
- Know where family and friends live if they need to find them
- How to sew so they can mend clothing or any fabric and even make things such as bags or quilts
- How to bargain and trade (teach them at garage sales)
- How to be responsible for themselves and to be aware of their surroundings at all times
How many of the above can you kids do? Do you have any stories that you would like to share about your kids and survivalist skills!
