wy_kid_wrangler04 Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Dd 4th has been obsessed with TV shows on Netflix like Survivorman, Man Woman Wild and other similar shows. She has asked me to teach her how to live off of the land like they do. :confused: :confused: Yeah, she asked ME to teach her those skills :lol: :lol: :lol: What would I buy to teach her these skills. I totally agree it is something we should all know because you really never know when these skills may come in handy. I just have no clue where to begin to teach these to her :confused: TIA :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I would start with a book on wild edibles in your state. And then take field trips in the woods and look for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) She might enjoy Willie Whitefeather's Outdoor Survival for Kids -- simply written to the student with practical tips on very necessary/pragmatic survival topics, mostly using found items where you are in nature: going to the bathroom, stings and hurts, things to watch for, campfires, rainstorms, hypothermia, common sense, proper dressing, shelter building and so much more. It covers survival in the desert, mountains, woods and swamps. This is an incredible book! It is a little cheesy, but written right at a child's level, and so very visual -- for example, using the width of your hand to tell how much time you have until sunset/dark in order to build your basic survival items of a shelter and a fire. Other books I am not familiar with but also fit your theme: The Boys Book of Outdoor Survival (I know, you said for a DD, but if she can get past the title, it looks like there are some good things in there) -- or, Survivor Kid (written by a woman), or Tom Brown's Field Guide to Nature and Survival for Children (more at an adult level). Edited April 8, 2012 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) She should definitely read Island of the Blue Dolphins if she hasn't yet--Karana is a hell of a survivalist! Maybe sign her up for a Red Cross class on first aid and CPR? That's the first step in studying "outdoor medicine." I wish Boy Scouts allowed girls--all their stuff is perfect for this. Maybe just buy her a copy of the Boy Scout Handbook and let her read it straight through? Do you have any REI stores near you? They offer classes in some of this stuff: http://www.rei.com/outdoorschool Edited April 8, 2012 by kubiac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 One of the few I follow on Pinterest is http://pinterest.com/crittercares/ It has info on living off the land and canning and other interesting stuff. Links to blogs too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 There is a difference between living off the land in an emergency or migratory way and homesteading. For the homesteading end of things, you might want to study the Foxfire books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I second Tom Brown's books. Prepare and Pray uses literature and a unit study - a few reviews said it was too pricey for the contents, but they also have an email list. And of course the Boyscout Handbook - an older edition if you can get it. I read "Cold River" as a girl, I liked it. A girl and her step-brother go on a canoe trip, there is an accident and her father (the only adult) dies. They have to travel out of the woods alone. There is a lot of survival stuff, there is one scene where they meet a less-than-noble man, who tries to do in the brother and keep the girl. I don't think it was spelled out quite like that, but the brother shoots the man in self-defense (we assume fatally, but only the sound is heard by the girl, who is telling the story; it is noted that they didn't speak of that day). I wanted to note that, because I can't remember how old I was, but I think I was a little older than your daughter. It wouldn't stop me from letting my children read the book, but every family is different. And this is at least a girl's POV. I would try out Tom Brown's autobiography: The Tracker. Some other fiction books like Hatchet, Swiss Family Robinson, Robinson Crusoe, maybe even Sign of the Beaver (it's been a while since I've read that one). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) . Edited September 6, 2023 by SilverMoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 We have The American Boy's Handy Book, centennial edition. This book has been through so much it has a split spine and the front cover is hardly readable. Why is it so used? It's got everything that scouts should learn, but WITH instructions and broken down into seasons. Webelos and Boy Scout books don't have nearly the amount of info. (ours are sitting pretty on the shelf) I'd also suggest reading My Side of the Mountain and its sequels with her, as well as looking at places like http://www.jmkremps.com for simple survival gear. If I had to make a list of starter gear it would be these: -a good orienteering compass. Look for one that has the ability to line up with maps. -a magnesium firestarter -a swiss army knife (after learning how to whittle soap and learning basic safety) -a knot book and length of cord -a star map -a pocket sundial (Haba Terra Kids line makes a decent enough one) -a study of water purification -a tree/plant finder guide. -a signal mirror + morse code lessons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneP Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellers Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I have a book on Disaster Preparedness For the Family, my kids LOVE this book but it's not really written for a kid. I don't have these books but they are on my wish list. Survival Wisdom & Know How How to Stay Alive in the Woods A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills Dirt-Cheap Survival Retreat: One Man's Solution Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 BTW, if she happens to mean homesteading rather than, you know, living in the time of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, I give the highest recommendation to John Seymour's The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It. It can be a dream book--the illustrations are exquisite--but it's full of genuine wisdom and practical knowledge as well, and it would be quite appropriate for a smart kid who's interested in the topic. (Just be aware that animal slaughter and manure management are as much a part of this topic as is planting apple trees and building a chicken house.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I second Tom Brown's books. Prepare and Pray uses literature and a unit study - a few reviews said it was too pricey for the contents, but they also have an email list. :iagree: This is what I was going to recommend. This has been working it's way to the top of my wish list. Also, moving into the homesteading direction, Encyclopedia of Country Living is a reference book I like to introduce all children to. It covers everything from pet care, to nature study, to gardening, to primitive housing, and cooking. This is one of my all time top 3 favorite books. May Carla Emory R.I.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briartell Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) In many states, you can find groups like mushroom and berry hunters. You can find them online at places like meetup.org. That way you can go with people who have experience identifying local wild edibles. Have her start a garden. What a valuable skill to learn. Learn how to purify water in different ways. Practice lighting fires with different methods. Edited April 8, 2012 by Briartell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Don't forget to read Gary Paulson's "Hatchet." It is a great 'kid surviving in the wild' book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpskowski Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 There is a wilderness awareness school out in WA. I came across their website last year and it really caught my attention. They have a home study package. If I remember right, it was quite costly, otherwise I would have bought it. Now I got to go back and look it up! I've been thinking of having my dh do a survival type class with my ds and some of his friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayt ul-Hikmah Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 There is a wilderness awareness school out in WA. I came across their website last year and it really caught my attention. They have a home study package. If I remember right, it was quite costly, otherwise I would have bought it. Now I got to go back and look it up! Kamana? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 When my brother and I were kids, we spent whole days poring over the pages of the US Army Survival Guide, rigging up stuff in the backyard- traps, water catchers, etc. Great book, lots of info and diagrams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 http://www.amazon.com/Survival-Wisdom-Know-How-Everything/dp/1579127533/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b http://www.amazon.com/Country-Wisdom-Know-How-Editors-Publishings/dp/1579123686/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1333909609&sr=8-8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) In the book 'Deep Survival' a couple of schools of thought on 'survival' training came up, and of the two I lean toward the second style..in theory. http://www.mountainshepherd.com/ Bryon Kern's http://www.ifnaturallearning.com/programs/coyote-camp-2011/ Mark Morey Edited April 8, 2012 by Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpskowski Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 http://wildernessawarness.org is the website. There is a home study package but it's $150. Yes to a pp, its Kamana. They also have a book, Coyote's Guide, to help the mentor implement a program. It looks like ifnaturallearning.com uses the coyote's guide for their own wilderness camp. Maybe I'll invest in Coyote's Guide if I can convince my dh to teach ds and friends. Otherwise the one of the first books mentioned on kid's survival might be interesting for myself and ds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandigirl Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 OMG my sister would live a unit themed like this! I am doing this the second we finish our Jules Verne unit study. To the drawing board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Check out books by Scott and Helen Nearing. Backwoods Home and Mother Earth News mags Foxfire books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Does she fish? Learning how to catch, gut, clean, fillet, and preserve fish is a great skill to have. If you can catch salmon, you can build a smoke rack (geometry and measurement) to smoke the fish and then can it or dry it. We live in a native village where people lived off subsistence for tens of thousands of years, and the school kids still catch & preserve salmon every fall. Our school hosts a cultural heritage camp every year, and they do basket weaving. You can teach your dd to build a fire, heat rocks, and drop them into a basket of water to make it boil. Other ideas: -Medicinal plants -Berry picking and canning -hunting, if you hunt -collecting/filtering rain water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 taking notes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Also, moving into the homesteading direction, Encyclopedia of Country Living is a reference book I like to introduce all children to. It covers everything from pet care, to nature study, to gardening, to primitive housing, and cooking. :iagree: My kids love the "Worst Case Scenario" game. There are a lot of bad reviews on Amazon, but we like it. There are some pretty outrageous questions and answers, but you could cull any you don't like, and it really gets them thinking along the lines of what you seem to be looking for. Other family favorites are "Tom Brown's Guide to Wilderness Survival" and "Tom Brown's Guide to Nature Observation and Tracking," both available on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bensmom Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 :bigear: My son would love these too. Thanks for all the great resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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