Knots

Everyone needs to know how to tie knots, right? 

We tie our shoes, tie ribbons on gifts, tie saws on tethers to drag up in trees, tie pea plants to trellises… We even occasionally tie knots out in the woods. 

Boo has always been interested in tying. She quickly claimed my short length of extra (usually laundry) line for her backpack. 

We start with the half granny knot, also known as “cross, tuck under, and pull.” Then she worked on adding a second, just the same, to get a faincy-dancy granny knot. 

Granny knots are good for tying leaves into a belt.

Or making my work boots impossible to get out of… 

She and J will often take her string, or some found line, and tie laundry lines, fish lines, or monster traps around camp. 

Lee and I have been known to sit around camp and learn new knots around the campfire. Turns out my knot pamphlet is a little tricky for her. But not for long at this rate...

The first knot I remember after tying my shoes was a slip-knot, and I still use it fairly frequently. I do not have a large repertoire of knots, but I’m learning. 

What knots did you learn as a kid? Which do you use the most now?

"What if We Get Lost Overnight?"

We’ve been training Boo for a couple years now that if she’s lost, she should stay put and blow her whistle. 

Last fall, she started asking what we would do if we got lost. And she was very intrigued about how to shelter overnight with no gear. 

So when we raked the yard, I burrowed us in and we felt how toasty warm it was compared to the chilly air. And of course she noticed that leaves blow away.

Since then, when she starts to get fidgety, we’ve added into the mix “where would you spend the night?” As we walk, we look for sheltered areas. We discuss which side of a fallen log would provide the most shelter. How to keep the leaves from blowing away. How that hollow would be great if there was no rain, but “Never sleep in a hole if it’s going to rain.” 

 This does eventually end with her wanting to try out all these locations, and climb trees off trail, so we have to have another distraction ready. 

Her last words of advice? “Sleep close to where you get lost.”

Do your kids enjoy learning survival stuff?
 

On the Importance of Pottying in the Woods

Any kid who’s going to be hiking more than a couple hours should know how to potty in the woods. Little ones in diapers are relatively easy – bring the stuff along, and plastic bags to pack it out.

We taught Boo backwoods toileting while she potty trained. I was unemployed at the time, and we were putting in a couple hours on the trails several times a week. I put her on the toilet before we’d go out. We’d hike. Sometimes she’d need to pee (again). I’d find a spot, put her in position, hold her steady to avoid wet pants, tahdah. (The avoiding wet pants is key – watch the urine stream carefully, and you’ll pretty quickly find out how your individual kid needs to position herself to stay dry.) I assume boys who are peeing standing up are even easier. As long as they’re old enough to give you that 10 second warning, they will pee. For a few months I hiked looking for potty spots. I didn’t see anything besides safety issues and potty spots. The first few times, I’d get her into position, and nothing would happen. But she just couldn’t hold it until we got to a toilet or a pull-up.

Pooping wasn’t much harder. She was not interested in pooping in the toilet. So she waited until we were away from one to demand a pull-up. Which is all well and good until she used up her supply. Again, I quickly found a spot, dug a hole with a stick, and positioned her. Nothing happened. Repeat about 5 times over half an hour, and there was success. Once she did it once, there were no problems. She announced a need, I dug a hole quickly, and it was done.

She actually pooped in the woods before ever pooping in the toilet. And it was hard to get her to go in the toilet. She much preferred to do her business in the woods. Especially early in the process, she couldn’t tell she needed to go until she needed to go now. There wasn’t a lot of time to pick the perfect spot. And there wasn’t a lot of time to find a good digging stick. I got a garden trowel and carried it all the time after that first woods pooping. Now when we go out, she reminds me: “Baba, do you have a snack? Water? The trowel?” 

Summary:

Start early

Always carry a trowel

Keep an eye out for good spots

How easy or hard was woods-training your kid? What worked? What didn’t?

Map Lesson 1

“Boo, do you like hiking new places, places you’ve already been, or some of each?” Standard driving after work/daycare conversation.

“Places I’ve been.” Firmly.

Well, that explains why she’s so resistant to new places to hike…

“Why?”

“I like to know where I’m going.” 

Hmmm….

“You know, Mommy and I use maps so we know where we are going in new places. Would you like to learn to use a map?”

“Yes!!!!!”

So off we went to Forest Park. We picked up a map. We discussed which route we would take and traced it on the map. She took the crayon and the map, and we were off. 

She marked the map at the trailhead.

“I see the bridge!”

“Where are the stairs? Are the stairs on here? Why not? What about the big hill?”

When we reached the top of the hill, we stopped at a bench and found ourselves on the map. She traced the trail from start to where we were. Well, somewhat past… Actually, past enough that she covered up the next landmark… 

At the next bench, she located us past the intersection and wouldn’t accept my correcting. 

Not shown: me running up and down the hills after her in my work clothes

Then she found too many pretty leaves to hold with her map, so I got the map and crayon and the lesson was over. 

She was so proud of herself, and we’ve got a good start on having her be happy to try new trails. 

Lessons Learned:

The trail we followed took up a very small section of the map, which made it hard for her to follow along.

Forest Park maps are not at all straightforward or intuitive. 

Black crayons obscure black landmarks.

What do your kids do with maps? When did you learn to read maps?

Keeping Warm

I have taken Boo hiking in the snow in sneakers and jeans. And I’ve carried her back inside and picked ice off her socks, too. I don’t recommend it. 

Keep an eye on your little kid. They’re not as good at recognizing when they’re cold if they’re having fun. I’ve had good luck with “Are your toes (fingers, ears) a little cold or a lot cold?” Lips will turn purplish, hands will be tucked next to legs, noses and ears will be cold to the touch. 

Obviously, dress appropriately. Boots, snowpants, hat, mittens, coat as warm as you are wearing. Remember that their shoes and legs are shorter than yours. When tennis shoes or low boots are fine for an adult, your kid may need boots and snowpants. 

Did you mother tell you “If your feet are cold put a hat on”? Do it. A nice wool hat will work wonders for winter hiking ability. It can be really hard to keep kids in a hat, so make sure it’s one that fits and suits your kid’s sense of style. We’ve had the best luck with bright yellow with eyes and a ducky beak. (As with everything, bright colors make it easier to keep track of when it’s flung into the woods.) If the hat is refused, occasionally offer it again, reminding them that it will keep them warm. 

Kids run with their hands out, they touch snow, they fall and catch themselves in icy puddles. Put mittens on at the beginning of any hike where you will eventually put your hands in your pockets. 

Yesterday, we were out riding bikes. It was sunny and 50-55F. And windy. The kids’ fingers were frozen. A good windbreaker or raincoat can do wonders in windy conditions. 

Sometimes she’ll get whiny about the cold more because she’s bored or tired or hungry. Then those issues need to be addressed or whining about cold will continue no matter how warm she is. 

When she’s too cold (our poor planning), a shoulder ride or piggy-back shares some adult body heat. If that’s not enough, I have her cling to my front and wrap her into my coat. It’s resulted in mud in odd places of my wardrobe, but it’s a good way to share warmth and get her out of the wind. 

Carry spare socks and mittens. Dry shoes and a change of clothes in the car is never a bad idea, either. Your kid needs to be allowed to get wet, snowy, muddy. It’ll be easier on you if you know they won’t freeze on the way home and you can take them out in public if necessary. 

What does Boo think is good to keep warm? “Mittens, coat, jacket, boots. Pockets on your pants. Or a poncho. “

How do you keep your kids warm?