Orienteering for Dummies

Get your toddler and kids oriented with orienteering!

If you aren't familiar with orienteering, it's time! For the adventurer in all of us, this is the perfect way to teach kids [and adults too] how to use maps to find your way through the forest. Even the younger kids can do it [toddlers especially love orienteering] and it's a great trade to have in a world that uses GPS system to get us where we need to go.

If you have a toddler who's idea of a good time is heading out to the forest to explore, maybe it's time to start using guides to get them from point A to point B. You can use string, garland, or ribbon to to trace a small trail that toddlers or young adults can follow, to lead them on a trail. You'll be surprised how much fun kids have – if you've recently read a tale like Hansel and Gretel, consider making a trail of bird seed [so that nature can enjoy your orienteering skills...] for your child to follow.

The point of orienteering is to teach kids how to maneuver their way through the woods. Kids should know how to follow trails, read a compass, or follow nature landmarks to find their way. If you took a group of twenty kids together and asked if they knew even one of these skills, chances are you'll find a lot of reddened faces followed by sheepish no's. Get your kids involved early, and you won't regret it.

As they grow older, orienteering can become more and more challenging. Following points marked with paint, flags, or other materials, you can find yourself running, swimming, or biking to get to your destination following simple, maped-out targets.

If you want to start orienteering, but aren't sure exactly where to begin, try to find a club in your town or state that offers such activities for all ages. When you are ready for hi-tech version of orienteering you should try geocaching, which becomes more and more popular all over the world.