Outdoor skills camp for parent & child?

[Anonymous]

Would like to take my older son on a special trip for just us two; he'll be 8 going on 9 next summer. We're both really interested in outdoor skills but are both suburban raised and clueless. I'd love to learn some skills right along with him - where to set up a camp, how to find things to eat in the wild, lighting fires without matches, things like that. Swiss Family Robinson with a panic button for emergencies.

Has anyone come across a family camp / trip that offers this type of thing? Thinking a one-week course would be good. NOLS doesn't appear to deal with kids his age, or Outward Bound (I think it was 14 and up?)

Thanks for any help you can provide!

[Anonymous]

boy scouts.

some troops so this stuff father & son

[Anonymous]

I don't have any suggestions for a week away, but REI's outdoor school offers weekend classes in things like making camp, using a compass, etc. Might be a good way to get started over the winter.

[Anonymous]

Cub scouts. And you can do a week of father son summer camp at Goshen.

[Anonymous]

Op here, and I'm the mom. DH was a marine for 8 years and has sworn to never sleep on the ground again. Thanks for your suggestions!

[Anonymous]

Sorry mom. i posted boy scouts... and it was sort of nagging me cause i don't know which parents participate. HOWEVER... look into the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, which runs (by volunteers) some family activities.

www.patc.net/

They do not always have family events, and some are day trips, but you might find some activities of interest, and some like minded people.... If you don't see something right now, check back with them. good stuff through the year.

[Anonymous]

So where are you in the range of skills? I'm a fairly experienced backpacker, having planned/taken trips up to 3 weeks in duration, and I can't do most of the things you list (start fires from scratch, determine edible plants, etc.). Those are fairly advanced survival skills, and probably not a good starting point to getting you out there and comfortable if you're truly inexperienced.

[Anonymous]

Mid-Atlantic Primitive Skills Group

I think they sponsor camping events

[Anonymous]

I've read about some "family" camps. One is deer valley YMCA camp. Maybe check those out?

[Anonymous]

Could I suggest that you just try camping in a cabin before you try to make fire without matches? Your intentions are noble, but it's not a good idea to go from zero to expert in 2 days. You are probably not going to like it and you're son is not going to like it.

For skills, I'd look into the LLBean Outdoor school, or the REI classes. Then (after you buy a boatload of gear), you try one of the overnight camp outs offered by the Parks/Rec dept (Fairfax has these). In the late spring, they will have some that are geared toward cub scouts/boy scouts. No one is checking to see if you actually are a cub scout. (And by the way, moms can camp with boys in cub scout pack camp outs. I'm not sure of the rules during the summer week-long camps -- but it's probably allowed b/c there are a lot of moms leading dens in cub scouts -- single parents are usually the moms, so they are used to it).

If money is no issue -- could I suggest one of the REI REI "family adventures" that involve hiking. They provide the tents and food, but I bet they'd let you help and you'd get to hike in some really cool places (like Zion).

If you really want your kid to enjoy camping, you have to make it progressive. You look out, walk out, hike out, cook out, camp out, pack out. (That's the Girl Scout rule on how leaders are supposed to approach outdoor activities. -- I'm camp certified and I'm no expert). Start in small doses and ramp up.

[Anonymous]

19:20 again here -- I forgot to mention that there are parks that rent "rustic cabins" close by. You could handle cooking with charcoal probably. Try Pohick Bay, or Prince William Forest Park. Or there is a place called Treetop Campground. I'm sure there are others. Start with something where you don't have to pitch a tent, but you are getting the gist of cooking out and not having tv or electric lights and you have the sounds of nature at night.

[Anonymous]

I'd start with a weekend overnight at a regular campground that's not too far from a Wal-Mart (for missing supplies) with a camping-savvy friend, followed by a short backpack overnighter where you both carry in supplies. The first overnight will illuminate what camping supplies you actually need (tent, tarp, lantern, pads, sleeping bags, strike-anywhere matches, campstove, newspaper for fire starting etc.)
Backpacking requires lighter weight equipment (rec. 40 pounds or less) so you can actually bring it in with you and maybe also your drinking & wash water or a water sterilizer pump.
The reason you never went camping is probably because you have to buy hundreds of dollars of equipment.

[Anonymous]

I'd still +1 for cub scouts. Our local den (?) has a very active group of moms who participate most activities, including camping. You may want to ask around.

[Anonymous]

Little Bennett Campground near Germanown offers Camper-ready camping. They provide and set up a tent, chairs, lantern, etc. for you. It is a good way to try out camping without investing in all the gear upfront.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Little Bennett Campground near Germanown offers Camper-ready camping. They provide and set up a tent, chairs, lantern, etc. for you. It is a good way to try out camping without investing in all the gear upfront.

+I
I am a mother and I went there with my 10 year old son camping for the first time.