By Engelbert Humperdinck
Camping and exploring the outdoors can be fun and exciting. Getting lost, however, can be scary and dangerous, and you always need to be prepared for an emergency. Here are some things that can help you in the wilderness. Just think how useful this information would have been for Hansel and Gretel.
S.T.O.P.
This is the number one rule in wilderness survival or in any dangerous situation. The acronym stands for the following:
 Stay Put – This helps you focus and avoid panic.- Think – Review your situation, calmly identify what you need to do.
- Observe – Look at your surroundings and note the available resources.
- Plan – Determine what you need to do and in what order you need to do them.
Tip – Using S.T.O.P. does not necessarily have to be a long process. If you are in immediate danger, don’t spend too long thinking! The most important thing is not to panic and figure out the best way to proceed.
Question – Think of other situations that require you to S.T.O.P. Is the wilderness the only place you can use this technique? Can you imagine applying S.T.O.P. in a home or school situation?
Food and Water
These are two of the most important elements for survival, so make sure you take some with you! ALWAYS bring a full water bottle, no matter how short your excursion. Nuts and raisins pack a lot of energy in a small space, so they’re a great snack to bring along. DO NOT eat berries or food you find in the forest! They may be poisonous!
 Tip – Always take your trash and leftovers with you. Dumping waste can harm the environment and attract dangerous animals.
Question – Suppose you found a stream, river, or lake while hiking. What might be some clues you could use to find out if the water is clean and potable?
Vocabulary – what is a synonym for “potable”?
 Shelter
When out in the wilderness, it is important to stay warm and dry, so finding shelter is critical. If you have no tent and find yourself in need of shelter, follow the S.T.O.P. rules above. Look for a nearby area with trees and soft ground. Don’t set up camp on windy hills or in deep wet valleys. If you have a plastic bag or a tarp, lay it on the ground and weigh it down with rocks at the edges. Make a bed and pillow with fallen leaves to help keep you warm.
Tip – Caves make excellent shelters but if you find one, watch out! Animals know of these caves and use them for shelter, too. You might intrude on an animal’s home if you wander too far in, so stay near the entrance and leave when the weather permits.
Questions – What materials from your home could you use to make a wilderness shelter? What materials from your classroom?
Vocabulary – what does “critical” mean in this context?
Keeping Warm
 Temperatures drop with nightfall, so you need to bundle up to stay warm. The best thing to do is to cover your head and neck, which will trap lots of your body heat. Bringing a hat is a lightweight and easy way to keep warm.
Tip – Wet clothes do not keep you very warm! Pack some plastic bags before you set out. If it starts to rain, put them over your feet to keep your shoes and socks dry. It will help keep you warm, as long as you don’t go jumping in any puddles! Always keep plastic bags away from your nose and mouth.
Question – Why would it be a bad idea to light a fire in the woods?
Finding Your Way
 The best way to keep from getting lost is to stick to well-cut trails and stay with adults. If you do get lost, staying put makes it much easier for people to find you. If you must travel without a path, however, leave yourself a trail to get back! There are many ways to leave markers. Tying bright cloth or string on trees, making rock piles, or leaving deep footprints all can help you find your way back to camp. Place each new marker within sight of the previous one. Finally, make sure to place your markers on the side of the path so you don’t knock them over accidentally.
Tip – If you need to leave a trail that changes directions, try this. Find a good sized branch and break it part way in the middle, making an angle like this:  Lay it down like an arrow head, pointing in the direction you’re traveling.
Question – What could you observe that would give you information about your altitude?
Animals
 The general rule when it comes to encountering animals in the wild is to keep your distance, don’t feed them, and avoid attracting attention to yourself, but keep in mind that each animal is different! Bears, for example, do not like loud noises, so wearing bells on your backpack can help deter them from approaching you. Mountain lions get excited when you run, so if you encounter one stay still or back away slowly. And never approach or handle snakes, they might be poisonous!
Tip – Aah! An alligator is after me! What do I do? To release an alligator’s bite, hit it on the nose and its jaw should open up. Then, if you can’t get away, push down on its neck and jaws to keep it from opening up and biting you again. Like any animal—including yourself!—an alligator has much stronger muscles for closing and chewing than for opening its mouth. Finally, try to cover its eyes. If the alligator can’t see you, it will calm down and might decide it’s time for a nap instead of a meal.
Question – What is the strangest animal you’ve ever seen in person? If you encountered it again, in the wilderness, how would you react?
General question:
What survival skills have you learned from organizations such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other groups?
For more worksheets and games on survival skills for kids, download the full Study Guide here.
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