Training and Conditioning Ideas for Children

Good to hear that you are starting them young, Being able to garden will be a very important skill post SHTF. The animated movie Lion king Communicates the circle of life to children very well as well as some other self care skills.
The more kids know about how life really works the more eager they are to learn more. Try some "power failure practice drills" etc. Paint ball is a good way to learn weapon handling skills as well as experiencing being under fire

 

I was "conditioned" as a child by loving grandparents and parents who made sure to teach me how to cook food, grow a garden, can food, work with wood (carpentry), work with concrete, work with vehicles (repairs), first-aid and how to camp in such a way that no-one would have known that we camped there (zero-impact camping).

I continue those skills and I am teaching those now to my grandson.

Teach through life-style instead of teaching through class and your children will be more apt to follow it as they get older.

 

Airsoft will work too.

 

Airsoft would work better than paintball because of the realism.

 

I've been doing the same staples as others have posted.

I'm also teaching my son tools (use and technique).

I also give them a problem or issue and have them tell me how to fix it.

Without their knowing, I'm also working on their fears and ways to address them. E.g. My son is afraid of heights so I've been getting him on the roof with me.

 

I saw you combined small/big game hunting...

I personally started hunting 'varmints' & nuisance critters when I was 6 with a daisy 880 air rifle, it was bigger than I was!

one day I killed 5 rabbits & my dad said

"that's too many, what are you going to do now?"

he then showed me how much 'work' (not much, but to a small child, everything not fun is work ) it was to skin, gut, clean & prep a cold rabbit

 

Both of my youngsters attend the free Lowes and Home Depot project builds. While its not intricate my 4 y.o.and 8 y.o. know how to handle a hammer and follow simple build directions. Its fun, not work, so they try hard and get a "toy" as a reward if its built right. We also have "olden days" talks, with camping trips to try out so-called primitive skills. We went to a living history museum for a taste of life without power or running water (real eye opener for the kids). The kids accept as normal all our food and water stores and my son cracks me up whenever we find change on the street: he hands it to me and says "For the ammo fund!". When the kids realize its just the way we live, they adapt and grow into it naturally. Its what kids do.

 

Toss in there how ta read a map an use a compass. Them electronic do dads ain't always gonna be around an sometimes they ain't right anywho.

Neat thing bout teachin it ta kids as it can be done as a game.

Also, teach em some common sense, lord knows there be a shortage a that today!

 

I was going to homeschool my 8 year old, but he really wanted to go to the local school. I am glad he did. I understand a spouse that doesn't understand- not just about the prepping but also about the mindset and skills that a self-sufficient survivalist lifestyle can teach. I always run up against attitude from my spouse... a passive one, mind you, but still there.
I am finding the one thing I can do for my children is to get them into activities that support my home teachings. If all they hear is me saying and doing one thing, and my husband saying that it "doesn't matter" or "it is pointless to learn these things" then I am going to have very confused children. If they are in the boy scouts or in other activities that support the same mentality as you, then they have that external reinforcement.

 

mrbroker, excellent list.

Right now, both my son (12) and daughter (10) are in Scouts and learning some of the basic outdoor\life skills they will need and both my wife and I are supplementing it with things that they aren't picking up yet or need extra guidance on. My wife being a nurse and all handles the medical stuff, some cooking while I work with them on the outdoor stuff like camping, shooting, etc.
We have really just gotten going with getting out to the woods and lived with what we can bring or find out there. Both kids are aware of the state of things in the country, world and look at the whole prepping thing as a fun thing. Well for now they do.

 

Hi I am new to this forum but I have 3 small kids 2, nearly4 and nearly 5 so I am interested in this. I am also the prepper in our family my Husband doesn't think anything bad would happen. Thankfully he loves camping so I can always get leverage to get " camping equipment" With my kids I just have them do everything with us, if we are gardening, they garden. If I am cooking they cook the older 2 I even let use a knife under supervision. We camp alot they have to help set up. We walk in the bush and let the older two take turns "being leader " and find the path, check everyone is still behind, find landmarks etc. We walk out of site of camp with them and get them to work out where they think the tent is.We are renovating so they have a crack with the saw or hammer or screwdriver. Also just general lookafter yourself stuff they choose their clothes,putaway pj's, pull up their bed, clean up their toys sounds stupid but so many people I know do all this stuff for their kids. They love all this stuff though. They are still pretty small. This summer we are working on swimming. Thats enough for now.

 

:welcome: to the forum Alice :wave:

 

I have started this with my children as well. One of the ways is Scouting believe it or not they actually do learn a lot of useful skill there plus what my wife and I teach them.

 

Hi, Alice, welcome from another newbie to the forum!

 

So true. I always try to make everything we do "fun".

Outdoor activities are the easiest, but even select video games and movies can point out what to do, usually by showing what NOT to do. Commentary from dad during and after helps the learning, as I explain how a situation is like, or different than, one I have encountered in Iraq. My last deployment, they were old enough to realize that war was real, and not just an X-Box event. Air-soft in the yard and Upstairs only) in the house.

My 14 year old son will be wearing his Blackhawk vest and other tactical gear with air-soft weapon, and a skull mask, to be a "dead soldier" for this, his last, Halloween. He will get used to it's weight as he gathers candy... like he does when doing air-soft.

Yes he knows that his other (real) AR is not a "target gun, or toy" it is a weapon... :congrat: Quite prowd of him. He has been taught responsibility, and his weapon stays in his own closet. This also provides an available weapon with ammo on each floor of the house. He even has his own BOB, but I call it a "Go Bag". My younger daughter will get her bag soon.

 

When they get a bit older, take them out in the park or the woods, and simply challenge them to walk as quietly as possible. Have them take turns seeing if they can hear each other moving up.

Unfortunately, this is one of the little things that cost nothing but could pay off that I didn't train my children for...heck, we all should do this periodically.