How to Teach Family Survival Skills…: Skill 32
How to Teach your family Wilderness Survival
If you want to teach kids survival skills, there’s one word that matters more than any other:
Curiosity.
Spark that—and the rest will follow.
Start with Adventure
Kids don’t need lectures.
They need mountains, mud, and movement.
Go hiking
Go four-wheeling
Go overlanding
Go swimming in alpine lakes
While you're out there, make it fun—but also make it thoughtful.
Play the “What If” Game
Ask them:
“What would you do if we got stranded here?”
“What if the car broke down right now?”
Then talk through their answers.
Don’t just teach them what to think—teach them how to think.
Make It Practical
Show them your car kit
Go through your 72-hour kit
Explain your medical gear
Let them help pack and use each kit
Practice builds confidence. Curiosity turns into competence.
Take Them Overnight camping
Build a small pack together—bug out or just hiking gear—and go camp out.
While you're out there:
Ask what they’d do without a tent
Let them build shelters
Teach friction fire
Show how to fish, clean, and cook
Identify wild edibles together
Then back off a little.
Supervise, don’t control. Let them try, fail, adapt, and learn.
Bottom Line
If you build curiosity, kids will seek the knowledge themselves.
Spend time outdoors.
Ask great questions.
Let them get hands-on.
The lessons will stick.
And one day, they’ll be the ones teaching someone else.
Frequently Asked Questions:
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Simple emergency habits work best first.
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Small lessons improve memory.
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Yes, with simple age-appropriate tasks.
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Giving too much information at once.
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Real situations improve confidence.
