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40 votes

Is there an organization for adults to learn outdoor skills with their kids?

As an active adult in the Boy Scouts of America, I would highly suggest that you find a local scout troop in your area and sign up. Not only will you be helping the troop in a number of ways, but it ...
Josh Kurland's user avatar
38 votes

Two kids sharing a sleeping bag

Not a bad idea. I happen to have a 5 and 3 year old. I can think of reasons for not letting them sleep in the same sleeping bag, but none of them are because it wouldn't work in theory. If your two ...
ShemSeger's user avatar
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26 votes
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Is there an organization for adults to learn outdoor skills with their kids?

Volunteer in Search and Rescue (SAR). I just got certified through my state's Sheriff's Association as a volunteer search and rescuer. I went through a two-month-long class with an intense outdoor "...
leqid's user avatar
  • 376
21 votes

Is there an organization for adults to learn outdoor skills with their kids?

I don't know of any organization as you describe, but there certainly ways for adults to learn outdoorsmanship. There are likely outdoor clubs in your area that run educational programs. Here in New ...
Olin Lathrop's user avatar
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18 votes
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What kind of baby carrier is best for use walking and climbing in the hills?

All our kids have been coming on hikes with us since they were newborns. We have two types of baby carrying hiking packs, two more snuggly baby carriers, and a variety of baby wraps. The answer to ...
ShemSeger's user avatar
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15 votes

Can you safely use retired ropes for belaying children?

There is a little bit information out there (here), about falls of climbers heavier than normal which suggests (very roughly) almost a linear relationship between fall load (force) and body weight, ...
knitti's user avatar
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14 votes
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Hiking with kids - what are the right distances?

15 km (9.3 miles) is really long for the average 5 year old, especially when it's 65% longer and at higher altitude than what she's used to. This sounds like a bad idea to me. You say you can carry ...
Olin Lathrop's user avatar
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14 votes
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Quick and easy winter shelter for kids to build

There are a few different styles of shelters that come to mind with differing levels of difficulty. A lot of it depends on if they will be making it to survive the night, or to survive for an ...
Nate W's user avatar
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14 votes

How can I safely climb a glacial route with just a kid or one other person?

While children can be proficient mountaineers and well trained, there are things they likely cannot do and some additional risks they face. For example, children are more susceptible to hypothermia. ...
StrongBad's user avatar
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14 votes
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Combining a Frontpack with a Backpack while hiking

All conventional backpacks are unbalanced Here's the problem with conventional backpacks - they are inherently unbalanced. So once you are carrying any kind of non-trivial weight, you have to lean ...
Tullochgorum's user avatar
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13 votes

Is there an organization for adults to learn outdoor skills with their kids?

You could read the Boy Scout Handbook and the BSA Fieldbook to get a strong basic knowledge of scouting skills. You'll need to get hands on experience, but that doesn't require being in the back ...
jejorda2's user avatar
  • 366
11 votes

What kind of baby carrier is best for use walking and climbing in the hills?

As a supplement to @ShemSeger's answer, NZ rucksack makers Aarn offer clip-on front pockets that help counterbalance the weight of a kid on your back if you're using a carrier with a waist-belt and ...
Tullochgorum's user avatar
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11 votes

How can I safely climb a glacial route with just a kid or one other person?

There is a clear answer here: just don't do it! Glacier rescue is challenging - you need to know the techniques and practice them seriously. And I can tell you from experience that a glacier rescue ...
Tullochgorum's user avatar
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10 votes

Is there an organization for adults to learn outdoor skills with their kids?

There's a lot of great answers here, and one answer touched on it, but I really wanted to emphasize the quality of the resources and classes available at REI. Classes are open to members and non-...
C. Starr's user avatar
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9 votes

Can you safely use retired ropes for belaying children?

This is a really difficult question to answer in the abstract. The UIAA claims that Ageing caused only by storage can almost be neglected compared with ageing during use. This also ...
StrongBad's user avatar
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8 votes

Hiking with kids - what are the right distances?

If she is easily doing 10 km now, then a one shot of 15 km isn't unreasonable. Yes it will be a challenge. You may have some tears toward the end. Tips: Assuming typical alpine country, -- lots of ...
Sherwood Botsford's user avatar
7 votes

Is there an organization for adults to learn outdoor skills with their kids?

The American Alpine Club and the Alpine Club of Canada each have local sections that offer regular skills courses in ropes, weather, orienteering (map, compass, GPS), climbing, mountaineering, ...
furtive's user avatar
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7 votes

Is there an organization for adults to learn outdoor skills with their kids?

http://www.outwardbound.org/ - has education programs for adults. However, I think you're on the right track with just finding your local community in some online way. For example, you can learn a ...
Jasmine's user avatar
  • 171
6 votes

Combining a Frontpack with a Backpack while hiking

I have hauled a backpack and a baby in a front carrier, while also walking two dogs. I wouldn't "recommend" it to anyone, however, I will continue doing it, because it is my only practical option. I ...
whatsisname's user avatar
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5 votes

Best rope for a rope swing

If you live anywhere near an ocean harbor, there's not a better rope for a swing than good old 3" halyard, double braided nylon (mooring lines for ships) Search the yard to find a pile of it coiled up ...
Daniel Wills's user avatar
5 votes

Can you safely use retired ropes for belaying children?

My rule of thumb is, if you have to ask if something is still safe to use, the answer is always no. We all try to minimize risk and maximize cost/benefit. When I was younger and had less disposable ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
5 votes

Two kids sharing a sleeping bag

I'd probably wonder about the quality of sleep they will get. This depends a lot on the sleeping bag itself, how warm it is, if it comes with a zip, what the outer temperature is, etc., but also, on ...
anemone's user avatar
  • 221
5 votes

Long distance hikes with small children

Disclaimer: this doesn't really answer any of the specific questions other than the "anything else" one - which is why it was originally a comment. However, as @fygsin asked me to put it into an ...
cbeleites's user avatar
  • 4,328
4 votes

Is there an organization for adults to learn outdoor skills with their kids?

Baden-Powell Service Association (BPSA-US), a traditional scouting organization that promotes inclusive membership, outdoor skills, back to basic traditional program and service in the community. They ...
user14032's user avatar
4 votes

Is there an organization for adults to learn outdoor skills with their kids?

http://www.venturing.org/ Venturing Age Groups Venturers Youth Participants: those who are age 14 (or 13 and graduated 8th grade) through the age of 17 are referred to as youth participants. Adult ...
kpkpkp's user avatar
  • 41
4 votes

Is there an organization for adults to learn outdoor skills with their kids?

If your looking for a club you and your child could participate in together then maybe checkout Spiral Scouts International. http://www.spiralscouts.org/ It is for kids aged 3-18 years old, co-ed. ...
NatureMama's user avatar
4 votes

Long distance hikes with small children

My Experience With Children on a Hike With 1 other adult and 4 children, I have done a 2-day hike. The youngest child was 3, but he complained of being tired often and was slow enough that I carried ...
Loduwijk's user avatar
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