MAG Kids Bush Activity

Aim

To foster connection between kids, their parents and the bush.

To provide a fun and engaging day for the families staying at Basecamp during the adventure day.

To teach bush survival skills and concepts in a way suitable for all ages.

Activity Brief

The MAG Bush Survival Olympics.

A 6 hour activity day for approx 20 kids and parents

We will break into 4?? groups and participate in 4 different challenges which make up the foundations of bush survival- Shelter, Water, Fire, Food.

Shelter

Antarctic tent build challenge. Parents and kids need to pitch a MAG tent, parents will wear “Antarctic mitts”.

Teams have 10 minutes to set up their tents. First, most complete tent wins.

Materials- 8 tents. 34 oven mitts.

Location- Grass on edge of bushland south east of Basecamp.

Water

Navigation to water source, and purification of water.

Groups will be given a billy and need to explore to find a source of water on the land and bring it back to the central area.

Groups will then filter their water with a range of improvised materials and eventually boil it on their fire.

Materials- Billys, cotton bandannas, bottles.

Location- Water will be collected from the dams around the Basecamp.

Fire

Participants are required to collect materials and light a fire.

Each team is required to collect enough of the correct tinder and kindling to start a fire.

There are 4 grades of tinder/ kindling to be collected by each team- tinder/ scruff, match thickness sticks, pencil thickness sticks and thumb thickness sticks.

Activity leader will have examples of what needs to be collected and quantity required. Teams must also collect a 1m long stick each for cooking their damper.

Once groups have returned with sufficient materials they can light their fire with each young person getting one match, taking turns going around the group until the fire is lit.

Materials- Matches 1 box per group.

Location- Collect in the bush around Basecamp, bring materials back to central area.

Food

Damper on a stick, cooked on the fire they made.

Each team will be given a bowl with damper ingredients. They need to add the correct amount of water (by feel) and mix into a damper and divide it amongst the group members.

Materials- 4x stainless steel bowls, 4kg self raising flour, water

Location- Basecamp central fire.