How to Play in the Woods: Activities, Survival Skills, and Games for All Ages

by Robin Blankenship

This book is filled with skills, games, and activities for back-to-nature adventures and camping trips. It is great for all ages and abilities, from children to adults, and is a must-have for anyone working with scouts or youth groups. How to Play in the Woods is also a handy reference book for campers and outdoor enthusiasts who need to brush up on basic survival skills. Learn how to make rope from plant materials, navigate using the sun and/or moon, build shelters, and start a fire. There are activities for teaching about safe knife handling, gathering and preparing wild foods, cooking on a spit, and plant medicines. And, for more fun and entertainment, there are instructions for making instruments, natural jewelry, clay containers, baskets, and even buckskin clothing. This book encourages and motivates readers to be interactive with nature, to be free from prescribed schedules, and to just play and enjoy outdoors while relearning the wisdom and ways of our ancestors.

Genres: Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2016

Reviews

[Nick Eager · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is slightly mistitled. It is about play in the woods such as making music, but most of the crafts are not really play. Dozens of crafts are shown. Some are to make weapons for hunting and other survival gear. The crafts are appropriate for boy and girl scout troops. A lot of effort was taken to hand draw all of the figures.
It is not about survival or prepping, but for kids or scouts. For that purpose: 4/5, but for prepping: 1/5.

[Robyn Obermeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Book, I like The rain stick and the survival skills making fires, and learning about plants!

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides a lot of interesting ideas. I really like how the author includes historical information, safety tips, educational tidbits and lots more. Fun book.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book, perfect for exactly what the name says, things you can do in the woods with kids when camping. I was hoping for ideas on teen programs, but many of the ideas mentioned are too short in duration or too long for a 90 minute program. I kept thinking I'd find something good, and I did find a few promising things, but then I ran out of time and had to return the book before the library sent me to library jail for being a dead-beat patron. Sigh.... story of my life.

I may revisit this one in a few months once I've returned all of my over-dues. Such a slacker!