Homeschool Program Gear List
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Download a PDF of this list:
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Sheath knife. It is highly recommended to have a Mora or Bahco knife. The latter is the best deal I’ve found in terms of the features I like (highly visible sheath, excellent blade, low price). Order through Amazon (here), or we can provide one for $20. Instructions for adding a knife order to your enrollment can be found here. For smaller children, you might also try one of the smaller knife recommendations we make here.
Steel cup/cook pot. A lightweight stainless steel cup suitable for cooking and drinking hot beverages for when we make tea, and so students can practice cooking/water purification. (18 – 20 oz., see/order here)
Durable pants. Loose fitting synthetic, quick-dry pants are ideal in warmer or damper weather. We may be running through unforgiving thorns at times.
Footwear. Rugged sandals, running shoes, or light hikers are good options.
Backpack. One with actual straps, not just strings that go over shoulders. But the pack itself ideally is not too big and heavy either. Just a light pack that can comfortably hold what is needed.
Water bottles. 1 – 2 liters of water in one or more bottles. Simple screw-on lids are good, avoid bottles with snap-on lids that can leak or accidentally open inside the pack.
Lunch. Try to avoid heavy containers or food that spoils easily, but consider including a few snacks.
Steel cup/cook pot. A lightweight stainless steel cup suitable for cooking and drinking hot beverages for when we make tea, and so students can practice cooking/water purification. (18 – 20 oz., see/order here)
Durable pants. Loose fitting synthetic, quick-dry pants are ideal in warmer or damper weather. We may be running through unforgiving thorns at times.
Footwear. Rugged sandals, running shoes, or light hikers are good options.
Backpack. One with actual straps, not just strings that go over shoulders. But the pack itself ideally is not too big and heavy either. Just a light pack that can comfortably hold what is needed.
Water bottles. 1 – 2 liters of water in one or more bottles. Simple screw-on lids are good, avoid bottles with snap-on lids that can leak or accidentally open inside the pack.
Lunch. Try to avoid heavy containers or food that spoils easily, but consider including a few snacks.
Cold & Wet Weather Gear
Waterproof wind-breaker. A thin outer layer that will shed rain, but can easily be stowed away when not needed.
Waterproof wind-breaker pants. These will help tremendously on cold rainy days.
Waterproof boots – Rubber boots or hiking boots.
Waterproof winter boots – For cold winter days, boots that are waterproof and well insulated. It is critical that cold weather boots are not too tight fitting, or they will reduce circulation and feet will be cold.
Wool or fleece sweaters – Usually easy to find at thrift shops.
Wool or fleece socks - It is critical that cold weather socks are not too tight fitting, or they will reduce circulation and feet will be cold. Make sure that the socks you get are compatible with the boots you plan to wear. Depending on how cold it gets, it may be possible to layer wool socks inside a non-insulated boot. Or if the boot is insulated well enough, you may not need heavy duty socks.
Long johns, ideally wool or synthetic
Synthetic or wool pants -- wool dress pants from a thrift shop can work well for a season.
A fleece beanie
Optional Items – some students like to bring extra gear like the following
After class
Your child may be wet and/or muddy at pick up time. Some towels and a change of clothes may be good to have on hand.
Waterproof wind-breaker. A thin outer layer that will shed rain, but can easily be stowed away when not needed.
Waterproof wind-breaker pants. These will help tremendously on cold rainy days.
Waterproof boots – Rubber boots or hiking boots.
Waterproof winter boots – For cold winter days, boots that are waterproof and well insulated. It is critical that cold weather boots are not too tight fitting, or they will reduce circulation and feet will be cold.
Wool or fleece sweaters – Usually easy to find at thrift shops.
Wool or fleece socks - It is critical that cold weather socks are not too tight fitting, or they will reduce circulation and feet will be cold. Make sure that the socks you get are compatible with the boots you plan to wear. Depending on how cold it gets, it may be possible to layer wool socks inside a non-insulated boot. Or if the boot is insulated well enough, you may not need heavy duty socks.
Long johns, ideally wool or synthetic
Synthetic or wool pants -- wool dress pants from a thrift shop can work well for a season.
A fleece beanie
Optional Items – some students like to bring extra gear like the following
- Fire steel
- Folding saw
- Trowel/small shovel
- Match safe, lighter
- Compass
- Whistle
- Audubon’s Mid-Atlantic guide
- Peterson’s guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants (a good resource to have at home)
After class
Your child may be wet and/or muddy at pick up time. Some towels and a change of clothes may be good to have on hand.
Tips for winter wear
Dress for the future, not the present or past!
Make sure you dress for the next day’s forecast weather – there is a natural urge to dress today for yesterday’s weather, or for last week’s experience in class.
Consider clouds
Pay close attention to the cloudiness forecast. Overcast days feel much colder than sunny ones. So 30 degrees with clear skies might feel like 40s when we are in an open area sheltered from the wind, but could feel like 20s in the shade or under clouds, with a breeze blowing.
Be wind wise
Wind is important, but also can be avoided. Yes, you should take the wind-chill into account. But also, don’t let it scare you too much. Usually the coldest windiest part of the day is in the morning at the parking lot, which can be quite cold. But we typically seek out areas of the landscape that are sheltered from wind. That said, when winds are strong, even sheltered areas often still have a slight breeze. If winds are forecast as 15 mph, we will probably mostly be in areas where it is 1 – 6 mph.
A little rain can hurt
Cold rainy days are the biggest challenge. Even a summer rain can easily chill a person. When the weather is cool or cold, dress carefully. It doesn’t take much moisture to get wet, even a drizzle on a cold day can be a serious challenge. Be sure to use warm synthetic or wool layers, and have waterproof shell layers over them. Wet gloves and hats are no good – plastic bags can be helpful for this.
Keep the underlayers dry!
A common mistake on rainy days is for students to show up comfy and dry, and then get wet and cold -- before putting on rain gear. Rain gear only works if it keeps dry clothing dry. If the under-layers are wet, the student will be leaking heat all day. If it is already raining, students should exit vehicles already wearing full rain gear.
Rain gear requires insulation to work
Another mistake is to wear rain gear without good insulation. The rain jacket is wet and if near the skin, it will drain heat away. You need warm layers that trap your body heat and keep the wet rain gear well away from your skin.
Rain is a great teacher
A cold rainy day is a real survival challenge for us. It tests us and helps us improve when it comes to fire-making, positive attitude, story-telling, tarp pitching, game playing and of course, how we dress. If a student is underdressed we will do our best to keep him or her warm by a fire; it may limit the student’s enjoyment of the day and what we are able to do as a group, but this also can be a powerful lesson for everyone to take weather, survival skills and preparation seriously. And sometimes an uncomfortable ordeal proves to be an exciting adventure in hindsight, or even a peak experience!
Footwear
Hands and feet can be hard to keep warm. When cold, bodies reduce blood-flow to extremities, which also chill easily due to the greater surface area/volume ratio (compared to the trunk of the body). The socks and shoes should not be tight, or they reduce circulation.
Flexing the feet
Also, if possible, a flexible sole allows for greater foot movement then a stiff one. Greater foot movement means more muscle activity, which generates more heat. Granted, it can be a challenge to find an insulated winter boot that has much flexibility in the sole.
But in dry conditions 35 – 45F some children (especially older ones) may find that wearing running shoes with wool socks will give good warmth and better mobility than boots, especially when on the move. But during inactivity, and especially in wind and ventilated shoes, the feet may get cold.
Heat ventilation
A challenge with dressing for the cold is that students can quickly overheat and get sweaty. Frigid mornings often become mild afternoons. Climbing a hill, playing an active game or hard work on a shelter all generate lots of heat. While sitting down for lunch can have the opposite effect.
So layers – especially outer layers - that can be easily unzipped, removed and replaced are ideal.
Thin & light better than heavy and bulky
Along these lines – multiple thin, but warm, snug-fitting layers that allow good mobility are easier to stow in a backpack when students get hot, and therefore arguably less likely to be left in the woods by accident.
Thin layers of merino wool, silk blends, or synthetic thermal wear can also be warmer than heavy thick jackets.
Make sure you dress for the next day’s forecast weather – there is a natural urge to dress today for yesterday’s weather, or for last week’s experience in class.
Consider clouds
Pay close attention to the cloudiness forecast. Overcast days feel much colder than sunny ones. So 30 degrees with clear skies might feel like 40s when we are in an open area sheltered from the wind, but could feel like 20s in the shade or under clouds, with a breeze blowing.
Be wind wise
Wind is important, but also can be avoided. Yes, you should take the wind-chill into account. But also, don’t let it scare you too much. Usually the coldest windiest part of the day is in the morning at the parking lot, which can be quite cold. But we typically seek out areas of the landscape that are sheltered from wind. That said, when winds are strong, even sheltered areas often still have a slight breeze. If winds are forecast as 15 mph, we will probably mostly be in areas where it is 1 – 6 mph.
A little rain can hurt
Cold rainy days are the biggest challenge. Even a summer rain can easily chill a person. When the weather is cool or cold, dress carefully. It doesn’t take much moisture to get wet, even a drizzle on a cold day can be a serious challenge. Be sure to use warm synthetic or wool layers, and have waterproof shell layers over them. Wet gloves and hats are no good – plastic bags can be helpful for this.
Keep the underlayers dry!
A common mistake on rainy days is for students to show up comfy and dry, and then get wet and cold -- before putting on rain gear. Rain gear only works if it keeps dry clothing dry. If the under-layers are wet, the student will be leaking heat all day. If it is already raining, students should exit vehicles already wearing full rain gear.
Rain gear requires insulation to work
Another mistake is to wear rain gear without good insulation. The rain jacket is wet and if near the skin, it will drain heat away. You need warm layers that trap your body heat and keep the wet rain gear well away from your skin.
Rain is a great teacher
A cold rainy day is a real survival challenge for us. It tests us and helps us improve when it comes to fire-making, positive attitude, story-telling, tarp pitching, game playing and of course, how we dress. If a student is underdressed we will do our best to keep him or her warm by a fire; it may limit the student’s enjoyment of the day and what we are able to do as a group, but this also can be a powerful lesson for everyone to take weather, survival skills and preparation seriously. And sometimes an uncomfortable ordeal proves to be an exciting adventure in hindsight, or even a peak experience!
Footwear
Hands and feet can be hard to keep warm. When cold, bodies reduce blood-flow to extremities, which also chill easily due to the greater surface area/volume ratio (compared to the trunk of the body). The socks and shoes should not be tight, or they reduce circulation.
Flexing the feet
Also, if possible, a flexible sole allows for greater foot movement then a stiff one. Greater foot movement means more muscle activity, which generates more heat. Granted, it can be a challenge to find an insulated winter boot that has much flexibility in the sole.
But in dry conditions 35 – 45F some children (especially older ones) may find that wearing running shoes with wool socks will give good warmth and better mobility than boots, especially when on the move. But during inactivity, and especially in wind and ventilated shoes, the feet may get cold.
Heat ventilation
A challenge with dressing for the cold is that students can quickly overheat and get sweaty. Frigid mornings often become mild afternoons. Climbing a hill, playing an active game or hard work on a shelter all generate lots of heat. While sitting down for lunch can have the opposite effect.
So layers – especially outer layers - that can be easily unzipped, removed and replaced are ideal.
Thin & light better than heavy and bulky
Along these lines – multiple thin, but warm, snug-fitting layers that allow good mobility are easier to stow in a backpack when students get hot, and therefore arguably less likely to be left in the woods by accident.
Thin layers of merino wool, silk blends, or synthetic thermal wear can also be warmer than heavy thick jackets.
Summer Day Program Gear List
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Download a PDF of this list:
|
| ||
|
Sheath knife. It is highly recommended to have a Mora or Bahco knife. The latter is the best deal I’ve found in terms of the features I like (highly visible sheath, excellent blade, low price). Order through Amazon (here). Learn more about this choice here.
Rain jacket. If we have a wet day, a rain jacket would be great, along with some fleece or wool underneath to insulate the skin from the wet jacket. Unfortunately, disposable ponchos don't keep kids very dry in my experience, although slightly better than nothing. Durable pants. I usually like to wear shorts myself. But we may be moving through areas where some contact with poison ivy could prove unavoidable, not to mention some thorny plants. Loose fitting synthetic, quick-dry pants are ideal. The kind that can convert into shorts are great. Swimwear. Wading in the creek is a highlight for many students. A pair of light shorts or swimwear worn under pants are ideal. Wearing wet pants gets uncomfortable pretty quick. Footwear. Rugged sandals, and some running shoes can work well. Students should be able to wear them in the water to protect against broken glass or other sharp things. Backpack. One with actual straps, not just strings that go over shoulders. But the pack itself ideally is not too big and heavy either. Just a light pack that can comfortably hold what is needed. Water bottles. 1.5 liters of water in one or more bottles. Simple screw-on lids are good, be wary of bottles with lids that can accidentally pop open inside the pack. Lunch. Try to avoid heavy containers or food that spoils easily, but consider including a few snacks. Cup. A lightweight cup suitable for hot beverages will be great to have for when we make tea. Better yet, get a cook pot cup like this one. After class: Your child may be wet and/or muddy at pick up time. Some towels and a change of clothes may be good to have on hand. A more in-depth gear discussion with Nick: Discussion of shorts vs. pants, tick avoidance and poison ivy Ticks are an ever-present risk that needs to be managed following outdoor play in our area. We expect every child to receive a thorough, full-body tick check after class. If you find one, remove it carefully with your fingers or fine-tipped tweezers. Just grasp it firmly and pull it steadily away from the skin until it is out, then immediately attach it to sticky tape so you do not lose it. At most of our locations my kids and I wear shorts, and maybe use 20% picaridin spray on our legs and shoes, then perform full-body tick checks following showers after class. This has been our approach for many years, although in areas where ticks are rare, we often rely on just tick checks. Most of the areas we visit at are relatively free of thorns and poison ivy. However, if your child is somewhat sensitive to poison ivy, pants may be an advisable precaution. Pants vs. ticks? Pants in themselves do not deter ticks, unless they are treated with repellent - otherwise ticks just climb up until they find skin. If you do wear pants, the pants, shoes and socks should be treated with repellent and the pants tucked into the socks. Otherwise, ticks can crawl under the pants onto repellent-free skin. Hats do not provide protection from ticks (unless treated with repellent). Using permethrin-treated clothing The strongest defense against ticks is to wear permethrin-treated clothing like Insect Shield products. I use this in some areas where ticks are a daily occurrence, but some families use it for all outdoor exploring. Permethrin is considered quite harmful to aquatic life. So if you choose this strategy please have your child wear swim-wear underneath, so he or she can remove the treated clothing before entering water. With this strategy, it helps greatly to have footwear that is easy for the child put on and remove independently. Discussion of footwear and water play One of the big highlights of summer is the opportunity to play in streams. The biggest challenge I find with this activity is when students lack good water footwear. Close-toed foot protection is important because there can be sharp debris under the water or buried in sandy banks. Good water footwear can be tricky to find - most shoes and many sandals are just uncomfortable when wet. My personal favorite over the years has been wearing old running shoes made out of material that does not absorb much water. Keens sandals seem to work well for my kids and many students. When we've tried cheap imitations, they fell apart rapidly. I'm not a big fan of hiking shoes for most students. Especially for students that are reasonably active, their ankles should be strong enough that they will have more fun wearing light shoes with low ankles that they can run around in. Hiking boots are more intended for backpacking, though I've even lugged around heavy packs in running shoes. The exception might be if your child is rather sedentary, is on the heavier side, and/or you have other reasons to believe your child's ankles might be vulnerable. In such cases, footwear like light hiking shoes that provides some ankle protection may be advisable for moving over uneven terrain. |
