Your Outdoor Education Daypack: Must-Have Items for Kids and Teachers
You’ve gotten the green light from administrators and parents, you’ve planned your first lesson, and you’ve chosen a fabulous home base nestled amongst the trees in your local park. You’re all set for your first forest lesson, right? Not so fast! A well-stocked daypack is crucial for success. Here’s your list of must-have items for kids and teachers.
Kids
Reusable water bottle – Running around in nature, especially on a warm day, leaves kids parched and craving water. Hydration is key to maintaining energy levels and happy moods for everyone. Be sure to fill before you go, as your outdoor site may not have a potable water source. Pro tip: label everyone’s bottles (permanent marker + masking tape make great labels!). This is my favorite water bottle for kids – it keeps water cold, is dishwasher-safe, and can be personalized with their name or initials.
Food – Even if you’re only planning to be out for an hour, it’s always a good idea to have some high-protein snacks available. Fox-walking and searching for animal tracks have been known to lead to ravenous appetites. Extra points if kids can pack a waste-free lunch or snack (but at the very least make sure they pack out any trash or food scraps)!
Sun protection – Yes, they will complain about wearing hats, but if you make it the norm for everyone, it becomes less of a big deal. Hats offer unbeatable sun and rain protection. Additionally, at a minimum kids should always slather on SPF 50 or higher sunscreen on their faces, necks, and any other exposed body parts before you head out to the forest. If you’ll be out for more than a couple hours, consider adding a “reapply break” to your routine.
Journal and pencil – Some outdoor lessons may require kids to have a place to record their findings, but even if the day’s plan doesn’t necessitate writing, it’s always great to give kids the option of journaling when they’re in nature. Having a pencil handy avoids the need for kids to write with mud (which is actually a great activity if that’s what you’re going for).
Change of clothes – You never know what kind of conditions you will find in the forest, and it’s helpful to have a fresh pair of pants or dry socks at the ready if needed. Some kids won’t mind getting muddy and dirty (in fact, many will seek this out), but for those who find it intolerable, you can extend their enjoyment of the outdoors by giving them the option to change. You will quickly learn which of your students always want to put on dry socks or clothes, and these are the kids you will want to ensure have their extra clothes ready for each and every trip.
Teachers
First Aid Kit – The vast majority of medical issues you will encounter during outdoor adventures can be resolved with a simple bandage. Just in case, though, make sure you always have at least one fully-stocked First Aid Kit at the ready, including rubber gloves, bandages of various sizes, antiseptic wipes, anti-itch cream, gauze, and scissors. I like this hard-shelled kit for its durability.
Student medications – Always bring any medications your students might need, including EpiPens and inhalers. If you’ll be splitting up into small groups, be sure to give the medications to the adult who is with the student who needs the meds. Always consult your school nurse and/or students’ healthcare providers for instructions about how and when to administer medications.
Class set of emergency forms – Just in case you need to contact anybody’s parents or seek emergency medical attention for them, it’s good to have these on hand. I recommend keeping them in a waterproof bag or folder in case of wet weather or spills.
Charged cell phone – Put the local emergency number on speed dial, as well as your school’s main office number. Even if you don’t get cell reception where you’re going, most cell phones can still call 911. Walkie-talkies can also be a great option if you have poor reception or want to be able to quickly communicate with other adults.
Reusable water bottle – Adults get dehydrated too! Pro-tip: bringing the bottle is not enough. Remember to take a swig every 20 minutes or so to stay at your best for your kiddos!
Food – Ditto what I said about water. You are useless to your students if you are not well-nourished.
Extra pencils – We all know that a good 20% of kids will mysteriously lose their pencil between the time you leave school and the time you arrive at the forest. Best to be prepared.
Plastic bags or wet bags – Remember those wet and dirty clothes kids will want to change out of? Keep a supply of plastic grocery bags or cloth wet bags to store and transport the soiled items back to school.