06/17/2026
What an incredible afternoon of learning, exploring, and building confidence in the outdoors! ๐ฒ๐
A huge thank you to Frank McDonald and Lorraine McFarlane from Search and Rescue for joining us at NatureKids and teaching our families what to do if they ever become lost in the woods.
The children had the opportunity to explore Frank's hiking pack and learn why Search and Rescue members carry important items such as a whistle, compass, emergency blanket, reflective signaling card, string, spare socks and a toque, hand warmers, bug spray, and more. We learned the importance of always telling an adult where you're going, who you're going with, and when you expect to be back.
One of the most important lessons of the day was to stay calm and "hug a tree" if you become lost. A tree provides shelter, helps prevent you from wandering in circles, and can offer comfort when you're feeling scared. Once you've found your tree, it's important to stay there and make yourself visible. The kids learned how to create an SOS with rocks or make a large arrow with sticks pointing toward their tree to help searchers find them. We also talked about creating a dry place to sit using sticks and grass, wrapping up in an emergency blanket for warmth, and conserving energy while waiting to be found.
We learned that a whistle is one of the most valuable items you can carry outdoors. Three short blasts is the universal distress signal, and using a whistle requires much less energy than yelling. The children also learned how a reflective signaling card can help rescuers spot them from a distance or from a helicopter.
Frank and Lorraine shared some reassuring information about Search and Rescue as well. If you hear people calling out loudly, they aren't angryโthey're trying to find you. And if you hear dogs barking, that's a good thing too! Search and Rescue dogs are specially trained to help locate lost people. We also learned an important survival fact: while water is certainly important, the human body can survive much longer without food than many people realize. Staying calm, staying put, and helping rescuers find you are far more important than trying to wander off in search of food.
All of the children in attendance received their own emergency kit containing many of the items we discussed. After the indoor session, we headed out onto the trails behind the Nature Centre to practice our new skills and put what we had learned into action.
As an unexpected bonus, we also learned a little about stinging nettles! The children discovered how to identify them and what to do if they accidentally brush against one. If stung, it's best to wash the area if possible and then apply some mud to help soothe the sting. We also learned that stinging nettles are actually edible! With careful handling and enough time for the stinging chemicals to deactivate, the leaves can be safely eaten.
Thank you again to Frank McDonald and Lorraine McFarlane for sharing their time, experience, and passion with our NatureKids families. We hope these are skills our young explorers never need to use, but we're grateful they now know what to do if they ever find themselves in that situation.
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