Before you go for a walk away from the city or even in a forest park, it is worth remembering the rules of conduct in the forest, which must be observed so as not to get into an unpleasant or dangerous situation. Most adults remember them more or less well, and children should better explain them again, even if their parents have already done so.
It's important to explain the rules to the children.
You can just talk to them about this topic, or you can play a game by defeating situations that can happen in the forest. It is especially important to explain the rules of behavior in the forest for elementary school students if parents send them on a camping trip with the class teacher. Of course, they will be closely watched, but still monitoring a large group of children is quite difficult, and unforeseen situations can happen.
Preparing for a forest trip
During a forest walk, you should take care of only two main things: about not causing harm to wildlife and your safety.
For this, firstly, the prospect of such trips should be attended to in the spring and pre-set vaccinations against tick-borne encephalitis.
When collecting, you must choose the right clothes. It should be practical, non-marking and dense so that insects can not bite through a layer of tissue. For the same purpose, it is better to choose sweaters and jackets with long sleeves, do not wear short pants. It’s worth wearing rubber boots or high boots (and long socks underneath) to make it difficult for ticks to come up on your way, and a panama hat or cap on your head. Parents who dress their children in suits that are of their own color should be reminded that if your child gets lost while wearing these colors, it will be very difficult to find him. But if you put on a bright jacket, the search will be much easier.
Both adults and children should take a daily supply of water with them. It may be needed, for example, in order to wash the wound or wash the fruit, and not just for drinking.
Additional funds
It is also necessary to collect a small first-aid kit just in case. There should be both medications that you specifically need, and painkillers, disinfectants, as well as something that can be taken in case of poisoning. In addition, do not neglect the bandage and cotton wool in case of injury.
You will come across mosquitoes during a forest walk anyway, so be sure to take an insect repellent and don't forget to explain to your child how to use it.
And, of course, take a means of communication with you. If the child is small, teach him what number to dial if you can’t reach the parents in any situation.
Rules of conduct in the forest
Now let's move on to the rules that need to be explained to the baby or even an older child just before the trip. They will help to avoid the main dangerous situations.
Of course, remind him that you can only go to the forest with adults, no independent trips, especially without warning.
Categorically it is impossible to move away from the general company deep into the forest. It is necessary to keep in sight the landmarks along which you can return - the path, high-voltage lines, railway rails.
A walk in the forest should not be delayed until nightfall. Better to return home before dawn.
You can’t eat berries and mushrooms - they can be poisonous, even if they look completely familiar and safe.
All these rules relate directly to the safety of children (however, equally to adults). Now let's talk about what rules of conduct in the forest you need to remember so as not to damage the environment and spend time with benefit and pleasure.
Environmental regulations
Of course, one of the basic and, it would seem, the most obvious rules says: you can not litter in the forest. All packages and bags remaining after the halt should be collected and carried away with you, but in no case should you leave them scattered around the surrounding bushes. This is especially true for dangerous objects such as broken glass or cans, which can cause great harm to the inhabitants of the forest and other people who can follow the same road as you.
Another rule of safe behavior in the forest, which must be remembered: do not pick flowers, which may include rare valuable species, break branches of bushes and trees. Moreover, you can’t take eggs from bird nests if the child accidentally stumbles upon this, as well as catch young animals, because parents who can hardly approve of such treatment can be found nearby. By the way, the general rule that should be followed when meeting with adult wild animals: it is best to calmly wait, without showing fear, until the beast leaves, if it does not show aggression. Returning to the fact that living creatures should not be harmed, it is necessary to explain to the child that destroying anthills is unacceptable, as well as catching frogs from the pond, catching butterflies and caterpillars, removing spiders and tearing their cobwebs. It is better that the children do not touch them at all, but only calmly observe from afar.
In order not to frighten animals and birds, do not turn on loud music, make noise and scream. So you can frighten the inhabitants of the forest from their homes, in which, perhaps, they will remain young and chicks.
Bonfire in the forest
And finally, it is necessary to convince the child that one should not try to make a fire without adult supervision, and even more so in the wrong place. After all, this can cause a forest fire. The child should know that a bonfire can be made in a clearing, on the shore of a reservoir or other open area, after digging a place for a bonfire and laying it with stones. Before leaving the halt, the fire must be completely extinguished by mixing the coals with the ground and making sure that not a single spark is left. If children are taught the rules of behavior in the forest from an early age, in the future they are less likely to violate them, which means that there will be at least a little, but fewer fires in the wrong place.
If a fire started
Here it’s worth talking about the basic rules of conduct during a fire in the forest. If the fire is small, and it can be extinguished by improvised means, you must do this as quickly as possible. Considering that an adult should be in the forest with the children, it is worth teaching them to immediately draw the attention of the attendant to smoke, and even more so fire. If the fire started and it is impossible to stop it, you must escape from the forest. It is important to go in the direction from which the wind blows.
And you definitely need to call 01 or forestry, if possible, and inform them of the fire as soon as possible.
If a child gets lost
In addition, such a sad situation is possible that the child lags behind the group and gets lost. What rules of conduct in the forest should he follow then?
First, of course, do not succumb to panic (which may not work). Secondly, immediately contact the adult with whom the child went to the forest, or - if he went there alone - with relatives or friends. If the connection does not allow you to do this, you need to call 112. The rescue service is always available.
You should stand in silence and listen to the surrounding sounds. Perhaps the child will hear the sound of the freeway, railway, or even a voice. Then you need to move towards them.
The same applies to the sound of running water - small settlements can often be found near the banks of streams and rivers if one goes along the stream.
And it’s worth explaining to the child that you don’t need to go far from the place where he was lost - in this case, it’s more likely that he will be found quickly and that he will not have to spend the night in the forest.