I am taking my 7 year old son, my 10 year old niece and a friend's 16 year old son on their first BWCA experience. My friend and brother in law joined me on a trip many years ago. We enter on August 10th. My boy is helping pack and check out the gear. He made fire starters the other day and built a fire Sunday evening. Each time we are at Fleet Farm, I let him pick out a fishing lure or jig head. It is fun watching his excitement. We will start dehydrating our meals this week. My BIL sent me a photo of my niece wearing her pack around the house. I much prefer to trip in June so I am hoping we find fish in August. I intentionally planned a short four day trip hoping it stays fun for the young kids. My three older kids went in their first time when there were nine. The seven year old thinks he's pretty special to go in at seven.

Where ya going? Keep the portages short or go slow. You don't want to make their first experience a bad one.

Couple of things I've learned:

Fish
Catch crayfish
Bring instructions on how to tie different kinds of knots and let them learn
Let them practice putting up tent
Get them their own map to keep track of where they're at and help look for campsites
Get them a headlamp so they can read a book at bedtime
Let them participate in meal planning
Maybe get them each a disposable camera (yes, they still make them)
Naps are good (for me also)
Maybe try and find a route that has a nearby hiking trail to explore

Have fun!

Our kids starting going on trips at 5 and 7 years old and on those first few trips the best advice I got was from these message boards when somebody suggested that we should make the first few trips all about the kids. Fish when they want to fish. Have a fire when they want to have a fire. Swim when they want to swim. Let them experiment with the hatchet, ropes, fire, paddles, etc.

That was 11 years ago and now they both still love it up there and actively participate in the real work involved in a BWCA trip. And they can carry the canoe now! :)

Have fun!!!

~M

johndku: "Couple of things I've learned:


Fish
Catch crayfish
Bring instructions on how to tie different kinds of knots and let them learn
Let them practice putting up tent
Get them their own map to keep track of where they're at and help look for campsites
Get them a headlamp so they can read a book at bedtime
Let them participate in meal planning
Maybe get them each a disposable camera (yes, they still make them)
Naps are good (for me also)
Maybe try and find a route that has a nearby hiking trail to explore


Have fun!"

Thanks for sharing ideas.
We are going in entry point 26, Wood Lake with an intended destination of Good Lake. This is my go-to newbie trip. The first portage is 180 rods but I consider it a fairly easy 180.

My son hikes with me. At times he needs some encouragement, and some distractions, but always says he enjoys it, speaks positively of it and will go when asked. He caught dozens of cray fish on a recent camping trip but we did not eat them as they were quite small. He is looking forward to a meal of them in the BWCA. He does not remember eating them but has seen pictures of his brothers with pots full.
Kids like rope, we have knot tying books, an app on the phone and the UST knot trying cards. He usually has a piece of rope with and tries to tie when we are waiting or he likes to set traps for the older kids.
He batons his own kindling and is looking forward to building fires.

I gave my niece a map with the bearings written on it. She will be the groups navigator.

I have no personal expectations for the trip except to see others have a good time. I will pack a deck of cards, travel cribbage board, dice, and sheets for Yahtzee and Dots.

Thanks again this is my first trip in since 2014, two high school graduations and some conflicting schedules have prevented me from the annual trip. Making the correction in 2018 to get back on track.