Orienteering...

is an outdoor sport using maps to find one's way. For all ages For children as young as toddlers there is a special orienteering course called the string course. The entire route is marked from start to finish, so no one gets lost. A simple map shows the route and the location of the markers, called controls. As children become ready, they can learn about maps, map symbols, direction, figuring out where they are, and so forth, all while on a well marked course they can follow themselves. Older children and adults can learn to orienteer on White courses. The White course is for beginners. Points are marked on the map, and the goal is to find them in order. Children usually first do White courses with their family or youth group, then with other children, and finally by themselves. A guide for parents This site is designed as a guide for parents, teachers, youth group leaders and orienteering organizers (but it can be fun as a general intro to orienteering if you flip through to the relevant parts). It covers a wide variety of topics that are useful in getting children involved in orienteering, helping them get more out of orienteering, and expanding their skills with the resources available in North America. Some sections are suitable for people new to orienteering, and others will be of interest to those already orienteering. The resource section lists books that go into more detail on various subjects, as well as addresses to write to or link to for various other resources.

About the sport

Origins Orienteering originated in Scandinavia around the turn of the century. First done on cross-country skis, orienteering was soon adapted to foot, which is now the most popular variety. Orienteering is now done on all inhabited continents. Types The standard type of foot orienteering is point-to-point orienteering. A course of controls (checkpoints) to be found in a specific order is laid out. Lengths vary from a few kilometers (a mile or two) for beginners to ten or fifteen kilometers for experts. Longer distance orienteering events, annd short sprint events are also done. Beginner courses are on trails; expert courses are cross country with intricate navigation. Another type of orienteering is score orienteering, in which there is a time limit in which to find as many controls as possible in any order. Ski orienteering is done on cross country skis. It involves careful route choice.through a large trail network. ROGAINE is a long distance variety of the sport originating in Australia. Organized as a score event, it takes place over large areas and longer periods, usually 12 or 24 hours. Teams of two (or more) navigate over often rugged terrain, eating and sleeping on the clock. Competitions and big events Competitive events range from local interscholastic competitions, to the world championships. Most competitive events are open to all, as are recreational events. Young orienteers can become competitive at many levels. At local events there are usually others of the same age to compete against. There are interscholastic leagues in some states, and many youth groups frequently attend orienteering competitions. Some countries have summer multidays: a week or so of orienteering events, usually with a central camping area where most of the participants stay. A good opportunity for social interaction as well as lots of orienteering.

The String Course

The string course is a short orienteering course which is marked by a continous ribbon or yarn. The map below shows a sample string-orienteering map with the course marked. The map is usually simple and includes just the area around the course. Children may color it in with the appropriate map colors. From the start, a continuous length of ribbon or yarn, called the string, leads you along the course. The route that the string takes is shown on the map. When you reach the places circled on the map (called controls), you will find an orange and white nylon marker (called a control marker). At each control there will either be a marking device or a bag of stickers, for marking the appropriate box on the map. Eventually the string leads back to the finish, usually the same place as the start.

A child need only follow the string around to find all the points and will not get lost. For the youngest, this is sufficient and gives the child exercise, fun and some exposure to maps, as well as confidence in being alone in the woods. Even at this simplest level, however, children can be taught map symbols, map colors and simple orienteering skills. For children ready for more challenge, the locations of the controls can be left off the map. The child must figure out where the controls should be on the map. Alternatively, some controls can be placed off the string inside the loop formed by the string. Many variations are possible.

White course

photo: Joel Thomson

The White course is the easiest standard orienteering course. It is suitable for adult and teenage novices, as well as for younger children who have developed the necessary skills. It is usually two to three kilometers long, just about right for a short hike. Control markers on a White course are placed on major features such as trail junctions, streams, buildings or clearings. Navigation takes place along trails or streams, through fields, or in other simple areas. Teenagers and adults should try the course singly or in groups of two or three at most. Younger children should be accompanied until they have learned to navigate by themselves.

Advanced courses
Yellow is the next more difficult course after White. It goes mostly along trails and in easier areas, but has controls on features just off a trail or otherwise in a little more difficult place to find. It is usually three or four kilometers, just a bit longer than White. Teenagers and adults are usually ready to try the Yellow course after one or two times on the White course. Younger children may want to do the White course for a much longer time before doing the Yellow course themselves, but they may enjoy doing the Yellow course with an adult on occasion. The Orange course is an intermediate course which goes off trails and into the woods, although it usually uses more obvious features or features near bigger features. It is four to five kilometers long, which is long enough to put an emphasis on fitness. Teenagers are usually ready to try Orange after a season or two of orienteering on the Yellow course and achieving accurate, consistent navigation. Younger children may not be ready for this course until they are older, although they may enjoy an occasional Orange course with an adult. The Green, Red and Blue courses are expert courses. The longest, Blue, can be ten kilometers or more. Teenagers often move up to Green and Red, and even try Blue, after mastering the Orange course, but this takes time and requires a good deal of acquired skill and experience. Due to the navigational requirements and the emphasis on endurance, adults often excel at orienteering well into middle and advanced age, so orienteering can be a lifelong sport.

Your first meet

Finding an event To find an event near you, check any of the following web sites: U.S. Orienteering Federation, P. O. Box 1444, Forest Park GA 30298 (for a club near you in the U.S.) The "Unofficial Calendar of Orienteering Events" International Orienteering Federation (for national federation contacts, schedules of major events). Jan Kocbach's orienteering page (for a club near you worldwide). Orienteering North America (lists major US events and contact information for clubs, including club websites) fluegeldonna@sbcglobal.net

What should we bring?

photo: Jerry and Marcy Monkman/EcoPhotography.com The club hosting the event will provide the map. A compass may not be needed for a beginners' course. If you have one, bring it. Any compass in which you can see the needle will do for now. Some clubs have compasses to rent. If you want to buy a compass, a simple orienteering compass, like the one shown below, is available for about ten dollars. The cheapest one is fine, but get one with a clear plastic baseplate meant for orienteering. A lanyard for the compass is helpful.

Wear comfortable walking clothing that you don't mind getting a little dirty. If it's cold, wear several thin layers of clothing; you will get warm quickly and want to take a layer or two off. If it's warm, wear light pants but not shorts, since you may encounter brushy vegetation if you go off trail. Bring some water and, if you want, something to eat afterwards. Registration

photo: Joel Thomson Registration is probably the first place you will see when you go to an orienteering event. Registration is usually open for a specified time, say 10 am to 1 pm. You can arrive and register any time during that period. However, make a note of anything that may not be open for the whole event, such as beginners' instruction or the string course. You will need to pay a small fee and sign a waiver. You will get a map of the forest or park, a control card, and a control description sheet. If you do not have a compass, you might be able to rent one, although you may not need one. A map case (a clear plastic bag) is usually available too, and can help keep your map, control card and control descriptions clean and organized. For the White course, sign up to go out singly or in groups of two or three (more is usually unwieldy). Get a map for each person, if possible. Fill out your control card (remembering to write your name in all sections if it is multi-part). Be sure to include the course you are doing. The control description sheet lists the features you will be looking for on the course; this will make more sense to you once you have copied the course onto your map (if pre-printed maps are not available). After registering, you can usually start the course as soon as you are ready. Beginners' instruction A short orientation session is usually available. This session will give you a few quick pointers on reading a map and doing an orienteering course so you can do your first course. It is a good place to ask a lot of questions. The string course The string course usually has a separate start and finish area and its own map. It is often organized do-ityourself fashion without any timing. Get a string course map and mark on the course if necessary. Do the course with your children if they are very young, but let older children do it by themselves if they prefer. Since the course is marked the whole way, even pre-schoolers can usually do the course themselves. Start for standard courses (White, etc.) At the start you will be given a start time. You may be asked to copy your course onto your map; sometimes this is done before the start, sometimes after. Take your time and copy the course carefully. At some events the course may already be printed on your map and you will skip this step. Click here to see a map with a course on it. The start is marked with a triangle. Each point you will be finding, called a control, is circled and numbered. The control description sheet describes the feature you are looking for in the circle...for instance, a boulder, a small hill, or a trail junction. The double circle shows the finish. Once you start, plan your route to the first control. Find your place on the map shown by the start triangle. Relate the features shown on the map near the start to the terrain around you. Pick out which way to go to get to the first control. What is the feature you are looking for? Do this out loud and involve the children. Don't expect them to do everything their first time out or they will get frustrated, but do let them take part in the decision making or they will get bored. Most of all, have fun and enjoy the forest. Finish

Be sure to check in at the finish, even if you do not complete the course, so that the organizers are not searching for you. Check out the results board; results are usually posted as they come in, even for beginners' courses. It is often fun to compare the routes you took with other people who did the course. Terms, concepts, and gear Orienteering maps An orienteering map is a kind of topographic map made specially for orienteering. Topographic means that it shows the shape of the landhills, valleys, and so forth. An orienteering map also shows many other features relevant to an orienteerstreams, trails, fences, fields, thick brush, and so on. Although many types of orienteering maps exist, most orienteering maps are made to a common set of standards used around the world. Standard orienteering maps are printed in five colors, with each color used for a different class of features: Black Manmade features, such as roads, trails, buildings and fences, plus rock features, such as cliffs and boulders. Brown Topographic features, such as hills, valleys, ridges, earth banks and ditches. Blue Water features, such as lakes, ponds, swamps and streams. White Normal forest. (This is different from some government maps, which may show fields with white and forest with green.) Yellow Clearings and fields. Green Thick brush, such as bushes or thorns. Compasses Orienteering compasses are different from most other types of compasses, such as boating, surveying or military compasses. In a pinch, any type of compass in which you can see the needle can be used, but orienteering compasses have some advantages. The most common type of orienteering compass is the baseplate variety. The compass needle sits in a housing in the center, which is set on a clear plastic baseplate. With this compass you can set bearings from where you are to where you are going, which is useful for finding places that have few nearby features to guide you. Another type of orienteering compass is the thumb compass, which straps to your thumb. The thumb compass allows for quick reference since it is held against the map as you go. Some like it for its simplicity, others for speed of reference in competition. The thumb compass lets you orient the map with ease (see the Skills section), but does not let you set bearings. Special terms Control This is the point, circled on the map, which you are looking for. The (usually) orange and white marker there is called a control marker. Course The orienteering course is the set of controls you are looking for. Click here to see a course. Leg A leg is the portion of a course between two consecutive controls. Knoll A small hill. Spur A small ridge or protrusion on a hillside. Reentrant A small valley or draw running down a hillside. Contour A brown line used to show topographic features. The books listed in the Resources section provide good explanations of contours, Contours are usually taught to children after they have mastered map reading and basic navigational skills. Simply stated, a contour is a line tracing land of a given elevation. Using contours, the shape of most landforms -- hills, valleys, slopes, knobs, even kettleholes and sand dunes -- can be shown.

Linear feature A trail, stream, fence, stone wall, or other feaure that is basically linear. Contrast this with point features, like boulders, wells and springs, and area features, like fields and lakes. Catching features A large feature which is not easy to miss in the direction you are going. You might use a catching feature, such as a lake beyond a control, to "catch" you if you miss the control. Orienteering skills This is an overview of basic orienteering skills and how to teach them as a parent, teacher or youth group leader. It is also useful as a quick primer for a newcomer wanting to learn some basic skills. More details can be found in the books for teaching young orienteers listed in the resources section. Orienteering vendors have vast collections of literature, materials and equipment for teaching and learning orienteering. Of course, the best way to learn or teach orienteering is to do it, so by all means get out onto a map! An orienteering event organized by a local orienteering club can often be the best way to get a good suitable course and map, and yield a rewarding experience. I'll start with skills for very young children. Older children and adults may want to start with adult courses, but be sure the basic skills are taught: orienting the map, understanding the map symbols, and so forth. Getting used to the forest Younger orienteers may want to do activities to get used to being in the forest, to help their self confidence and sense of security. String orienteering courses are helpful for this, since they eliminate the risk of getting lost. So are other activiies and games done in the woods. What is a map? One way to think of a map is as an aerial view. But for younger children, the concept of a map as a drawing of the forest may be more easily understood. An intuitive understanding of a map is a good base from which to build on later with more formal concepts. Frequent exposure to maps helps build a sense of familiarity. Foster this by asking simple questions about the map. If the map is colored, quiz the child on what the colors mean -- yellow for clearing, blue for water and so on. Talk about places being far apart (or close together) since they are far apart (or close) on the map. It may be good advice to not get too complex too soon; the child may not yet be ready. Maps are a wondefully intuitive and yet sophisticated concept that children will grasp when they are ready. Simple exercises include having children draw a map of a small area. This can be as simple as making a drawing of a room or a field, or as fromal as measuring a room or field and the objects within and drawing them all to scale on graph paper. Choose the level of sophistiction suitable for the child. If you discuss contours or topography at this stage, it may be good to start simple. Simple concepts to start with include hilltops (shown by closed contours, and the difference between steep areas (where contours are close together) and flat areas (where there are few or no contours). Reading a map Lead the children out on a map walk reading the map. Point out features as you go along. Ask the children to anticipate what features they will be seeing next by reading the map. Orienting a map is an important skill. Turn the map until what is in front of you in the terrain is in front of you on the map. If you are facing east, then the east side of the map should be away from you. Don't worry if the lettering on the map is sideways or upside-down. Practice keeping the map oriented while on a map walk. Thumbing is also a useful technique. Fold the map into a small, easily held piece and hold your thumb on the map near where you are. Keeping your thumb near where you are as you go along makes it easier to refer back to the map when you take your eyes off it. It also reduces the chances of your eyes skipping to another part of the map, say, to another trail junction. This is an easy error to make. An example of a map reading exercise is to have the children do a String orienteering course. Mark the route on the map for them but don't show where the controls (checkpoints) are. As the children come to each control, have them mark where they are on the map. This will teach them to read the map and figure out where they are. Learning to navigate Navigation is the quintessential skill of orienteering, and it will take time to master. Be sure to teach (or learn) it progressively in small steps, allowing for success at each stage. Children may also still want to do the String course as well as they advance to adult navigation, which is good, since String courses often serve a social function as well, and help reinforce a sense of success.

Navigating along linear features Once children can find their location on a map, the next step is to start finding their own way on an unmarked route...in other words, on a standard orienteering course. At first, do the navigation together. The first type of standard orienteering course for a child to do is one on linear features, such as trails, with only one decision to be made on each leg. (See Learn the language). For instance, each control might be on a trail junction, but there should not be any trail junctions between controls. At each trail junction the child need only decide which way to go, This is easier than a typical White course, which is the easiest standard course usually available. You may need to improvise: If you set the course yourself, use a small, well bounded area. If you want to use a normal White course, try to pick an event at an area that tends to have easier White courses, such as a small park. Or, if the course is hard, have the child do the navigation for some of the easier legs and do the harder legs together. Don't worry about choosing the best route or the fastest way, just successful navigation. Route choice tends to improve with experience. After children master simple linear navigation, they are ready for a more typical White course, where they will make multiple decisions on each leg. Follow them along at first, letting them navigate but keeping them from making big mistakes. Later, let them do the course alone. At some point, teach a second technique for orienting the map: using a compass. Hold the compass on the map. Ignore all settings, dials and gadgets. Turn the map (not the compass) until the compass needle is parallel to the north lines on the map, with the red end of the needle toward the north end of the map. (The compass needle always points to north (magnetic north, to be specific), so turning the compass will leave the compass needle always pointing the same way.) Now the map will be oriented with the terrain, just like when you oriented it before. Practice map reading while on White courses. While going along, have the child read what other features should be alongside the trail, and verify that these are there as you pass them. Also, practice relating disctances on the map to distances on the ground. For instance, how far will the next feature be? Off trails The next more difficult course is Yellow. The Yellow course generally goes along trails and other linear features, but often has controls on features just off the trail. Now it becomes important to plan a method of finding a control, not just picking which trail to take. Often this involves an attack point, which is a feature, such as a bend in the trail, or a pond by the trail, or a hilltop, or such, at which you will head offf the trail to find the control. Ther times it may simply involve knowing when to look for a small hill or cliff near the trail. In any case, it is important to plan ahead. Route choice starts to become important. At this point emphasize routes that provide the most sure way to find a control, rather than the fastest or shortest way. Consider factors such as whether there is a feature (catching feature) to let you know if you have missed what you are looking for. Is there a good atack point on this route? Is the navigation easy or hard? Are there lots of chances for wrong turns? Compass bearings could now be taught:

Place the edge of the compass on the map so that it goes from where you are to where you want to go. (So, the edge of the compass forms a line connecting where you are on the map and where you want to go.) In the diagram above, a compass bearing is being taken from a trail bend to control point 3. (A trail is shown by a dashed black line; a red mark has been made on the diagram to point out the trail bend.) Make sure that the direction of travel arrow at the top of the compass is pointing in the direction you want to go, and not in the reverse direction.

Holding the compass in place on the map, and ignoring the needle for the moment, turn the dial so that the lines in the housing line up with the north lines (meridians) on the map. Make sure that the N on the dial is towards the north (and not south) end of the map. (This is subtle in the above diagrams; look to be sure you see it.)

Leaving that setting alone, turn yourself and the compass and map until the red end of the needle points to the N on the dial. (Remember, the needle doesn't turn (it always points north). You and the compass and map turn around it. This takes a bit to get used to.) The direction of travel arrow on the compass now points in the direction you want to go. Illustrated instructions are often included with orienteering compasses. Remember that the most important use of a compass is still to orient the map. And remember, reading the map is still important too! At this stage, an orienteer is probably ready to make a very simple map of a small area, such as a schoolyard. This is excellent training for both map and compass skills, and will reinforce almost everything taught to this point. An orienteering training camp might also be useful and fun. More advanced skills can be found in several of the books listed in the Resource section http://www.us.orienteering.org/OYoung