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How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? #7694156 12/20/19 06:38 PM
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HuntinForTail Offline OP
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What have yall done to keep the kids relatively quite and interested while in the blind?

My son will be 5 at the end of this month. He loves the deer lease. He loves the camping and exploring more than anything right now, and would probably care less if we sat in the stand.

I had him in the stand with me one morning in October, and it lasted about an hour before he wanted to go back to camp, and only that long because I was told him we couldn't be driving around the lease while everyone else was still hunting. It didn't bother me at all because the experience being with him was worth more than anything. I knew he'd be loud and most likely impatient as most 4-5 year olds are.

He'll probably start coming with me the majority of the time now. I'm super excited about it and accept that the hunting side of the weekends at the lease won't be as much of a focus for the next few years.

Here are some thoughts I've had
-I'm not going to give him a phone or any technology. It would be an easy solution, but it isn't the experience I want him to have while he's learning about it.
-I take every chance I can to describe the experience to him, so he kind of knows what to expect. I try to portray the connection with nature and the ethics of why we do what we do.
-I got him some binoculars and was thinking about bringing a camera for him to take pictures of the wildlife we aren't shooting.
-Some kind of puzzles or games that would be good for the stand?
-Some rope and a knot tying book to practice?
-Wildlife and plant ID books?

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694159 12/20/19 06:41 PM
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Binos and a couple guide books....birds and mammals…..have him look at them in the binos then help him find them in the books....then read to him about them....will keep both of you engaged.

Don't forget snacks....they too can be a bit of a distraction.


Originally Posted by Sneaky
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Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694215 12/20/19 07:22 PM
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Snacks, snacks and more snacks.

Depending on where we go I may let them bring the ipad, but I limit how much they can play in the stand. I like the wildlife ID book idea though.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694226 12/20/19 07:29 PM
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No games or gadgets. Teach him to hunt. My kids all managed somehow some way.

This gives you one of the greatest of opportunities- alone time with a special someone. Your interaction is the key here and not whatever crapola you can use to prevent him focusing on what is at hand.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694244 12/20/19 07:45 PM
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when you have young kids in the blind, don't even try to convince yourself your hunting. It sounds like you've got a good handle on some things to do to keep him occupied so just enjoy this time because it won't be too long and he'll be wanting his own stand.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694249 12/20/19 07:49 PM
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I let my girls paint or color the inside of my stand if they want. Plenty of snacks but I do pack an Ipad as a backup. Especially with the younger ones.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694267 12/20/19 08:05 PM
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A nap is always a good idea.


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Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694275 12/20/19 08:15 PM
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Not to dispute the no technology...but a digital camera...and the guides...the videos, the pictures and they can identify trees, animals, bugs etc...things he will be able to "show and tell"...my children's non-hunting cousins...were always envious of the pictures and trinkets my kids dragged home from hunting and fishing trips to the lease


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Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694362 12/20/19 09:41 PM
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An Ol' Timer pocket knife and a stick kept me occupied for hours!!

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: Blank] #7694430 12/20/19 10:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Blank
An Ol' Timer pocket knife and a stick kept me occupied for hours!!

up


Originally Posted by Sneaky
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored]
Originally Posted by beaversnipe
Actually, BBC is pretty damn good

"You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: tophorsecop] #7694432 12/20/19 10:50 PM
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Originally Posted by tophorsecop
Not to dispute the no technology...but a digital camera...and the guides...the videos, the pictures and they can identify trees, animals, bugs etc...things he will be able to "show and tell"...my children's non-hunting cousins...were always envious of the pictures and trinkets my kids dragged home from hunting and fishing trips to the lease


Those also keep him engaged with what is going on outside the blind rather than whats inside.... 2cents


Originally Posted by Sneaky
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored]
Originally Posted by beaversnipe
Actually, BBC is pretty damn good

"You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694515 12/21/19 12:37 AM
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I did not care what I shot when our son was little and in the blind. He had his BB gun, he would shoot sparrows at a spot that I spread some milo seed. I did the same with the granddaughter. Every so often I would make them be quiet and watch the area were the deer usually came up a trail. Sometimes I would get a shot, but other times we culled the sparrow population.


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Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694518 12/21/19 12:41 AM
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You are on the right track. When he is old enough for a .22, let him shoot squirrels and rabbits. I've shot deer literally seconds after my boy shot a squirrel. I started him on the .22 at 7.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694534 12/21/19 01:00 AM
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I have two sons. I hate to sit in a stand and so does my oldest. I’ll make myself sit in a deer stand because my 8 year old loves it so much. He doesn’t need anything to keep him occupied but a set of binoculars. If the kids aren’t happy looking at deer and the countryside they may need a different kind of hunting to keep them interested until they’re old enough to sip whiskey for a pastime. They may also be too young to hunt like that. Kids will also like it much better if one of you kill something regularly when you’re out there. Fill those doe tags to keep it exciting. The youngest also likes processing deer just as much as killing them. The oldest could care less. Both can sharpen a knife on a stone and use a steel as well as I can. They know it’s a lazy incapable man that has a dull knife.

Put a bird dog in front of me or either of my boys and I never hear any complaints, even in tough bird years like this one. I like action when hunting and don’t like sitting still. I used to love deer hunting big properties when walking canyons was the norm. I don’t blame my oldest for not getting fired up to sit and watch a feeder go off. It’s not that fun. Look at it through a kids eyes. Some will like it and some won’t.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694614 12/21/19 02:18 AM
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Mine had 0 interest until she turned 12

I tried but since then she loves to go

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694688 12/21/19 03:30 AM
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I won't dispute any advise given. Enjoy every minute of it.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694795 12/21/19 09:44 AM
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Leave the tech stuff at home except binos and range finder. This is bonding time learning how to hunt and being quite and still is part of seeing deer and other game. Keep em warm and have snacks. Have pencil and paper and have them draw you a deer picture showing where they would place a good shot.
Have fun.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7694852 12/21/19 01:52 PM
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I gave my kid a pair of binoculars and beef jerky. And I put an asinine amount of corn out to keep does out so he’s good until things start slowing down after 10:30ish. Afternoons are a little different bc it’s a long wait until things normally stir. I refuse electronics and refuse books that keep his eyes from looking out a window. I try to talk smack to him if I see deer out of his side of the stand before he does.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7695340 12/21/19 11:01 PM
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Rifleman, you're back. Hope all is well!


Life is too short, as is. Don't chance it.
Don't text and drive.
Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7695348 12/21/19 11:11 PM
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Maybe if they don't want to be there it is a little early for them to be there. Don't push kids on something they are not ready for yet . Maybe they will never be ready. I have 2 grandsons. One likes hunting the other does not..

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7695423 12/22/19 01:16 AM
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I can only speak from what my Dad did with us at similar age. We'd sleep in our sleeping bags in the blinds before shooting light, then get up and help look for and sight deer, hogs, animals. We'd have our own senderos or directions to look at. Dad was great about keeping our interest high and engaged decades before cellphones or electronics. Once we hit 7 or so, we were permitted to shoot at what we spotted if nice enough. Make sure you have a tall enough stool or seat for him to see well. If he's not into it, he's maybe a bit too young or possibly you're not making it quite as enjoyable as you could be doing. I don't recall not always enjoying time in the blind with Dad, even as he kicked me out at age 9-10.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7695561 12/22/19 03:48 AM
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If they can’t sit in the blind as long as you’d like to, try hunting the blind closest to camp. That way you could leave early and not disturb the other hunters.



Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: Erathkid] #7695580 12/22/19 04:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Erathkid
Rifleman, you're back. Hope all is well!



All is well... kids got older and keeping me busy.

Re: How to keep young kids occupied in the stand? [Re: HuntinForTail] #7696541 12/23/19 12:18 PM
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either food or sleep... usually sleep came not to long after the food.

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