The Introductory Family Program is designed to introduce families to essential wilderness survival and bushcraft skills while fostering teamwork, resilience, and safety in the outdoors. It is a mandatory prerequisite for families who wish to participate in any of our overnight family wilderness programs.
This private 6-hour session covers foundational skills such as survival priorities, shelter construction, fire preparation, and safe use of tools, including knife, axe, saw, and shovel. The program also includes basic navigation techniques and guidance on building a functional and practical family wilderness survival kit.
What makes this program unique is our dual-instructor approach. We provide two instructors: one focuses on engaging children through age-appropriate activities, and the other works directly with adults. While everyone learns at their own level, all activities are completed together as a family, reinforcing communication, cooperation, and confidence-building across generations.
As with all our programs, environmental stewardship is a core value. Not a single tree is damaged during training, and your family will learn how to use natural materials without disturbing the ecosystem.
Location
The Outdoor Life and Bushcraft Skills program takes place at our private training field in Metchosin on Vancouver Island.
Address: 1258 Neild Rd, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Prerequisites
The minimum age for participants is 5 years.
All participants under the age of 19 must be accompanied by their guardians.
Requirements
- Clothing appropriate for weather conditions (e.g. rain jacket and pants if it’s wet)
- Hiking boots or sturdy shoes
- Thin leather work gloves (recommended)
- Eye protection
- Notebook and pencil
- Water, snacks, and a packed lunch
- Any personal items such as anti-allergy medication, sunscreen, or insect repellent
- A backpack to carry your items
- Backpacking gear, if you already have it
Banned activities
Drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, bullying others, and engaging in illegal actions are unacceptable activities during all our programs.
Important notes
ONE WITH NATURE Corp. is not responsible for injuries. The use of knives, axes, and other tools constitute high-risk activities. If you damage yourself or others, ONE WITH NATURE Corp. is not responsible for the damage or lives lost. All our programs are for educational purposes only. ONE WITH NATURE Corp. strongly recommends taking out insurance prior to participating in our programs. Please speak to an insurance provider about the most appropriate type of insurance you need to participate in any of our programs.
Price
$650 for up to 5 people, plus 5% GST (includes all required tools).
For each additional participant, add 10% of the program’s base price.
*Note: All private and custom programs require a $50 non-refundable registration fee, plus 5% GST.