What is orienteering?
Orienteering is a navigation sport in which you use a detailed map, and often a compass, to find a series of marked points called controls, usually in the order given. It can be walked, jogged or run, and the aim is to reach the controls efficiently. Beginners often start with short courses in a park or schoolyard.
Basic skills for beginners
- Orient the map. Turn the map so features on the map line up with features around you.
- Read the symbols. Maps use a standard legend of colors and symbols for paths, buildings, vegetation and water. Learn a few key ones first.
- Know where you are. Keep a thumb on your current position and update it as you move.
- Use handrails. Follow clear linear features, such as paths, fences or streams, to move between points.
- Use a catching feature. Pick something obvious beyond your target, such as a road, so you know if you have gone too far.
- Compass basics. Learn to take a bearing and to use the needle to orient the map, though many beginner courses need little more than map reading.
Games to practice orienteering
These games build skills at low risk and can be done in a yard, gym or park.
Map the room or yard. Draw a simple map with a few features, then place marker objects. Others use the map to find them. It teaches that a map is a model of the ground.
Memory orienteering. Show a map with a few markers for 30 seconds. Players put it away and try to find the places from memory.
Pairs map walk. One person holds the map and navigates, and the other follows and offers help. Swap halfway.
Score orienteering. Place a number of controls with different point values, and give a time limit. Teams choose which to visit and in what order, aiming for the best score. It lets different ability levels play together.
String course. Lay out a string path through a park, and participants follow the line and note objects along the way, to practice keeping track of position.
Compass walks. Pair up to walk to a target on a bearing, then check how close you got. Keep rounds short and the area safe.
Scavenger hunt with a map. Combine a scavenger hunt with a simple map, so players find items near marked points.
Fun activities for kids
- Treasure map hunts using hand-drawn maps of the yard.
- Colored-ribbon trails where each color leads to a different task.
- Relay events where teams collect codes from several markers.
- Animal-track themes, where each control has a card of an animal to name.
Keep the age in mind. Younger children need short distances, adults nearby and very clear boundaries.
Your first real course
- Find a local club or permanent course. Many areas have orienteering clubs, and some parks have permanent courses. Beginner courses are usually marked as short and easy, such as those following paths.
- Go with a buddy. Start together, and agree to stay in contact.
- Take essentials. Water, a whistle, a watch, sun and weather protection, and a plan for returning on time. Tell someone where you are going.
- Choose a simple course. Look for one with clear features and reachable controls.
- Learn the rules. Check how controls are marked and how to punch or record visits, since methods vary.
Safety basics
- Know the boundary of the area and what to do if lost, such as using a handrail or heading to a known road.
- Carry a whistle and use it only in emergencies.
- Wear sturdy shoes, and long sleeves where brush or ticks are a concern.
- Respect landowners and leave gates and crops alone.
- Check the weather and daylight before you start.
Building skills over time
As you improve, move to longer courses and less obvious features. Try navigating without a compass, then with one, and practice estimating distance with pace counting. You can also pair orienteering with nature games to keep it playful, and see play in nature for the wider benefits of exploring outdoors.