There are plenty of activities people do that are considered just hobbies that people only do for fun. But these activities can actually teach preppers valuable survival skills. Here are 22 different activities that you might be doing – or should consider taking up – that can also improve your survival skills. (h/t to TheSurvivalMom.com)
Cooking and food-related hobbies
It's always a good idea to learn more about how to learn certain cooking skills as well as skills related to catching or preserving your food. When SHTF, these skills will come in handy especially when all of the nearby grocery stores and farmers' markets have nothing left to provide.
To start with, here are five different hobbies you can take up that will help you find, catch or grow your own food.
- Foraging
- Hunting
- Trapping
- Fishing
- Gardening
With these skills, you will find it easier to survive during food shortages in your location, or if the food has gotten so expensive that the only alternative is to eat whatever you can find, grow or catch in your backyard or homestead.
Once you have the raw ingredients, you need to learn how to create tasty and nutritious meals out of what you have as well as how to make your food last longer. For this, consider these four hobbies:
- Food preservation - This is perfect for survival situations because it will make sure the food you have will last far longer. Consider learning some home food preservation methods such as drying, canning, freezing and fermenting.
- Cooking from scratch - Learn how to cook from scratch, especially if you have a variety of different in your kitchen that you're not sure how to make use of.
- Baking and breadmaking - Learn how to bake bread and other kinds of pastries.
- Campfire and Dutch oven cooking - Prepare yourself for the possibility of cooking meals outdoors by learning how to cook over cura campfire and with the use of a Dutch oven.
Outdoor hobbies
During disaster and SHTF situations, you might find yourself spending a lot of your time outdoors, especially if you're making your way to a bug-out location. To start with, consider taking up and learning these fun and engaging outdoor hobbies:
- Camping
- Hiking and backpacking
- Bushcraft and other wilderness survival skills
- Tying a knot
- Weather spotting
- Astronomy
These skills can teach and help you improve a variety of different survival skills. Hiking and backpacking will improve your physical fitness, preparing you for bugging out with heavy backpacks. Weather spotting will help you learn the subtle signs Mother Nature gives when inclement weather is about to arrive. Learning even basic astronomy can help you find your way if you have to travel during the night.
These hobbies should also be fun, especially if you have kids with you. To that end, here are several games that you and your family can play while taking advantage of the great outdoors.
- Team sports - Learning how to play team sports teaches kids leadership, cooperation and trust. Consider playing some outdoor sports with them such as baseball, softball and soccer.
- Geocaching, letterboxing and orienteering - These three related sports are great family activities that can teach your children – and yourself – navigation skills and creativity.
- Off-roading - Provided that you, the parent, will remain in the driver's seat, off-roading can be a fun way for you and your family to explore and navigate your way through the outdoors.
- Vehicle repair and maintenance - While this might not be as fun for the kids, it is still an essential skill, especially during disaster situations when the only way your family can keep out of danger is by driving and by making sure the family vehicle doesn't break down.
Firearms and weapon-based hobbies
When SHTF, there might be situations that call for you to defend yourself or to use a firearm or another weapon to provide for your family. During these instances, that time you spent at the firing range or learning how to use an old or medieval weapon like a slingshot will come in very handy. Here are the firearms and weapon-based hobbies that you will definitely find useful.
- Primitive weapon-based hobbies - Learning how to shoot a bow or a slingshot or throw a tomahawk or a knife can be very useful, especially in very desperate situations when these kinds of weapons are the only things available to you. Furthermore, with supervision and attention to safety protocols, you can even teach your kids how to shoot a bow or throw a tomahawk. The novelty of it will make it a fun experience for them and it can be a way for them to begin learning self-defense skills.
- Paintball and airsoft - These shooting games can provide you with many ways to enhance your prepping skills. They will test your leadership and cooperation skills and teach you how to properly apply camouflage and use cover and concealment. These are very physically demanding activities, so be prepared to see an improvement in your agility, cardio and overall physical condition after playing them regularly.
- Shooting and marksmanship - The best way to truly learn how to defend yourself with a firearm is to spend time in the shooting range. Not only can good shooting protect you against would-be attackers, but it can also help you hunt for food. (Related: Superfoods for GUNS: How to clean and lubricate firearms using orange peel extracts and COCONUT OIL.)
It is important for preppers to learn practical skills that can keep them and their loved ones alive and well during survival situations. A great way to introduce yourself to new skills you hadn't known about before is to take up a hobby related to it, and to keep practicing until you're certain that you won't forget this new skill you've acquired.
Learn more essential survival skills by reading the latest articles at Survival.news.
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