Safety Tips for Outing in the Woods With Your Kids

As a family, we enjoy spending time in the woods. We don't hunt - unless you count looking for lizards, turtle shells, and turkey feathers.

With three small children, going into the woods can hold innumerable dangers that a prudent parent prepares for.

I have made it a priority to try to instill safe habits in my children. Here are a few tips and pointers that I use to keep my precious babies safe when we are tramping through the great outdoors.

1. When walking through the woods, never step over a fallen log or rock without first looking to see what's on the other side. Better yet, step up on the rock or log, check to see what's on the other side, then step down. In our area, Copperheads are plentiful, and even a few Timber Rattlesnakes slither around, and you just never know what's waiting on the other side of that rock or log.

2. Always scan the ground around you as you are walking. Once again, you need to be watchful of snakes and other critters. In the woods where we like to go, there are also spots where barbed wire fence remnants are scattered throughout the area. The barbed wire can blend in quite easily with the surrounding terrain and can cause some nasty cuts to little legs.

3. When going into the woods, it should be standard-issue for each person to have a small whistle. It is very easy to get separated and lost, even in a small area. Instruct children that if they get separated, to stay where they are and begin blowing their whistle until help arrives. If they don't have whistles, instruct your kids to stay put and yell until they are found.

4. Never approach or touch wild animals. This is difficult for my offspring - they all love animals and would love to find a cute and cuddly little critter in the woods. I know if they ever came across a small animal in the woods, they would be tempted, but they do know to stay away.

5. Never eat anything you find without first asking permission. While there are always edible items in the great outdoors, there are also plenty of toxic plants. When in doubt, stay away.

6. Keep a small first aid kit on you. A small fanny pack is great for this - so it's accessible very quickly in the event it is needed. Make sure you've got plenty of adhesive bandages in the first aid kit. With small children, even a small scratch can be a big deal - and a bandage cures everything!

These are just a few safety tips when your family goes on an out-of-door excursion. It's not complete by any means, but it will provide some basic pointers for keeping kids safe in the woods.