Orienteering 2014

In the fall, in parks all over Stockholm, groups of school kids from the youngest to high school go orienteering as part of their physical education class. It is a great exercise (literally and figuratively). 

Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they use to find control points. -Wikipedia

The youngest students have parents helping but this year, as she and her partner started out, Sofia told me I am not supposed to go with them. Great! I talked with friends and helped the occasional team who couldn't find their point.  Each team receives a map of the park with a spot marked to find. The team 'orients' themselves and run off to find the spot.  At the spot there is a paper with a letter.  The team writes the letter in a box, and runs back to the central meeting point and receives another map with another spot to find.  It was funny to watch some kids get distracted and chase falling leaves instead. 

Grade 2 getting orienteering directions

Sofia and Juliette set out with their map

students receive a paper with 15 boxes to fill in with the letter they find at each point

Grade 5 students orienteer in a bigger park, in teams, with one hour to find as many of 15 contacts points as possible.  Again, I stood around making sure students didn't wander (or run) too far off the beaten path.  Unfortunately Audra's orienteering day wasn't as sunny and warm as Sofia's. 

Audra and Claudia get oriented

Who knew?  This is the international  orienteering flag

Grade 8 students had to orienteer by themselves. This led to lots of competition and complaining between the girls.