The abilities required to learn navigation appear gradually in youth over time, growing in complexity from a very early age—first the concept of a map, then learning colors and symbols, orienting the map, and so forth. This chart from Swedish Orienteering shows the path of skills development. When students have mastered one level, they are ready for the next.
Consequently, orienteering lessons for a primary schooler look very different from those for middle schoolers and high schoolers. Everyone can learn orienteering, but at the level appropriate for their level of maturity.
The lesson plans shown here, submitted by different orienteering clubs, will evolve over time as coaches and youth leaders try different plans and provide the feedback necessary to designate some as best practices.
General Intro Plans for Orienteering
- Navigation Games Curriculum
- OCIN’s Teacher Orienteering Kit
- Indoor Orienteering Activities
- PBS: Why children still need to read (and draw) maps
- Discovering Orienteering, Book available from Amazon
- “Cool, Awesome, and Educational“: Orienteering at School for Ages 6-15 (combined and updated version of Orienteering at School parts 1 and 2 by SILVA)
Primary School Lesson Plans
Middle School Lesson Plans
- Orienteering Circuit Training
- Orienteering Lesson Plans for Middle School PE, plus O in a Box
- Navigation Games Activities
High School Lesson Plans
- Orienteering at School, ages 13-15, SILVA
- 10 Grade Lesson Plan, Victoria
Other Teaching Resources
- IOF Educational Material
- OUSA’s Coaching and Skills
- OCIN’s O in Schools
- Navigation Games’ List of Resources
- Orienteering and Map Games for Teachers is a book published in 1996 that provides games and activities for student groups – $17 for a single copy and bulk discounts are available. Contact Mike Minium to order.