High school students can benefit greatly from developing survival skills. Not only do these skills prepare them for potential emergencies and outdoor adventures, but they also teach them valuable problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork skills that can be applied in many aspects of their lives.
But let’s face it: learning survival skills can be a bit dry and dull, especially when you’re stuck in a classroom. That’s where these fun survival games come in. By engaging students in interactive and exciting challenges, you can help them develop important survival skills without them even realizing it.
In this blog post, we’ll share 10 of our favorite survival games for high school students. From geocaching to shelter-building, these games are sure to entertain and educate your students. So, grab your backpack and get ready for some fun!
1. Geocache Jackpot
Geocaching is a treasure-hunting game that involves using GPS coordinates to find hidden containers (called “geocaches”) in various locations. Geocache Jackpot takes this classic game and adds a survival twist, making it the perfect activity for high school students who love the great outdoors.
Objective:
The objective of Geocache Jackpot is to find a hidden geocache that contains survival supplies, such as matches, a compass, a map, and a water filtration system. Once the students find the geocache, they must use the supplies to complete a survival challenge, such as building a shelter or starting a fire.
How to Play:
To play Geocache Jackpot, you’ll need to hide a geocache somewhere on your school grounds or in a nearby park. You can use a geocaching app or website to find the GPS coordinates for the location.
Next, divide your students into teams and give each team a GPS device or smartphone with a geocaching app installed. Explain the objective of the game and provide the GPS coordinates for the hidden geocache.
The teams will then race to find the geocache, using their navigation skills and problem-solving abilities to overcome obstacles and find the hidden container. Once a team finds the geocache, they must work together to complete the survival challenge using the supplies inside.
Tips for Teachers:
- Before playing Geocache Jackpot, make sure to teach your students how to use a GPS device and read a map. You can also provide a quick lesson on navigation and orienteering to help them develop these skills.
- Choose a location that is safe and appropriate for your students. Avoid areas with hazardous terrain, private property, or other potential risks.
- Create a list of survival challenges that are appropriate for your students’ skill level and the supplies provided in the geocache.
- Encourage teamwork and collaboration among your students. Geocache Jackpot is a great opportunity for students to work together, solve problems, and develop their communication skills.
2. The Amazing Race
If you’re looking for a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled survival game for your high school students, look no further than The Amazing Race. Inspired by the popular TV show, this game challenges students to navigate a series of checkpoints and complete challenges along the way.
Objective:
The objective of The Amazing Race is to be the first team to complete all the checkpoints and cross the finish line. The checkpoints are located throughout your school grounds or a nearby park and require teams to complete challenges related to survival skills, such as fire-building, shelter-making, and navigation.
How to Play:
To play The Amazing Race, divide your students into teams of 2-4 and provide each team with a clue to the first checkpoint. At each checkpoint, teams will complete a challenge related to survival skills before receiving the clue to the next checkpoint.
Challenges can include:
- Building a fire using natural materials
- Building a shelter using only the materials found in the area
- Navigation challenge using a map and compass
- Identifying edible plants or making a makeshift fishing rod
The team that completes all the checkpoints and crosses the finish line first wins the game.
Tips for Teachers:
- Before playing The Amazing Race, make sure to establish clear rules and guidelines for the game, such as boundaries, time limits, and safety precautions.
- Choose challenges that are appropriate for your students’ skill level and the location of the game. You can also provide examples of the challenges beforehand to give your students an idea of what to expect.
- Provide each team with a survival kit that includes basic supplies such as matches, a compass, and a first aid kit.
- Encourage students to work together and communicate effectively. The Amazing Race is a great opportunity for students to practice teamwork, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
3. Wilderness Survival Challenge
For a true test of survival skills, the Wilderness Survival Challenge is the perfect game for high school students. This game takes students out of their comfort zones and challenges them to survive in the wilderness with limited resources.
Objective:
The objective of the Wilderness Survival Challenge is to survive in the wilderness for a set period of time, typically 24-48 hours, using only the resources available in the natural environment. Students will need to use their survival skills to find food, water, shelter, and warmth while navigating through the wilderness.
How to Play:
To play the Wilderness Survival Challenge, students will need to be divided into teams of 4-6 and dropped off at a designated location in the wilderness. Each team will be given a survival kit containing basic supplies such as a knife, matches, and a first aid kit.
The teams will then need to use their survival skills to find food, water, and shelter in the wilderness. They can build a shelter using natural materials, start a fire to keep warm, and forage for edible plants or try to catch fish in a nearby stream or river.
The team that is able to survive the longest and collect the most points wins the game. Points can be awarded for various tasks such as building the best shelter, starting a fire the quickest, or finding the most edible plants.
Tips for Teachers:
- Safety is paramount in the Wilderness Survival Challenge. Before starting the game, make sure that all students are familiar with basic safety precautions and wilderness survival skills.
- Choose a location that is appropriate for the skill level of your students and ensure that there is access to water, food, and shelter in case of emergencies.
- Provide each team with a detailed map of the area and a compass to help them navigate through the wilderness.
- Encourage teamwork and communication among the teams. This game provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop their leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
The Wilderness Survival Challenge is an exciting and challenging game that will put your students’ survival skills to the test. Give it a try and watch your students thrive in the wilderness!
4. Orienteering Challenge
For a game that combines outdoor adventure with navigation skills, the Orienteering Challenge is the perfect fit for high school students. This game tests students’ ability to navigate through unfamiliar terrain using a map and compass.
Objective:
The objective of the Orienteering Challenge is to navigate through a set course using only a map and compass. Students will need to find a series of checkpoints along the course and return to the starting point in the shortest amount of time possible.
How to Play:
To play the Orienteering Challenge, students will need to be divided into teams of 2-4 and given a map of the area and a compass. Each team will need to navigate through the designated course, finding and punching their checkpoint cards at each of the checkpoints along the way.
The team that completes the course in the shortest amount of time wins the game. Points can also be awarded for completing certain challenges or finding optional checkpoints along the way.
Tips for Teachers:
- Safety is key in the Orienteering Challenge. Make sure that all students are familiar with basic safety precautions and navigation skills before starting the game.
- Choose a location that is appropriate for the skill level of your students. Consider the terrain and the distance of the course.
- Provide each team with a detailed map of the area, a compass, and a checkpoint card.
- Encourage teamwork and communication among the teams. This game provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop their leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
Related: Engaging Survival Scenario Games to Teach Students Life Skills
5. Shelter Building Challenge
The Shelter Building Challenge is an excellent game that teaches high school students important survival skills. In this game, students will be challenged to work together and build a shelter using only natural materials found in the surrounding area.
Objective:
The objective of the Shelter Building Challenge is to build a shelter that can withstand various weather conditions using only natural materials found in the wilderness. The shelter should be big enough to fit all team members and must be built within a specified time limit.
How to Play:
To play the Shelter Building Challenge, students will need to be divided into teams of 3-5 and given a set amount of time to gather natural materials such as branches, leaves, and vines. Each team will then use these materials to build a shelter that can withstand various weather conditions.
Once the shelters are built, teams will present their shelters to the group, explaining the materials used and the design choices made. The shelters will then be tested to see how well they hold up against wind, rain, and other weather conditions.
The team with the most sturdy and functional shelter wins the game.
Tips for Teachers:
- Safety is of utmost importance in the Shelter Building Challenge. Make sure that all students are familiar with basic safety precautions before starting the game.
- Choose a location that provides plenty of natural materials for shelter building, such as a wooded area.
- Encourage teamwork and communication among the teams. This game provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop their leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
- Set a time limit for the shelter-building activity to add an element of challenge and urgency to the game.
6. Fire-Building Challenge
The Fire-Building Challenge is an exciting game that teaches high school students how to build and start a fire in the wilderness. This game is not only fun but also an essential survival skill that every outdoor enthusiast should know.
Objective:
The objective of the Fire-Building Challenge is to build a fire using only natural materials found in the wilderness. The fire should be big enough to burn through a rope or a string that is placed a certain distance away from the fire pit.
How to Play:
To play the Fire-Building Challenge, students will need to be divided into teams of 3-5 and given a set amount of time to gather natural materials such as dry leaves, twigs, and branches. Each team will then use these materials to build a fire pit and start a fire.
Once the fire is burning steadily, teams will attempt to burn through a rope or a string that is placed a certain distance away from the fire pit. The team that burns through the rope or string the fastest wins the game.
Tips for Teachers:
- Safety is of utmost importance in the Fire-Building Challenge. Make sure that all students are familiar with basic fire safety precautions before starting the game.
- Choose a location that is safe for building fires and has plenty of natural materials for fuel.
- Encourage teamwork and communication among the teams. This game provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop their leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
- Set a time limit for the fire-building activity to add an element of challenge and urgency to the game.
7. Scavenger Hunt
The Scavenger Hunt is a classic game that can be adapted to fit any outdoor setting. It’s a fun way for high school students to explore their surroundings while developing their teamwork, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Objective:
The objective of the Scavenger Hunt is to find and collect a list of items within a certain time frame. The items can be anything from natural objects such as rocks, leaves, and sticks to man-made objects such as cans, bottles, and wrappers.
How to Play:
To play the Scavenger Hunt, students will need to be divided into teams of 3-5 and given a list of items to find and collect within a certain time frame. The teams can use any means necessary to find the items, including exploring the surrounding area, asking other teams for help, or using their problem-solving skills to figure out where the items might be located.
The team that finds and collects all the items on the list within the shortest time frame wins the game.
Tips for Teachers:
- Before starting the Scavenger Hunt, make sure that all students are familiar with basic outdoor safety precautions, including how to identify poisonous plants and animals, and how to avoid getting lost.
- Make sure that the list of items to be collected is appropriate for the outdoor setting and does not include any items that could harm the environment or wildlife.
- Encourage teamwork and communication among the teams. This game provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop their leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
- Set a time limit for the scavenger hunt activity to add an element of challenge and urgency to the game.
8. Water Filtration Challenge
Water is an essential element for outdoor survival, and it’s important for high school students to know how to make safe drinking water when they’re in the wilderness. The Water Filtration Challenge is a fun way for students to learn how to filter water using natural materials.
Objective:
The objective of the Water Filtration Challenge is to create a working water filtration system using only natural materials found in the surrounding environment. The filtration system must be able to remove dirt, debris, and bacteria from the water.
How to Play:
To play the Water Filtration Challenge, students will need to be divided into teams of 3-5 and given a set of materials to work with, such as sand, gravel, charcoal, and cloth. The teams must then use these materials to create a water filtration system that can remove impurities from a bucket of dirty water.
The team that successfully creates a working water filtration system within the shortest time frame wins the game.
Tips for Teachers:
- Before starting the Water Filtration Challenge, make sure that all students are familiar with basic outdoor safety precautions, including how to identify sources of clean water, and how to avoid dehydration.
- Encourage creativity and experimentation. There are many different ways to filter water, and this game provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
- Make sure that all students have access to clean water to drink throughout the game.
- Set a time limit for the water filtration challenge to add an element of challenge and urgency to the game.
9. First Aid Challenge
Accidents and injuries can happen during any outdoor activity, and it’s crucial for high school students to learn how to provide basic first aid. The First Aid Challenge is a fun way for students to learn and practice basic first aid skills.
Objective:
The objective of the First Aid Challenge is to identify and treat a variety of common injuries and medical conditions that can occur during outdoor activities. This includes things like cuts, bruises, sprains, insect bites, and allergic reactions.
How to Play:
To play the First Aid Challenge, students will need to be divided into teams of 3-5 and given a first aid kit. The teams must then work together to identify and treat a variety of common injuries and medical conditions that have been simulated using makeup, fake blood, and other props.
The team that correctly identifies and treats the most injuries and medical conditions within a set time frame wins the game.
Tips for Teachers:
- Before starting the First Aid Challenge, make sure that all students are familiar with basic first aid procedures, including how to clean and dress wounds, how to apply bandages and splints, and how to recognize signs of shock and other medical emergencies.
- Provide students with a well-stocked first aid kit that contains all the necessary supplies, including bandages, antiseptic wipes, gauze, scissors, and tweezers.
- Encourage teamwork and collaboration. First aid is often a team effort, and this game provides an excellent opportunity for students to practice working together to help those in need.
- Set a time limit for the First Aid Challenge to add an element of challenge and urgency to the game.