I figured I would post this up. This was my brother's pack from when he was around 8 years old and we were working on outdoor skills.



Pack itself is an old platypus style bag I had. There's a few feet of braided rope on the outside.



The front part kept his water bottle (and snacks). The flashlight and the "My First Victorinox" knife went in his pocket, but afterwards they would go in his pack for storage.



In the back part was a ziplock bag with his emergency/practice gear:



A big black trashbag in s ziplock bag, a "Pocket Medic" first aid kid, two MP-1 tabs, two bandannas, a compass, and a poncho. As well as a SAK classic SD, mag-block, and whistle on a chain.

[He liked the mag bar better than a firesteel, said it was easier for him to hold. He never used the magnesium part of it though. Also, I added Dougs whistle in place of what was in there, since it seems to have gone missing.]

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It wasn't really perfect, but he picked most of the stuff out himself and he felt comfortable using it, so I thought that was more important to start.

Right off the bat, I would have added a signal mirror, a metal cup (to boil water), another light with spare batteries, some kind of tinder material (maybe a candle as well), and maybe some gloves (he usually had a hat)

Anyway, by the time he could use everything in there effectively he was already changing things out on his own, trying new stuff, stealing my stuff, ect. At that point I was just making sure he was adding equel or better stuff and still had the basics covered. I know, for me, part of the fun of learning was trying out new things on my own and seeing what I did and didn't like.

Now I don't even need to help him, he's pretty good at picking out his own gear. Unfortunately, he likes borrowing mine better most of the time. Now that it's getting cold out he's become a "video game hermit", but I'll get him outside again when I come home for spring/summer.