Teaching simple knots

stevebirch2002

stevebirch2002

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k up your larder - Malvern & Portsmouth
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Hi All. I have just been "Volunteered" to teach my son's Cub Pack some knots for tomorrow night. I would like to teach them three simple knots. There are four groups of 4 or 5 cubs (age range 6 - 8 yrs) and I need to be able to go between the four groups without losing their interest. Any ideas on which knots they will be able to learn. Any other ideas welcome. Many thanks.
 
Something like the website HERE might be of use to you.... not just to see which are the most interesting, but the easiest to learn.
 
Reef knot and bowline then any others from round turn and two half hitches, clove hitch, sheet bend, highwayman's hitch, figure eight etc. Only teach them knots that can be undone easily (reef knot is probably the only exception to that).

Under no circumstance teach them any kind of slip knot!!!! One of them at least will try to tie somebady else up and there's often one who will thow a loop over someone's head. Big no no.

Bowline is entertaining if you show them how to do it one handed and will keep them busy trying for ages. Highwayman's hitch they think is cool because it just unravels one you pull the free end.

Cubs I have been involved with have managed the basic ones without losing interest. If they are a bright lot you can always have a couple of extra ones up your sleeve.

Good luck and have fun.
 
Interesting. Your Sailor's Knot looks very much like a Carrick Bend to me, as used by Carrick District Council as a logo! It is known as that across the world.
Being an old gaffer, in both senses, I learned that to make fast to a cleat you should always begin with a round turn before putting on the 8s. If you then finish with a round turn pulled tight instead of a half hitch you need only one 8 in most cases, and it is much easier to undo in a hurry.
Not much help for the Cubs, I guess, but I thought I'd put in my two penn'orth.
 
Hint: sit alongside the cubs as you show them the knots then they see what you're doing from the same direction as you.

In these days of paranoia and political correctness innocent actions can be misconstrued. Reaching right round a learner to help them can be an excellent way to show them what to do but has the potential for problems. A chat with the leader about this kind of thing can help to prevent many hours of heartache for all concerned.

(Ain't it sad that we even have to think about this!)
 
HI
One good way when they got the idea of say three knots. Form them into three or four teams. Have a leader for each team. The cubs have come up th the leader in turn and tie a knot of his choosing. The first teams to finish wins. I enjoyed the game as a cub and used it when I was a Leader.The only other tip I got from my weekend training as a leader was not to make it like school.Can I be a fly on the wall.Good luck
 
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