Core Routines: Mind’s Eye Imagining, Cultural Wisdom, Peer-to-Peer Teaching
Skills Practiced: Risk awareness, naturalist observation, safety thinking
Ecological Indicators: Weather, terrain, animals, plants
Qualities Fostered: Common Sense, Self-Leadership, Community Care
Directions (Shields): Northeast (Awareness), North (Responsibility), Southwest (Regroup)
Suggested Age Range: 10+ (great as a group planning or debriefing activity)
Timing & Energy Level: Reflective and informative; good during transitions, circles, or cloudy-day pauses (North/Northeast)
Set-Up & Materials:
- No materials needed
- A sit circle, group meeting, or pre-activity gathering spot
- Optionally: add mapping paper, drawing tools
Description:
This isn’t a game in the usual sense—it’s a lively and participatory conversation or teaching circle where a mentor (or youth group) walks through potential hazards in the natural environment: poison ivy, widow-makers, weather changes, sharp rocks, etc. Delivered with humor, story, and engagement, it becomes a cultural lesson in awareness, not a lecture. The goal is to prepare, not scare; to empower, not control.
Coyote Mentoring Tips:
- Use storytelling: “One time I forgot to check above my tent…”
- Invite kids to name what they’ve learned from experience
- Reinforce that awareness is a strength, not a rule
Variations:
- Act out silly skits of what not to do
- Invite guest storytellers to share “close call” lessons
- Use mapping: mark known hazards from a wander
Debrief Prompts:
- “What did you already know—and what surprised you?”
- “What hazard do you feel most confident navigating now?”
- “What’s one thing you’ll look for differently next time?”
Story Seeds:
- Trickster learns a lesson stories
- Myths of caution, wisdom, and survival
- First-hand accounts of natural consequences with humor and grace