Welcome to the Sockhop: A Fun Festival of Cool Things to Do and Try

Sockhops' Fun Stuff to Do Archives

• String Game Fun
• the ReName Game
• Sleepover Fun
• Collecting
• Modeling Madness
• Make a Movie
• Computer Pets
• Orienteering
• Make Your Own Secret Garden
• Dance, Dance, Dance!
• Write Fanmail that Gets Answers
• Windowsill Gardening
• Build Your Own Homepage

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Check back next month for another Cool Activity!

Orienteering
by Laura, Australia
Editor: Lindsay, 14, Louisiana

So what is orienteering? Orienteering is a sport which involves finding a series of control points in the forest (here in Australia it is called the bush!) or farmland using only a map and a compass. I toddled around my very first course before I was two. Back then Mum did the navigating, now I do it for myself. There are courses to suit all age groups - our club has two members who are over eighty, and handicaps enable boys and girls to compete on an equal basis. The winner is the person who navigates their way to each control point on their course in the correct order and back to the finish in the shortest time.

I have been in many orienteering competitions and sometimes when I have a fast run I have won. I like the feeling of running fast - especially down hills with the confidence and freedom of being in charge and I like seeing trees, animals and other natural wonders. Orienteering is fun - the friends I have made there think so too.

Orienteering Sites

International Orienteering Federation

US Junior Orienting Homepage

The Orienteering Association of Western Australia

Sockhop says thanks to Laura, 8, Australia, for sharing something fun to do with our club!