"Survivorman" makes a strong case for outdoor education

Class Dismissed

You may know "Survivorman" from the hit Discovery Channel TV show (2000-2018), Les Stroud's passion for the outdoors has driven him to some of the planet’s most remote locations. Now Stroud is reaching out to kids about the lessons that can be learned through outdoor adventures. Stroud says he worked with kids in camps for years, so the idea of a book directed at 8-12-year-olds just made sense. The result was Wild Outside: Around the World with Survivorman. In the book, he retells 12 true Survivorman stories, sharing nature facts and practical advice along the way. It's like sitting around a campfire with Survivorman himself, plus kid-friendly tutorials on using a compass, signaling for help, building a wildlife blind, tracking weather patterns, and packing a survival kit. In Episode 185 of Class Dismissed, Survivorman tells us that he actually grew up in a city. "I would go to a creek behind a hospital in the middle of Toronto," says Stroud. Adventure with nature exists even in an urban environment he says. In our interview with Survivorman, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to ask about all of the amazing things he's seen in his travels. Specifically, he tells us the scariest moment he's ever been in. The most awe-inspiring places he's ever stood, and which place he's visited that he'd like to move to. Stroud also has two new TV programs airing nationally, "Surviving Disasters" and "Les Stroud's Wild Harvest." They can also be viewed on his YouTube channel. You can listen to Episode 185 or any of our episodes of Class Dismissed on your favorite podcasting app or iTunes. All Rights Reserved. Class Dismissed Podcast 2017-2021