Children should generally start on the White course, then move up to the Yellow course, then the Orange course and beyond as they build up their skills. Children are allowed to be shadowed by their parents/guardians but this is not mandatory. For pre-teens it is probably best to begin with.

This means you follow them around the course, being there to help them when they are not sure what to do. Older children may still appreciate being shadowed on their first course or want to orienteer in pairs. If an older child is confident, and so are their parents/guardians, they can also go on their own.