A printed semaphore chart (the 1911 book's diagram on p. 207 is free online)Free
Two flags: a dish towel or square of paper taped to a cardboard tubeHave
Paper and pencil to write down what you readHave
Where: Two people facing each other 15 to 30 feet apart.
Before you start
Soft flags only. Use cloth or paper on a cardboard tube, not a stick. Arms swing wide, and eyes are easy to poke.
Clear the space around the sender so arms can swing without hitting anything or anyone.
02Steps
Print the chart
DadPrint the semaphore diagram from the free 1911 book (page 207) or any semaphore chart. Show how the arms point to clock-face positions.
Learn the groups
TogetherThe 1911 book groups the letters. A to G use one arm, moving one step at a time around the circle. For H to N, the right arm stays at the A position and the left arm moves on. For O to S, the right arm stays at the B position.
Practice the first letters
KidCall out letters from the chart and have the kid make them with the flags. Start with letters in their name.
Send a name
KidThe sender faces the reader and spells a name slowly, holding each letter still. The reader says each letter out loud while Dad writes it down.
Ask for a repeat
TogetherIn 1911, if a word did not make sense, the reader raised both arms straight out to the sides (the letter R) to ask for it again. Try it on a garbled word.
Swap places
TogetherTrade roles, then each send a whole word. Count how many letters the reader gets right the first time.
03If it stalls
If the reader keeps missing letters, the sender is probably moving too fast. Hold each position for a full breath.
Letters mirror left and right. Remember the sender and the reader see the flags from opposite sides.
Teach three or four letters at a time. The full alphabet is a few evenings' work.
04Variations
Ages 5–6
Just the first four letters of the alphabet, with one arm. Hold up a flag and have the kid guess.
Ages 7–9
The first three groups and each other's first names.
Ages 10+
Add the rest of the chart, then send a sentence across the yard.
RainDo it across the living room.
WindUse paper flags on tubes, not towels, which whip around.
A field card like this one for the weekend, one quick plan for a weeknight, and nothing else. Free. The first letter hasn't gone out yet. Sign up now and you'll get it.
One weekend plan every Friday. We never sell your address, and every letter has a one-click unsubscribe. See a sample issue · Privacy
1911 scouting handbook, pp. 206–208. The 1911 book explains how to learn semaphore by grouping letters (A to G with one arm, H to N with the right arm at A, O to S with the right arm at B, and so on) and says the sender must face the station being signaled. It shows the positions in a diagram on p. 207. Project Gutenberg (public domain in the USA) Checked Oct 15, 2026
Calling for help outdoors today. The National Park Service Outdoor Emergency Plan says to call 911 if you cannot retrace your steps, stay put, blow a whistle three times and repeat after a break, and flash a flashlight in the SOS pattern. National Park Service Checked Oct 15, 2026
Dad Field Manual · Field card 68 · Classic Field Skills
Spell your name in semaphore flags
Thirty minutes, two paper flags and a printed chart. Learn how the letters are grouped, then spell your names across the yard.
Time
40 min
Cost
$0
Ages
7 and up
Where
A big room or yard
Since 1911: The letter positions are a game now, not a way to call for help. In an emergency outdoors, stay put, call 911 if you can, and signal with a whistle (three blasts, pause, repeat) or a flashlight.
What you need
A printed semaphore chart (the 1911 book's diagram on p. 207 is free online)
Two flags: a dish towel or square of paper taped to a cardboard tube
Paper and pencil to write down what you read
Before you start
Soft flags only. Use cloth or paper on a cardboard tube, not a stick. Arms swing wide, and eyes are easy to poke.
Clear the space around the sender so arms can swing without hitting anything or anyone.
Steps
Print the chart. Print a semaphore chart, such as the diagram on page 207 of the free book.
Learn the groups. A–G: one arm moves round the circle. H–N: right arm at A. O–S: right arm at B.
Practice the first letters. Dad calls a letter; the kid makes it with the flags.
Send a name. Face the reader and spell a name, holding each letter still.
Ask for a repeat. If a word makes no sense, raise both arms straight out to ask for a repeat.
Swap places. Swap roles and send whole words.
If it stalls
If the reader keeps missing letters, the sender is probably moving too fast. Hold each position for a full breath.
Letters mirror left and right. Remember the sender and the reader see the flags from opposite sides.
