Operation Manhood – 25 Days to Resourcefulness

Operation Manhood is 25 days of focused “Missions” that fosters the creativity and resourcefulness that lives inside our kids. Each mission includes a detailed brief for the boys, recommendations on the equipment needed, the number of man points they can earn and any other information that will help them successfully complete their mission. Go check out our first mission: Operation Timbuktu to get an idea of the mission format. But what it won’t do is spell out exactly how they can reach their goal. Our job as C.O.’s (Commanding Officers aka Parental Units) is to come in only when their mission may end in catastrophe.

Types of Missions

These missions can be done at any time but are especially suited for summer breaks or vacation time where the cadet has plenty of unstructured time that might benefit from, yes you guessed it, structure. Is it raining out? It’s a perfect day for Operation Cleansweep. Their living quarters will be ship shape in no time. Ready to take a trip away from H.Q.? Operation Timbuktu is a perfect mission to hit the road and have your cadet plan the trip.

Through the course of the 25 missions, there is plenty of opportunity for fun all while they are learning by doing various tasks. Time management, fueling the car, public transportation, whittling, bike maintenance, problem-solving, caring for others are all topics covered plus many more.

If you are interested in joining with us on this journey sign up below. There’s no charge for the first 3 missions, give them a try and if you are interested in continuing you can purchase our entire collection of missions which includes a parents guide, individual mission feedback and complete missions for your cadet available at most any book retailer, ask your local bookstore to order.

If you enjoy the missions or have some interesting or funny feedback to share we’d love to hear from you on Facebook or send us a message.

Sign up to receive your Free Missions

Journey to Men is devoted to raising boys to become men of integrity, honor, responsibility, and resourcefulness.

25 Missions to teach your children aged 5 to 15 resourcefulness, responsibility, and independence in a unique fun way. We focus the activities for kids on a particular skill such as service, entrepreneurship, outdoor survival, vehicle maintenance, woodworking, saving money, creative thinking. For instance, in Operation Timbuktu your cadet (child) will provide complete navigation instructions for their driver to and from a destination of their choosing. In the MacGyver challenge, their neighboring town is being overrun by a rare colony of Egyptian Gas Ants. Will you be able to build a mechanism to deliver the antidote from the lab surviving a 6-foot drop?

The missions are standalone activities that provide just enough information and reference all the relevant resources to complete. Give your children permission to succeed or fail on their own merit. They’ll have fun doing it and feel a real sense of pride and accomplishment at the conclusion. Technology use is minimal and if included; is only for mission planning. We crafted the tone and language of the individual missions for boys but there is no reason girls can’t take part. Most of the missions would be relevant and interesting for boys and girls alike.

While the cadet is completing the missions, they are earning Man Points. At the conclusion of the missions if they’ve earned enough points they qualify for the Celebration of Man, a fun-filled event to reward their achievements.

Inside the book, you’ll find two sections. The parent guide providing instructions for running the missions with feedback and instruction for each task. The cadet guide is for kids only and includes a standalone mission briefing and instructions. The missions are style after military field manuals with entertaining illustrations and engaging backstories. If you’re looking for compelling summer activities for your boy, then you’ve found your book. These missions also work well for school vacations or even long weekends.

