Why give a child their own survival kit?
Most parents build a family kit and assume it covers the children. It should. But there's something a shared kit can't do.
A kit that belongs to a child changes their role. Sized for them, stocked with things they recognize, in a spot they picked. They go from being carried through an emergency to being part of the plan.
How do children experience emergencies differently?
Routine disappears. Familiar places are gone. And they can read the stress on the adults around them, even when nobody says anything.
The answer isn't shielding them from it. It's giving them a role.
The CDC puts it plainly: getting children to help prepare teaches them the basics of staying safe, and children who are prepared and empowered find emergencies less stressful. Their specific advice is to ask your child what they think should go in the kit, and plan it with them.
Which kids survival kit fits your child?
- Junior ReadyPack. Sized for school-age kids at 18" by 9" by 12", 7 pounds fully packed. Includes US Coast Guard-approved food and water with a 5-year shelf life, a stuffed bear, crayons and activity pads, plus a flashlight, whistle, and children's first aid.
- Mini Survival Mate. Under 3 pounds. Compact enough for a stroller, a family bag, or a shelf at school or a grandparent's house.
Weight is one deciding factor. A kit a child can't carry ends up in a parent's hands, which defeats the point.
How do you get a child ready without frightening them?
Let them choose the comfort item. Show them how the whistle works. Practice what to do if you get separated.
Ready.gov has a free Build a Kit game for kids that turns the whole thing into an activity rather than a warning.
A kit a child knows and has handled is worth far more than one stored away and forgotten.
What to add yourself
- Any medication, with dosing written down.
- An emergency contact card in their backpack, listing contacts, medications, and allergies. CDC recommends this and almost nobody does it.
- A family photo, which helps a young child who can't yet explain who they belong to.
- Their actual comfort item, chosen by them.
