Making a Survival Kit as a Kid-Friendly Craft

Whether or not you were a girl guide, a brownie, a cub or a scout during any part of your childhood, a love of adventure is an essential attitude for embracing the fullness of life. I’m sure many of you agree that adventure and discovery is what makes life worth living.

If you’re looking to create survival kits with a group of kids—whether they’re your own children or a classroom full of students—it’s wonderful to keep fresh in your mind this sense of adventure. Instead of focusing your mind on the scary aspects of emergencies, try to think of the unknown as a chance to challenge your mental and physical wherewithal and strength. And pass on your sense of adventure to the kids!

It’s important to talk seriously about the dangers of natural disasters but balance is key, and the more kids can keep calm and treat it as an adventure—even a game—the further they’re likely to get, when it comes to the real deal.

When you’re creating a basic survival kit for a kid, remember to go over a simplified list of instructions that they can include in their kit.

You can start with a basic and inexpensive first aid kit such as our 53 Piece First Aid Kit. Then consider referencing the Cub Book where it refers to survival kits. You might choose to focus on the first 72 hours of survival, with kids. In other words, stick with the basics. Here’s a list of items to that the Cub Book suggests adding to the little kit:

• High energy snack
• Waterproofed matches (if the kids aren’t yours, get permission from their parents)
• Small pocket knife (ditto the caution above)
• Brightly coloured large plastic garbage bags (useful for shelter and signalling)
• Whistle and mirror
• Nylon or strong string
• Aluminum foil (to make cooking and drinking utensils)
• Compass

Depending on the ages of the kids you’re working with, go more or less in depth with your instructions. Below is a basic idea for some written instructions to add to each kit:

What do you do if you find yourself lost in the wilderness?

1. Stop. Find a safe location. Stay put. If with a group, stay together.
2. Blow whistle to create noise to attract attention.
3. Create shelter with plastic garbage bags.
4. Drink water.
5. Open kit and read more survival tips…
6. Don’t worry, you will be found.

Remember, being lost in the wilderness would be a very frightening experience but can also be framed as an adventure! So as much as you can, buoy your kids up with a sense of courage and boldness!

-Content created by Sophie Wooding – Writer, gardener, cyclist and emergency preparedness enthusiast!