Survival Tips For Kids
These Basic Survival Tips For Kids are a must for every parent. Are you worried about how your children would survive if faced with being on their own?
Survival Tips For Kids
In 2020, we are faced with a worldwide stress, and while we can help our children navigate this thanks to the lessons our parents and grandparents taught us, would our children be able to without our help? Below are some basic Survival Tips For Kids we should be teaching our children now so they will know how to handle things should this happen again in the future.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are clearly seeing areas we are lacking as a society. There are many aspects of improvement to consider, but one of the most important things is to really focus on helping teach our children more about survival skills. We hope that nothing will happen in their future like this, but should it occur, I want my son and his peers to be better prepared than others currently have been.
Proper Sanitizing and Cleaning Routine
One of the things that we hear most often these days is to focus on cleaning everything around us properly. Your kids may already know basic hygiene, but do they know how to properly clean surfaces, food, or general items around the home? Now is a great time to go over those sanitizing steps that are so important. Below are a few things to consider teaching.
- How to properly wash and clean hands and nails. Show how to scrub every area well and teach how long it is necessary to break down germs and viruses.
- How long cleaner should be on surfaces before it is sanitary. Some cleansers act immediately while others require a longer period of time to break down germs.
- What chemicals should not be mixed and which work for what purposes around the home.
- How to do tasks with limited contact. Things like how to bring in groceries without touching a lot of surfaces. Basic tips for doing things in an orderly fashion to prevent cross-contamination.
- General household cleaning standards.
How to Plant a Garden
Gardens equal food, and that is ultimately one of the most important parts of survival. Even if you do not have a large amount of space to work with, you can easily plant a garden in things like planters, old containers, boxes, and small spaces. Teach your children how to plant a basic garden.
This includes teaching what vegetables are best for specific vitamin needs, and what areas of the country are best for growing different items. I like the idea of sharing how to create homemade compost as well in this tutorial. Show where to source seeds and how to properly store them and excess food year to year.
What Herbs Used for Medicinal Purposes
While I don’t rely on herbal medicine on a regular basis, I know that many herbs are ideal for different types of needs. It is a great idea to focus on learning more about what herbs are useful for basic things like stomach upset, headaches, fever, or pain. There are a ton of options that while not cures, can help with symptoms and help ease discomfort.
How to Make Food from Scratch
This list should include things like cooking dry beans, making homemade bread, creating basic seasoning blends, how to preserve foods and more. Cooking from scratch should already be taught to your children, but now is the time to talk about things in depth.
Teach them:
- How to know when meat is fresh or spoiled
- What the best ways for curing meats or storing them are for safe eating
- How to make a starter for bread or make bread rise without yeast
- Ways to make a thickener, sauce, or roux for adding to pasta and meats
- How to ferment vegetables or pickle items
- Basic substitutions and measurements for substitutions
Where to Find Clean Drinking Water
Clean drinking water is a must for survival. Sometimes, things happen and that tap water we depend upon just isn’t available. There are tons of options for cleaning water, and I highly recommend getting some of them and having them on hand. That said, you should focus on also teaching your children where to find clean drinking water, and what options there are for sanitizing and straining water when needed.
What Supplies to Always Have on Hand
Many people have been left without everyday needs. Now is the time to teach your children what supplies they should always keep on hand, and also what items are good substitutes.
Nobody likes to think about using cloth instead of toilet paper, but it is possible. Teaching your children about options they have is great, but also help them know what supplies they should always keep on hand. This includes things like basic cooking supplies, extra cleaning supplies, extra bottled water, batteries, and more.
If you like to be fully prepared, you may also consider getting a “bug out bag” as an option to keep on hand.
How to Build a Fire
Do your kids know how to safely and easily build a fire? Many don’t know how to build a fire. This is one survival skill that everyone needs to know. Take the time to teach your children how to build a fire using everyday items you have on hand. PRactice this safely throughout their childhood so when the need arises, they can do so for their own family.
Of course, in saying this, I remind you to do so under the utmost caution so that your children are not in any danger at any time.
Basic First Aid
First aid is a must. This includes everything from dressing a wound to knowing when to seek medical attention. I also encourage you to invest in CPR classes and a basic medic class with your local Red Cross. These skills are definitely needed and worth your time now for their safety later.
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Melissa is a football and soccer mom who has been married to her best friend for 24 years. She loves sharing recipes, travel reviews and tips that focus on helping busy families make memories.
