Kids prepping skills

Kids prepping skillsPrepping skills to teach your kids

Survival skills your child should knowKids are in a habitual state of learning, just by being kids. By 
nature, skill building is in their bones and so it's easy to teach 
your kids prepping skills so that in the event of an emergency 
they are not victims, but active participants in their own 
survival.

Don't coax your kids into the world of prepping, but simply to 
give them some background and provide essential prepping skills for their survival. As the children grow, you can build on 
the skills taught so they have a fighting chance in the event 
you are not able to lead them through the emergency. Skill 
building will give them a sense of independence and self-
reliance. Below are dozens of prepping skills and activities to 
teach children...
Prepping skills to teach your kids
Prepping Skill #1: Teach kids water survival skills.Water is life, which is why ultimately it's important to teach 
kids how to locate water, how to open a bottle of water, and 
how to filter water.

Water is compulsory to survival and yet an overlooked detail. 
The seal of water bottles is often too tight for young children 
to open by themselves; however, with the aid of a grip as 
leverage your child can break the seal. Be sure to provide the 
whereabouts of your water filtration gear and offer a simple 
demonstration to your child on water filtration.

Expressly, show your child how to add more water to the Big 
Berkey water filter, how to use a Lifestraw or water purification 
tablets, and how to tap the water reserves. Most importantly, 
provide clear instruction to kids of water which is unsafe to 
drink, such as flood water or pool water which has not been 
filtered. Not sure yourself about the water?

• Here are Seven Survival Lessons about Water.
  

While you're at it: teach the kids how to swim in water!
Prepping Skill #2: Teach kids to use a manual can 
opener.For some kids it's a physical challenge to open a can, but it is 
comforting knowing your child can do it. Explain how anything 
inside the can is safe to eat without cooking (even though it 
might not taste as good). Kids need to know also about can 
safety. For example, they must not to eat from cans that are 
bulging, dented, or corroded (because of botulism risks) or cans 
that otherwise compromised, such as cans in floodwaters or 
cans which may have rat droppings or urine on them.
Prepping Skill #3: Teach kids to light a match.Parents often hide the matches from their kids, Provide 
supervised instruction on lighting a match into a bucket of 
water. Be sure to discuss the safety and importance of tying 
hair and loose clothing. Most kids know the stop, drop and roll 
method of extinguishing flames to clothing: quiz your child and 
have him or her demonstrate knowledge!

Firebuilding is one of the most fundamental skills to teach your 
kids, and it starts with lighting a match.
Prepping Skill #4 to teach kids: build a basic fire.There are many prepping skills to teach your kids, but one of 
the most fundamental skills you can teach a kid is to start a 
fire (and to put one out). Kids will want to dump water on the 
fire, but they should sprinkle it out.

Schools often do a good job of holding fire drills to teach kids 
about fire safety, but they don't teach kids how to build a fire. 
That's the job of a prepper! As your child's guardian and as a 
prepper, you must instill a healthy respect of fire. This 
understanding will teach your child more about fire safety than 
his peers may know.Here's how to build a healthy respect for 
fire...

It doesn't matter the firebuilding method you choose as long as 
you provide a lesson on firebuilding. Discuss the importance of 
a fire ring for containment and the proper tools such as having 
a bucket of water on hand. Physically show your child tinder 
(fluffy stuff they can touch with their fingertips), Kindling (bits 
of twigs they can bunch in one hand), and Fuel (logs they can 
carry under the arm).
Prepping Skill #5 to teach kids: how to stay warm.You may not be ready to teach your child how to operate the 
cook stove, but does your child know how to run the generator? 
Older and highly responsible children may graduate to lessons 
on how to safely slit wood with an axe to help fuel the fire.
Prepping Skill #6: to teach kids: how to handle a 
knife.Teach kids how to use a knife safely to cut food (so they don't 
cut off their fingers). Give your child a scouting pocket knife 
and teach him or her how to whittle.
Prepping Skill #7: Teach kids: bartering.Have your child make do with available resources and learn the 
art of bartering. Bartering is not only a  prepper skill, but a

• Watch the video "One Red PaperClip" which provides all the inspiration you need. When you watch the video you will understand how one young man took one red paperclip and traded up until he was able to get himself a house. It's an amazing story and worth sharing with everyone you meet. Many famous people have said it, including Tennis Player Arthur Ashe.
  

Prepping Skill #8: Teach kids to ride a horse or bike.Your budding little equestrian may have learned a thing or two 
at horse camp which would help an end of times EMP scenario. 
Perhaps your child may someday need to ride to the closest 
town get medical help.

Any kid should learn how to ride a bike, as it just may be the 
bugout vehicle!
Prepping Skill #9: to teach kids: Basic navigation.Provide your child with basic navigational information about key 
landmarks in your area along with a general idea of North, 
South, East and West. If your child attends a public school, 
officials will likely not release your child to walk home alone 
following a disaster; however it's a good idea to have a 
contingency plan. Does your child know the route home to 
safety? Take a family hike and walk or bike home from school. 
After completion, graduate to a night walk! In the event of a 
catastrophe, does your child know the route and alternate 
routes to a family meeting place in the event your home no 
longer exists?
Prepping Skill #10 to teach kids: Self defense.Martial arts is very suited for children, and it helps build self-
confidence as well if you are not ready to teach the kids about 
firearms.
Prepping Skill #11 to teach kids: Security.Firearms training for kids might not be right for every family, 
but you can certainly teach your child to target as with archery, 
sling shots or a home made bow and arrow. Other options 
might be paint ball or BB-guns. These skills will also be useful 
for hunting.
Prepping Skill 12 to teach kids: Hunting, fishing, 
archery.Teach kids how to use fishing poles and equipment, plus sling 
shots, BB guns, archery for small game hunting.
Prepping Skill #13 to teach kids: Simple first aid.Scouting handbooks provide basics for young children. Red 
Cross also offers many classes. As well, you can teach the 
basics of cleaning a wound and apply the proper dressings and 
bandages. You can also practice making an arm sling from a 
large sheet (tying and arm sling is more difficult than it appears.)
Prepping Skill #14 to teach kids: Going incognito!Keeping quiet is an important prepper skill. Teach your children 
all the safe spots to hide on your homestead. American Sign 
Language is fun to learn and may prove extremely useful if 
gangs threaten the homestead as a family could instruct one 
another silently to plan an attack or escape.
Prepping Skill #15 to teach kids: Communications.Give the kids a two-wave radio and show them how to operate 
and load the batteries. Teach your children some family safe 
words or learn American Sign Language as a family to be able 
to communicate silently.
Prepping Skill #16 to teach kids: Crafting with 
Paracord.You'll find a variety of paracord kits available to help kids get 
into crafting with paracord, such things as survival bracelets, 
belts, and lanyards. Boys and girls will appreciate the skill and 
you'll feel good knowing they have a good way of spending 
their time. Learn more about paracord as a hobby.
Prepping Skill #17 to teach kids: How to use a 
bandanna.Every scout has a bandanna or two and with good reason.

• We've compiled a list of 32+ uses for a bandanna, you'll have fun teaching the kids about bandannas.
  

Prepping Skill #18 to teach kids: Saving money.Make a mason jar coin banks and teach the value of a penny 
saved is a penny earned. Kids will enjoy it if you glue a small 
plastic figure on the inside of the jar. As coins fill the jar, the 
figure disappears. The slitted mason jar cap, pictured 
immediate right, gives you a head start.
Prepping Skill #19 to teach kids: Forage for food.Take a walk in the neighborhood with the kids to find food in 
the wild or planted by man. Perhaps you'll spy onions, 
pomegranates, apricots, oranges within reach in neighboring 
gardens. Knowing how to recognize food is a skill. You may like 
to teach the kids that good times we pick with permission, in 
starvation times we do what we can to survive.
Prepping Skill #20 to teach kids: Sewing, knitting 
and crocheting.All are valuable skills to fix things and make new ones. 
Extremely gifted children enjoy these skills in particular as it is 
enriching beyond textbook studies.
Prepping Skill #21 to teach kids: Camping.Take the kids camping, or set up a backyard camping 
adventure. Teach kids how to pitch a tent, wash the dishes, 
tend to the fire, and cook outdoors.
Prepping Skill #22 to teach kids: Gardening.Kids love getting dirty and what better way than to teach 
gardening. Small farm gardening, windowsill or greenhouse 
gardening, or Aquaponic Gardening.

• Radishes are extremely easy to grow and they can appear as quickly as 18-21 days. Try growing radishes with kids.
  

• Sprouts also have a short window for growth, which make them an excellent project with kids.
  

Prepping Skill #23: Solar Cooking.Teach kids the science of cooking with the sun using the solar 
cooker science kit right. Have fun cooking a hot dog from 
cardboard after constructing the simple and fun to use kit for 
kids. Adults will have just as much fun. Try solar cooking with 
the scouts or as part of a homeschooling projects!
Prepping Skill #24: Construction.Does your child know how to safely hit a nail with a hammer? 
Teach your children how to safely use all the equipment in your 
garage.
Prepping Skill #25: Safety awareness.

• Alarms: Make sure your child knows the difference between a smoke alarm and the burglary alarm.
  

• Drills: Your kids may hold regular fire drills, earthquake drills, tornado drills or hurricane drills at school, but do they know the routine at home? In case you have a sitter or guests in the home, they can help show the way to safety. Regular drills are part of everyday preparedness. As a prepper, your child should also know to grab sturdy shoes along with his or her bugout bag.
  

• Situational awareness. Teach kids to look around and ask them what they see on outings.  Is that a safe and friendly dog? Look at the tail. If it's wagging, you can get a good feeling that the dog is friendly. Is the dog stiff with ears up? Teeth flaring? Talk about situations with your kids, including the kinds of animals and people to trust and not trust.
  

You are your child's best teacher! To begin prepping with your 
kids, tell them why you prep. Ensuring your child would have 
enough to eat may have been the original inspiration for you 
when you started your prepping quest, but as the economy or 
other global crisis ensues, your prepping plans may have 
changed. Whatever your personal motivation, it's important to 
start by sharing. Show them you care because you prepare!

Happy endings...
Get started prepping with kids today. Whether you home school 
your children or grandchildren, or whether you have a younger 
sibling, cousin, niece or nephew who would benefit from 
learning prepping skills from you, now is the time to start. If 
you are a scout leader, then you can ensure the kids in your 
troop have survival skills and can help them teach their 
families survive. Prepping with kids is fun and rewarding.

Source: http://www.happypreppers.com/kids-prepping-skills.html