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

5 Simple Survival Skills To Teach Your Kids

If you’re lucky, smart, and prepare ahead of time, most of us won’t find ourselves in a desperate survival situation.

But, if you do something dumb, or forgot (or lost) some important gear, or are just dang unlucky that day, you may find yourself in some serious trouble.

Your kids can much more easily find themselves in these same situations.

This is especially true for us country folks. When your back yard is 40 acres of woods that all look the same to a 10 year old, it’s actually pretty easy to get lost by playing around outside.

Five Easy Survival Skills Your Kids Can Learn

When in these situations it is important to know some basic skills so that you can survive long enough to be rescued. There are 5 basic survival skills that everyone should know…

They are: your mindset, how to find water, building shelter, building a fire, and making sure you have a food source.

Mindset

It’s been said that in a survival situation you can live 3 weeks without food, 3 days without water, 3 minutes without air, and 3 seconds without a clear mind.

If you are caught in a situation where you actually need your survival skills, the most important of all will be your attitude.

By attitude I mean you have to feel like you will survive and keep your wits about you. You need a clear mind and a “I’m getting out of this” mindset. If you start to feel like you’ll never get rescued, you panic and do dumb stuff.

Even more so for a child.

Survival situations will call on your primal instincts, those instincts are mostly driven by fear, love, and anger. A few learned skills will see you through most any tough spot, but not if you’re freaking out or have no hope.

Water

Remember that whole three thing? Three days without water is a maximum for most because they are already dehydrated.

The funny thing is you’re stomach will scream for food after just a few hours and you’ll feel like crap (mostly from the sugar crash), but food is one of the last priorities. You’ll be just fine without eating for weeks.

Focus on water. Find it, purify it, drink it, and store it for later. The first thing to know is that water naturally will run downhill, so that is where you will find it.

You may also find that following a water source will eventually lead to some form of civilization. This is a blanket statement and not always true, but generally it can help if you have absolutely no idea where else to go.

Also you need to be aware of animal tracks. You can often follow tracks right to a water source. Animals need water just as much as you do to survive, and they will know of any available water sources.

Make sure your water is “clean” before drinking, or at least learn how to properly boil water (yes, there is a wrong way) before going out.

Shelter

If you believe that you will have to overnight before being rescued the next order of business is to get a shelter built.

Now, it can be a toss up between whether fire or shelter is more important. If you have time build both, but if it going to be dark soon you’ll have to make a judgement call based on your situation. For instance if it’s very windy or might rain, shelter is your first choice. But if it’s a nice 70F night you may want to focus on a fire first because anyone looking for you could see and smell the fire too.

Usually it’s worth at least taking 30 minutes to make a thick layer of leaves into a bed so you don’t lose insane amounts of body heat from direct contact with the ground before considering a fire.

Your shelter does not have to be a mansion, but something substantive enough to keep the elements like rain, snow, and wind off you is important. At least a bed of leaves or broken tree boughs on the ground will let you keep your body heat.

You should build your shelter with just enough room to lie down. Your body heat will help keep your shelter warm, so the smaller the space the warmer it will be.

Conserve valuable energy by making your shelter as simple as possible.

Fire

Fire is an important skill because losing body heat can kill you just as quickly as lack of water. Building a fire will also help signal your location and may be needed to purify water and cook once you find a food source.

The most important part of building a fire is the location. You will want your fire to be as small as possible so that it uses minimal fuel.

The fire needs to be located in a place where the wind will not blow directly on it; typically a large boulder works well in this situation.

You will need tinder, kindling, and logs.

The tinder is tiny and fluffy, and will spark the fire into life. Old, dry grass makes great tinder.

Kindling are pencil sized pieces of wood that will build some real flames. Leaves and pine straw can also help the kindling along, but they burn so quickly you’ll have a hard time getting larger logs to ignite without some actual wood kindling. Start with the smallest pieces and work your way up to finger sized pieces.

Logs about the size of your lower arm are your main source of fuel for your fire. They should be dead and dry, but not rotten. Collect as much as you think you’ll need, then get 3x that much. Everyone always greatly underestimates how much wood they need for a night.

Don’t just throw the logs on every which way either, cross them or lay one end on top of another so that air can flow.

Food

Keeping your energy up is important, you will be burning a lot more calories than you are used to burning. Thy won’t just be sitting around on a couch all day. All this survival stuff is hard work.

The thing about food is, if you don’t know what it is then don’t eat it! Contrary to popular belief, plants are not your best avenue in a survival situation.

If you do not know exactly what you are doing you can actually end up poisoning yourself for a measly 10 calories. Plants have very few calories and the risk is never worth it unless you are 9000% sure.

There are some food sources that are a sure bet, but unless you think it will be days or weeks without rescue you’re better off forgetting food.

Any mammal that has fur is edible and will provide good nutrients, but catching them is another story. All insects, the six-legged variety, are edible as well, but not appealing at all. You can eat the dang worms, but don’t expect to like it.

Parents, Be A Sneaky Teacher

Make an effort to turn every camping trip and day hike into a learning experience. If your kids come back with just one new skill you’ve accomplished a lot.

We all know the honest truth is if you can even get your tween and teenage kids to look up from their phones you’ve accomplished something.

That’s why you have to do two things. First, ban all electronics. Make sure the phones are cut off. Secondly, teach without being obvious. Kids want to have fun, and kids tired from a hike want a couch more than anything else.

Learning how to drink river water without pooping your pants isn’t very fun to most kids. This is when you can be sneaky and drop in some little lessons along the way. If you make a big deal about teaching them the day might feel more like a school lesson and your kids will zone out.

A walk in the woods can easily become a lesson just by pointing out a few things or demonstrating some skill, like stopping at the steam to show them how to use a water filter, or how to build a proper campfire that night, or even how to set up a simply tarp shelter to block the wind.

Show Them The Landmarks

Make your kids aware of his or her surroundings while they’re with you.

Say things like, “That’s a big hill over there” or “Did you know the lake is down by those oak trees to your left?”.

Don’t be annoying with it, but a quick comment every now and then will help them stay oriented and teach them to keep an eye out. Before you know it they’ll be pointing landmarks out to you.

Pointing out landmarks and obvious features isn’t just for camping trips either. This can be especially important if you’re walking in your own back woods (or down city streets) as they will quickly learn what to look for if they wonder off one day.

Don’t be afraid to start young either. You can point out landmarks as young as 4 or 5 and slowly go from there into more advanced survival skills as your child grows up.

Make An Easy (And Cheap) Kids Survival Kit

Give your kids their own mini survival kit. You’ll have to make one yourself, so it’s a good family project and a learning experience all in one.

You can even suggest your kids give a survival kit as a gift to their friends. Hopefully this will help your kids grow up with buddies fully aware and just as prepared as they are for any emergency.

A kids kit is essentially a simplified and lightweight adult kit with maybe no fixed blade knife. Here’s a list of some basic things to include in the kit:

1. Mini first aid kit– This box should be kept in the kit and the child should also be taught how to use all of it. You can fill the box with a few bandages, gauze, some cotton, scissors, a few swabs of cotton dabbed in alcohol that’s packed, some cough drops and a pair of gloves would be a nice idea too. If you want you can also add a few safety pins, a sanitizer, a bit of string, and Q-tips. Teenage girls might also want to add a few personal items too.

2. Fire starter kit- One of the most important survival kits, but also not to be trusted with younger kids. You can teach your kids how to use a basic lighter, or something more complicated like a flint and steel, or maybe some simple waterproof matches for small fingers that may have trouble with a lighter. Make sure you emphasize to them the importance of personal safety and teach them what the word “arson” means.

3. Water purifier– This should also be taught to your kids. Don’t assume they’ll understand how it works or how to keep the “clean” end clean so they can have reasonably safe drinking water. An empty bottle, preferably stainless, should be in the kit too for boiling.

4. Compass and a topo map- With the knowledge of how to read both and locate themselves should be provided to all your kids. Mark any known points of civilization, such as your weekend campsite, on the map yourself so your kids know exactly where to go. Teach them how to spot landmarks and how to follow a straight line up hilly terrain.

Final Thoughts

Your mindset, finding water, finding shelter, building a fire, and foraging for food are 5 basic survival skills that we should all know at any age. 150 years ago we all knew these things, but now they must be learned on purpose. These skills, combined with some basic tools, can be the difference in your ability to make it out of a tough situation alive.

The best gift you can give your kids is to make them self sufficient and independent while they’re still young with a mind for nature and prepping for the unknown. In times of a crisis or an emergency, their survival training and true grit will decide if you get to ever tuck them in bed again. Make sure you do your part.

Source: https://besurvival.com/guides/5-simple-survival-skills-to-teach-your-kids

Survival Skills To Teach Your Kids During Summer Break

School days are winding down, so now is the time to start making summer plans to keep kids busy. So why not teach them some survival skills?

With summer quickly approaching, you are probably already starting to think of things to keep them busy and entertained during the summer.

You are probably like me and don’t want them glued to a TV or playing some video game for hours on end.

You probably want them to learn, explore and get off their butts and do something. Well I have the perfect solution for you: Teach them some survival skills.

Most of these are important lessons that younger generations are not learning anymore, which is a crying shame if you ask me.

Some of these suggestion could even possibly be skills that they find they enjoy and pursue that as a career one day.

And since they are out of school and they don’t have to worry with homework and studying, this will be the perfect time to get out and do some of these survival projects and learn some skills that one day may save their lives.

Activities To Do During The Summer

Go Camping – Camping is a great family fun way to enjoy each other’s company while your kids are inadvertently learning great survival skills and learning how to live in the wilderness if need be when the SHTF.

Go Off Grid – This is great for older kids, teens, and adults especially. Have a whole day with no cell phones, no internet, no TV, and even no electricity. Don’t order out and sleep through the whole day either. Try to play games and come up with dinner without power. This is a good way for kids to learn that they can live without all those electronics. Also, try incorporating this with your camping trip for an even better learning experience.

Go Over What To Do In A Disaster – Write out plans of what to do in different disasters. Remember to add details like what to do if you are home and where you should meet up with other family members. Also remember natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes.

Build A Basic Shelter – Teach your kids how to make a shelter using sticks, grass, paracord and other materials. They will love having a little ‘fort’ to play in for a while.

Learn To Store & Preserve Foods – Make your own jams and jellies, ketchups and BBQ sauces by canning them together. Kids will love to try their very own condiments. Teach them how to properly store food and water.

Read Children’s Survival Books – This will improve their knowledge about what needs to be done in a crisis. It’ll help prepare them for when the SHTF.

Plant A Small Garden – Heck, it doesn’t need to even be a garden. Just plant a vegetables in a planter if you want. Teach them to know when it needs watering and how to know it is ready to be picked.

Make Your Own Bug Out Bags – Skim through this list for items you may need for your bug out bags. If you already have a bug out bag go through it to test and check everything like flashlights and other battery powered items and check clothing items you have to make sure it still works, fits and etc.

Practice Some Archery – Build a bow or buy a bow and some arrows and have at it. Teach your kids how to aim and focus on the target. Always have someone to  supervise though!

Build Food Buckets – They will get a kick out of making these survival buckets.

Go Fishing – Going to the lake or pond and fishing is the ultimate way to start the summer. Older kids may like to try survival fishing with some fishing line and a hook. Get them to try to find something to make a fishing pole like a stick or a tree limb. Younger kids can be taught how to tie knots and flip over rocks to find worms and bugs for tackle. Try to teach them to feel when they get a nibble since in a survival situation you are more than likely not going to have a bobber.

Get Water From Trees – They will love to see a demonstration about how to get water out of a tree. Here’s a handy guide that will show them.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few things you can do with your kids during the summer to teach and prepare them for disasters.

A lot of these are skills that they should learn anyways but this is doing it in a fun exciting way to keep their attention and teach them without them knowing. Make it fun and exciting.

Source: https://besurvival.com/guides/survival-skills-to-teach-your-kids-during-summer-break