Useful Tips On Teaching Disaster Survival Skills To Kids

Disaster can stuck anywhere at any time. There is no announcement on the radio that something is going to happen and there may be times when your child is away from home during a disaster. It is also possible that you may not be able to locate your child and he or she has to survive and remain safe till it’s safe.

While it is true that you can never plan for all the possibilities, it is important that you teach some survival skills to your kids to ensure that they can survive a disaster and emerge stronger. If you don’t know how to go about it, here are a few tips on how to teach your kids to survive a disaster.

One of the most important skills that are required to survive in a disaster is situational awareness. It won’t be wrong to say that it can literally be the difference between life and death for some people. Kids who have never been outdoors or spend all their free time playing video games usually do not have good situational awareness skills.

The best way to sharpen their skills is to involve them in some outdoor games such as ISpy or a game to note down the license plates of the cars on the road. All these games teach them to pay attention to the details. In other words, they learn that it’s important to pay attention to little things to make out the big picture.

Another important thing you need to teach your kids is evacuation plans after a disaster. If your kid is not with you, she will have to reach home or some other pre-decided place on her own. Keep in mind that kids may panic easily and therefore, it is important to give them explicit directions to allow them to figure out their surroundings and take the next step accordingly.

Most of the kids and teens today spend most of their free time on TV, browsing online or chatting online. In other words, the kids of today are connected to the grid 24 x 7. While there are a number of advantages of being connected, the truth is that it does not prepare kids for a disaster situation. Therefore, the best way to teach them things about disaster is to have them spend a weekend off the grid.

It is not necessary to take them out in the jungle to let them experience such a situation. You simply need to pick a comfortable weekend. Simply switch off the main electrical breaker and you have an off the grid weekend. It will be fun for the kids if you plan the weekend around a theme such preparing for a hurricane or some other activity.

Ask your kids to plan all the necessary supplies including water and lighting to get through the weekend with some comfort. Your kids are definitely going to to enjoy such challenges and it is the right time to teach them about the importance of various necessities in life that everyone takes for granted these days.

Another way to teach skills to your kids is to take them outside and tell them about wild edible plants. Many wild vegetables are easy to identify and abundant during the summer months. So, take your kids outside and teach them all about various berries and other vegetables that they can safely eat.

Try to make the activities interesting by asking them to make a drawing of the plant as this will force them to take a closer look. This will also help them in retaining information. Just start small and keep doing it on a regular basis.

While trees are all around the kids, the truth is that most of the kids or for that matter, adults won’t be able to identify the trees surrounding them. You should teach about the species of trees to your kids in case you are aware of the species. If you don’t know anything about the trees, hire the services of a tree guide and learn along with your kids.

It will also show your kids how important it is to keep learning continuously. While teaching them about the tree species, you should also teach them about the uses of various trees and how various things that they use daily are made from trees.

Almost all the kids carry smart phones these days. One of the most important functions of smart phones is that they are also a GPS receiver. You should teach your kids about using the GPS system for getting home in the event of a disaster. Try to make it as simple as possible for them as they may panic while dealing with such a situation. Since it is easy for kids to pick up on technology, they will not only find it easy but also fun.

Needless to say, your kid should be physically fit. However, this is easier said than done. Many research studies have reported that more than a third of the American children are obese and the problem is growing at a fast pace. In fact, the problem of obesity has spread all throughout the world due to dependence on sugary and salty food and beverages.

However, your kid needs to be physically fit to be able to survive a disaster and remain safe. So, make sure that they understand the importance of being physically fit.

Another important survival skill for kids is to know how to use citizens band radio. In case you have a radio in the house or in the car, you should teach your kids how to use it. Many emergency vehicles as well as commercial trucks carry such radios. Learning to use these will allow them to call for help in the event of a disaster.

These are some of the tips that you can use to teach your kids how to survive during a disaster. It is important to keep in mind that survival skills are learned continuously. Also, kids learn best from parents and if you involve your kids in survival preparedness activities, your kids will automatically start learning important survival skills at a young age.