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Survival isn’t just an adult responsibility. Preppers and survivalists often embrace preparedness to protect their families, and that means ensuring everyone, including kids, has the skills they need to contribute during an emergency.
Picture this: you’re at work, or your kids are at school when an unexpected crisis hits. You want them to have the know-how to stay safe and manage on their own until you can reach them.
Here are essential survival skills to start teaching your children now
Basic First Aid
Kids don’t need to be medical experts, but having basic first aid skills can make a huge difference in an emergency. Teaching them how to clean and dress a wound, perform CPR, and recognize signs of common illnesses can empower them to act confidently when needed. These fundamental skills can help them take care of themselves or assist others until more help arrives.
Fire Safety
Knowing how to start and extinguish a fire safely and understanding basic fire safety rules is essential for staying warm and cooking in a survival situation. Teach kids how to use a magnesium stick and create a proper tinder bundle to get a fire going. Ensuring they know how to handle fire responsibly and put it out safely can make a big difference in an emergency.
How to Build a Shelter
Teaching kids how to build a simple shelter using natural materials can provide protection in an outdoor survival situation. They will love learning this skill.
Finding Safe Drinking Water
Kids need to be taught how to collect water and then how to purify it to make it safe for drinking. Make sure they understand how critical water is to their survival.
Navigating Using a Map and Compass
Teaching kids how to read a map and use a compass for basic navigation can be invaluable for helping them stay oriented and avoid getting lost. While many cellphones have a built-in compass, it’s important that kids know how to find north without one and use that knowledge to determine other directions. These basic navigation skills can boost their confidence and help them safely find their way in unfamiliar situations.
Basic Knot Tying
Learning how to tie different knots is useful for securing tents, making shelters, and various other survival tasks.
Signal for Help
Teach kids how to signal for help using a whistle, mirror, or smoke can be lifesaving if they’re lost or in danger. Teach them how to leave marks on a trail or trees to lead searchers to them.
Recognizing Edible Plants and Foods
Teaching kids how to identify safe, edible plants, fruits, and nuts is a crucial survival skill that can provide them with sustenance in the wild. This knowledge is essential to prevent them from consuming something poisonous out of desperation. Ensuring they can distinguish between safe and harmful plants can make a significant difference in their safety and well-being during an emergency.
Staying Dry
Understanding how to keep clothes and gear dry in wet conditions is essential for preventing hypothermia. It’s important for kids to know that staying out of water when possible is key. If they do get wet, they should be taught to change out of wet clothes as soon as possible and find a way to dry off and warm up. These basic steps can help them stay safe in challenging weather conditions.
Basic Animal Safety
Teaching kids how to stay safe around wildlife is crucial for their well-being. This includes understanding which animals to avoid and knowing the right actions to take if they encounter an animal. Learning how to read animal behavior, stay calm, and respond appropriately can help prevent dangerous situations and keep them safe in the wild.
Understanding Weather
Kids should be taught how to read the weather. They should be able to identify clouds that indicate a storm. Teach them what to do in case of a tornado or thunderstorm.
How to Make a Safe Water Filter
Teach kids how to make a crude water filter in case they don’t have a way to boil water or a filtering method.
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