Having a child in a dangerous situation is every parent’s nightmare. There might come a time, however, when your child will need to survive on his or her own before help arrives. This could happen if they get separated from the group they are with while hiking or camping. It might include having a parent incapacitated during a medical emergency. It could also involve being cut off from you when a natural disaster occurs.
As parents, it is critical to teach your kids important skills because their lives could depend on it. Even young children can be taught what to do when they become lost and cannot find you. Here are five essential skills to teach your children:
Stay Put – If your child becomes lost and cannot find a parent nearby, their first instinct will be to go looking for them. However, this makes the child harder to find so they need to know that they need to stay put. Although children have a natural tendency to wonder off, begin instilling in them the principle of sitting and waiting when lost while they are at an early age.
Finding or Building Shelter – Finding or building a shelter is critical for kids to know in order to survive by themselves. Parents can teach kids how to make basic shelters including lean-tos or huts out of leaves. This activity can be particularly fun for kids!
How to Start a Fire – We normally discourage our children from playing with fire but in a survival situation, having a fire is key to staying warm and keeping hypothermia at bay. With supervision, older children can learn how to start a fire using matches, fire starting tools, or just rubbing two pieces of wood together. Be sure that you children know this is for emergencies only. Children can also stay warm by making sure they are packing additional layers of clothing on outdoor excursions.
Signaling for Help – If a child becomes lost in the woods or is cut off in a natural disaster, he or she needs to know how to signal for help. Calling 911 is perfect when phones are working but what if the electricity is out? Teach your children to use whistles, a bright bandanna, or markings on buildings and trees to signal rescuers.
Situational Awareness – For all age groups, it is important to be aware of what is happening around you but it is even more essential for children. They need situational awareness just to avoid getting into risky settings. Playing different games with children can be a great way to increase their situational awareness.
Many of these skills can be learned by taking part in survival workshops or even family survival courses. Check your local area for what is available. It will also be helpful to have your kids carry a survival pack when outdoors. Items to include in pack for children might be a safety whistle, a bandanna, a light stick, zip-loc bags, a small first aid kit, a water bottle, and energy bars.