How to make a travel survival kit for your kids

• By Mary.A
• Vacations

Traveling with children is a challenge by itself. Considering kids are more sensitive than adults it is safe to assume you will need a survival kit for them as well. If your kids get bored easily, you should think about packing a lot of stuff that can keep them busy for some time. It is time you learned how to make a travel survival kit for your kids without murdering your wallet.

Set your kid's priorities straight
If you get lost, you'll need to provide shelter, warmth, food, first aid, and means to signal your location. This means you will have to carefully select items that are useful should you or your child get lost. You also need to teach your child how to safely use some of the items in their survival kit.

Providing shelter
You first need to figure out what does a kid need protection from: rain and low temperatures. A rain poncho is something light that offers enough protection against the rain. Include an emergency light and insulating blanket they can use to keep warm at night. It would also help the child feel safer. The rain poncho should go on top of the blanket.

Providing food
Most of us will feel safer and calmer when eating, and keeping a cool head is crucial to surviving. Include some snacks and hard candy, but don't forget water. Staying hydrated is equally important. Depending on the age of your child you might want to teach them some water gathering techniques as well as how to recognize berries that are safe to eat.

Signaling their location
This can be easily done with either a mirror, whistle, or flashlight. These items are lightweight, therefore consider including all three of them. Using the mirror will take a bit of training, and the same can be said about the flashlight. The whistle should be attached on a string around their neck, or on their clothes.

Providing first aid
Hopefully this will not be needed, but it is best to be prepared for any situation. Make sure the kit is not too heavy, and that your kid will not get injured more by using it. Teach them about how to use each item and about what they should do if they need more help than what  the kit provides.

Providing some entertainment
Kids can get easily bored, and some faster than others. Sure those Disney DVDs keep your kid out of your hair when you're at home busy doing something else, but they will be useless out in the wilderness. Instead choose to include a coloring book and some crayons, or any other toy they like playing with. Traditional toys have the advantage of further calming the young ones down while keeping them busy for a longer time.

Use a personalized bag
It is best to pack all these items in a bag your child likes, even if it means it has to have cartoon characters printed on it. Just imagine your kid getting separated from their bag and a rescue team finds it: you can be sure you're close to finding him or her.