In life one should always be prepared, especially in the modern world when new threats can present themselves every day regardless of your location – be it school, college, office, home, etc. Any day we may encounter a risk of natural or man-made disaster, be forced to act on our feet, seek shelter and only rely on our own wits and resources we have on hand. This is why everyone should always have a basic survival kit on hand, stocked with essential items that can make a difference between a good and a bad day.
This is especially true for kids, and a survival kit for high school is important as they spend every day surrounded by people and separated from adults they can really trust to offer help if the need arises. Also, when it comes to non-life-threatening situations, many kids and teens don’t feel comfortable asking for help, so providing them with some basic preparedness items they may need on a daily basis will go a long way in making them feel more self-sufficient and ready for any occasion. Read below to find out the best tips on what to put in your kid’s survival bag.
How a survival kit for high school Differs from an adult one
The first thing we should note about a kid’s survival kit before starting to discuss its contents is its size. Most survival kits for adults are larger than the kid’s ones for a few reasons.
Firstly, adult survival kits are usually intended to be stored and transported in a car (go bag), allowing them to be substantially bigger, thus being able to include more items such as a space blanket, mug, Paracord, etc. On the other hand, a kid’s survival kit should be small enough to fit into a backpack or purse.
Secondly, there are usually certain restrictions when it comes to items allowed at the school or university, which you should consult before putting together your kids survival kit. For example, most schools don’t allow knives, so for the purpose of this article, they will not be mentioned. However, you should check the rules in your area and adjust the contents of your kid’s survival kit accordingly.
Having established that a survival kit for high school will likely be stored within a school bag, we should emphasize that it is best to choose a high-visibility pouch for such a purpose. The brightly colored kit will be easier to find within a bag, giving your kid faster access to it if the need occurs.
- Clamshell Design - Closed by double zippers with pulls, allowing you open up completely to the bottom. It has paracord inside which can be adjusted to either allow for a chest mounted "desk" platform or for fully open. Of course, you can remove it if not needed.
- High-Visibility & Moisture Resistant - 1,000-D Military grade fabric coated with DWR (Durable Water Repellent), reversed for protection and waterproof
- Two ways Zipper - High duty two-way zipper allow you quick open in an emergency.
- Dimension - 24 *19 *5cm / 9.7"L * 7.5"W * 2"T
- Stay Organized - Elastic Loops with Various Size (20 small + 6 medium + 2 large) for various handy gadgets, tools, devices.
One should keep in mind that the contents of the survival kit are largely dependent on their location and everyday practices, and should cover personal needs, so feel free to discard or add extra items onto the list as you see fit!
15 Must-Have Items in Kid’s Survival Kit
Without further ado, here is our list of 15 much-needed items every student should have on them if they wish to be prepared for an unexpected scenario:
- Basic medication. No survival kit for high school is complete without some rudimentary medication like pain relief pills, flu medicine, antibiotics, Band-Aids, etc. If your kid requires them, prescription meds are also a must-have.
- Survival whistle. A survival whistle can be handy in many situations, for example, if your kid gets stuck in various areas of the school, such as roof or elevator, needs to reveal their location, attract other people’s attention, or and ask for immediate assistance.
- Sunscreen. An item that can become a lifesaver, especially when your kid goes on a field trip or participates in other school-related outdoor activities, such as sports. If your kid spends much time outdoors, sunscreen becomes an A-list priority.
- Lighter. Universally accepted as a handy tool in any situation, a lighter can serve as a means to start a fire, light the way, prepare food, ward of predators, etc. It’s also very compact which makes it a staple in any survival kit.
- Flashlight. Besides helping you find a way in the dark, a good LED flashlight can be used to signal people for rescue, as well as blind your attacker. It is best to choose flashlights that use standard batteries, so it would be easier to find a replacement battery – schools may use them for the projector and TV remote controllers, clocks, etc.
- USB Portable Charger. It is needless to extensively explain why kids need a USB charger. 100% of modern kids and teenagers use cell phones for communication, and their charge usually lasts for about a day. Thus, if kids get stranded somewhere with no power to charge their phone they will be unable to call their parents or otherwise reach out for help. Having a charged phone will allow kids to assess the Internet whenever needed, during emergencies as well as for everyday studying.
- Small cable for charging. Thankfully, there are cable options today that take very little space. Get a small cable that fits your devices, and keep it with you at all times. This will eliminate the tangled mess of cables within your survival kit that would prevent you from using it effectively.
- Sharpie/marker. One should always have something for emergency writing on hand. It is better to opt for a sharpie rather than pen or pencil, as it allows writing on many surfaces besides paper, makes your message stand out more, and can’t be easily whipped away. Of course, you can also opt for a tactical pen which gives additional options.
- Small notebook. Having a very small notebook on hand is great for leaving emergency messages and communicating. It can also help you keep track of some important information without having to memorize it. Paper can also be used as a fire starter in emergencies.
- Thumb drive. Thumb drives, which take virtually no space are cheap. Having one on you may come in handy to transport useful information your kid could need in an emergency, copy and share files, store your school assignments, etc.
- Cash. It’s important to stash away a little emergency amount of cash that you don’t regularly use. This way if an emergency situation arises the kid will have extra means to buy food, get a ride home, etc.
- Scissors. Their usefulness in survival situations can not be overestimated. They can be applied as screwdrivers, weapons, a tool for grooming, cutting bandages, as well as for their regular purpose.
- Hand sanitizer. Lately, we are well aware of how crucial having hand sanitizers with you at all times is. A kid can use it to sterilize their hands and surfaces they use, as well as to sanitize cuts. Most sanitizers contain a high percentage of alcohol, which also makes an excellent emergency fire starter.
- Sanitary pads. Pads and other sanitary products are a must-have for all girls. One always runs out of them in the most inappropriate time, so having a small emergency stash can come a long way. Plus, it’s good practice to carry some at all times, even when not on the period, as your classmates or fellow students may need them too. Boys can discretely carry two small tampons which are useful as firestarters and blood stoppers.
- Multi-tool. If the rules of your kid’s school allow it, adding multi-tool to the mix is always a good idea. Kids can use it in a multitude of ways, determined by the type of tool you choose, so get one that seems most useful to you.
Equipped to Take the Day on
These basic tools will add to your kid’s safety and make them more prepared in case of emergency situations, without taking much room in their school bag. Choose compact, but useful and high-quality items for your kid’s emergency kit, and insist that they carry it with them at all times, so it’s always there when they need it!
About the Author: Kristin Savage is a freelance writer and blogger at https://subjecto.com/. Her main target audiences are college students and young professionals. She covers topics related to college life, academic success, and starting a career. She always provides her readers with actionable tips they can easily apply to solve their dilemmas and problems.