Wilderness Survival Kits Kids Can Make
Emergency Survival Kits Kids can use in Camping and Outdoor Survival
Oct 9, 2009
Small, light weight, and easily portable these mini survival kits are inexpensive to create. All seven outdoor survival kits can easily be carried in the pockets of a pair of trail pants, a jacket or backpack. Teaching kids how to use the items in their camping survival kit before they hit the trail provides a fun opportunity to teach survival skills in a fun, safe environment.
Mini Survival Kit-First Aid
A recycled altoids box or similarly sized metal box makes a sturdy container to hold a variety of first aid supplies. Fill the box with two standard sized band-aids, a butterfly bandage, two individually packaged alcohol swabs, a two inch individually packaged gauze pad, a strip of gauze, some string, a pair of latex gloves, a strip of mole skin, some q-tips, some safety pins, metal tweezers, scissors, and one or two cough drops. If working with older students consider including individually packaged pain killers.
As the students receive each item to place it the kit explain what the item is and how it is to be used in a first aid situation. Give the students an opportunity to role play different types of first aid using the supplies on hand.
Personal Survival Kit-Fire Starter
Use a small metal box or other light weight tight container to hold the fire starter, a small metal aspirin box works well. Use Vaseline and completely cover the cotton ball. Place the cotton ball in the metal box. The petroleum jelly in the Vaseline is water resistant so the fire starter will still work even if the kit isn’t waterproof. Teach the kids how to make a fire. If possible teach the kids how to use a metal match and survival knife to create a spark as a part of this learning experience.
Emergency Survival Kit-Water Purifier
Use a survival knife to cut the upper part off of the top of a water bottle then puncture a few holes in the bottom of the bottle. Fill the bottle with a layer of grass, then sand or soil, charcoal, sand or soil again and finally a second layer of grass. Place the water bottle in a container to catch the filtered water. Pour water into the bottle and let it filter through. In the wilderness, grass and soil should be easy to find. Once a fire has been made the charcoal from the fire can be used to make the water filter.
Edible Foods Dictionary
Take the kids on an edible foods hike. While out in the field take photographs of different species of edible plants. Let the kids eat the plants you find. Print multiple copies of the photographs that have been taken. A small inexpensive photo album works great to hold the photos. Have the kids write the name of the plant and identifying characteristics on a 3x5 card. Have the kids put the photos into the photo album with the 3x5 cards slipped in with the photo. Encourage the kids to continue to add more photos and descriptions on their own. Try to get photos of edible plants during different seasons.
Camping Survival Kit-Compass
An old plastic sewing kit or plastic screw box works well to hold the pieces for this home made survival compass. Provide each student with a needle. Have the students rub their needle 30 times moving the magnet from the eye end of the needle toward the point end each time. The needle is now magnetized. Cut a piece of cork from a bottle about ½ inch thick. Carefully push the needle through the cork so that it will be parallel to the water. Fill a container with water and place the cork and needle in the water. The needle will point north.
Teach the kids a mnemonic like Never Eat Soggy Waffles to help them remember the four directions of a compass. Create an orienteering course for the kids to navigate using their home made compasses.
Survival Fishing Kit
An old medicine bottle or film canister works well to hold the supplies needed to make a fishing kit. Inside each kit place six feet of fishing line and five or six safety pins. Once the supplies are in the kit it is ready to go. However take the time to let the kids make a fishing line and if possible, let them go fishing! To make a fishing line the kids will need to find a small rock that works as a weight. Tie one end of the line around the rock. Tie the safety pins on the fishing line about 4 inches apart. Look under logs or rocks to find some bait, insects, grubs, or worms make great bait. Once the kids have found some bait hook them onto the safety pins. Carefully place the rock into a small stream and tie it to a nearby branch or plant. Make sure the plant has good roots. Come back in a few hours and check to see if any fish have been caught.
Cat Stove
Use a church-key can opener to cut six evenly spaced holes from the inside out of a clean 3oz cat food can. Line the inside of the can with fiberglass material .02 inches thick and no higher than the holes. This is the burner of the stove. Use the can opener to cut six evenly spaced holes from the outside in of a clean 5.5 cat food can. Use the can opener to cut a hole in the bottom of the can about 1.7 inches in diameter. This is the wind jacket of the stove. Carefully place the burner inside the wind jacket. Pour 3-4 teaspoons of denatured alcohol into the burner of the stove, light with a match. Wait 30 seconds then place a cooking pot with water on the stove to heat.
Make sure the students understand the safety issues involved when cooking with fire. This stove will bring 2 cups of water to boil in less than 4 minutes. Encourage class discussion about the safety and uses of an alcohol burning stove.
Once all of the kits have been made take the kids on an outdoor adventure either for a day trip or overnight. Give them an opportunity to use the kits in mock survival situations. Repetitive use of survival skills in practice situations help to reinforce the knowledge learned.
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