Fun Activities

For most families, getting excited about prepping may be difficult. Most people in your family may see it as unnecessary, while the young ones may be scared of the idea that something could go wrong, forcing them to leave everything behind. Others may be so overwhelmed that they don’t know where to get started and often quit before getting their toes wet. Even a little bit of preparedness can make a tremendous difference in a disaster. Here are some fun activities that you can do with your family to encourage them to get into the prepping spirit with you.

Bugout Camping

Bugout Camping is when you go camping with just your bug-out bag. These practice runs are helpful in getting you used to your bug-out bag. It can be a great learning experience, as it will show you what is important and what isn’t, eliminating unnecessary weight. It can also get you familiar with how heavy it is, so you know if you can carry it or not for long periods of time. If you forget something, you’ll know right away, instead of in the middle of a disaster when you’ll need it more than ever. After every trip, get your family together to discuss everyone’s strengths and weaknesses for next time. To learn more about Bugout bags visit https://vocal.media/lifehack/packing-it-right.

Skill Contests

What better way to show off your survival skills than with a good old fashion contest! Take building a campfire, for example. Race to see who can get theirs going first, and who can keep theirs burning the longest. Give out prizes related to the skill in question like a nice zippo lighter for the person who can build one the fastest. You can use this for any survival skill like a foraging bag for the one who can find the most edible plants or a water-purifying straw for the person who finds clean drinking water the fastest. By giving away prizes, you will encourage others to take skill-learning seriously.

Scavenger Hunts

This is a fun way to find important survival supplies while shopping or at home. You can also use it to test your skills as well. For an outdoor scavenger hunt, you can include things like “finding a spot to pitch a tent” or “five edible berries”. If doing one at home has things that say, “3 items to lighten up your day during a blackout” or “a good hiding spot from a tornado.” For a store scavenger hunt, go for “3 days’ worth of your favorite canned fruit” or “Something for self-defense.” Just don’t be disruptive towards other shoppers and employees. You can also make clues into riddles like, “What gets wetter as it dries?”

The Bear Hospital

This activity is a fun way to learn basic first-aid skills. Getting hurt is a fact of life. Someone hurts themselves every 90 seconds. Whether it be a cut or a burn, first aid is one of the most valuable skills to learn. A good way to teach such skills is to use stuffed toys like teddy bears. In the beginning, you don’t want to practice on real-life people as some things can cause severe damage to them like an improper tourniquet. Have everyone dressed up as either a doctor or a nurse to treat wounded and injured plushies like they were humans.

Making A Town Map

This is a creative way to learn about where things are in your community. Roll out some brown paper across the kitchen table to draw out a homemade map of your town. Make sure to include important landmarks like playgrounds, the school (if nearby. If not, use the bus stop), the police station, the fire station, and where your in-town meeting location is. By drawing out a map, you can learn of alternative routes around town that will be helpful in an emergency. This can also teach your kids where safety spots are in town should they ever need help of some kind.