{"id":2367,"date":"2019-04-04T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-04T22:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/?p=2367"},"modified":"2026-02-11T00:02:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T08:02:47","slug":"kidsbugoutbags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/kidsbugoutbags\/","title":{"rendered":"Bug Out Bags for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you have a Separate Bug Out Bag for your kids?<\/strong>During a crisis or disaster situation, one of your most important jobs you will have is to help your child feel as safe and secure as possible. Most people greatly underestimate the physical and emotional toll disasters can have on people, especially on young children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are some things you can do to safeguard their mental health.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something that I\u2019m a big proponent of, and something that I think helps give children a sense of security, is involving them in your preparedness planning as much as possible. That means talking to them in an age appropriate way about what you expect of them, what they should expect during a disaster, and also involving them in preparedness drills and training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preparing a dedicated survival bug out bag for your child.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One great way to make them feel like they have a voice, and a sense of power during times of crisis, is to give them their own dedicated bug out bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having their own child-sized Bug Out Bag, filled with familiar items and comfort foods, can be a real, life saver during an emergency. Just remember that a child\u2019s survival bag is going to be much different than the bags that you have prepared for yourself and your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With children, you\u2019re going to forgo most of the traditional survival gear you would think about when preparing an adult bag, and instead, comfort items will become a top priority in selecting items to fill the bag with. Having a backpack filled with comforting and familiar things can help ensure their overall mental health during a crisis or disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s start with the bag itself.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Don’t go crazy here; remember this bag is a supplemental bag for your kids so don’t do crazy buying fancy military bags or hiking backpacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Younger Kids:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We really like Deuter backpacks for kids<\/a>. They are a solid company that makes adult hiking packs, so you will find that hiking quality construction in their child\u2019s line. Plus, they look like something a younger kid would like to carry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Pre-Teens and Teenagers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For pre-teens and teenagers I recommend going with the classic JanSport Student Pack<\/a>. They are solid bags that will hold up,  plus I don\u2019t like kids walking around looking like they are carrying gear. These discrete bags are awesome; in fact, we even recommended them in our article for people looking for Discreet Bug Out Bags<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Items should go into a kid\u2019s bug out bag:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Kid<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What goes into the bag really depends on your child\u2019s age and their maturity. While the needs of each child are going to be a little different, there are some things you should consider when building an emergency bag for your kid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basic Survival Gear to Pack<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While comfort items are the top priority, it is a good idea to give them a couple of survival items. It will not only help them feel important like mom and Dad, but it also introduces them to skills that will keep them safe throughout their lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A child\u2019s survival gear be lightweight, age-appropriate, and if you can make it fun then that\u2019s always a plus. Heavier items and gear should always be in the adult\u2019s bags. Here are some items that we recommend adding to your kids disaster backpack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All Ages:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n