Kids 72-hour Kits

My sister-in-law and I had been talking for weeks about how we needed to update or 72-hour emergency kits. The food was expired and we both had added kids to the family. Nothing like an earthquake and tsunami in another part of the world to shock (pardon my pun) us into action. When I watched the news coverage, I knew I was not prepared if something were to happen here, especially if my husband were gone. And I couldn’t bear the thought of 4 little kids hanging on my leg hungry. I talked to my sister-in-law that night and we got to work:

We started with a backpack for each child in our families. Here is what we put in our kids’ packs:

3 day supply of food in gallon Ziploc bag. Click here for printable list.

1-2 dehydrated meals

bottle of water

one outfit (I went on the big side)

socks

sturdy shoes

jacket with hood

2 to 3 activities (dice, bouncy ball, crayons, coloring book, card games, toy, etc.)

foil blanket

hand warmers

hard candy

hand sanitizer

toothbrush and toothpaste (I found Wisps at Wal-mart; can use without water)

garbage bag (could act as a poncho or tarp)

flashlight

light sticks

needs specific for that child (medicines, sunscreen, etc.)

picture of family

Did I forget anything?

I highly recommend doing this with a group of people- neighbors, friends or family. Besides the moral support, you can buy the food in bulk and split it. You can also swap clothes and shoes as kids’ sizes change. I plan on checking some garage sales this summer for extra shoes and jackets as well.

My husband and I updated our emergency kits too. Ours are a lot larger and heavier, since we are carrying the family items for the kids, plus the littlest kids food. Thanks to my sister-in-law, Ashlee, you can Click here to see what to put in the parents’ packs.

Yeah! The packs are all now hanging on large hooks in our storage room. As I hauled these heavy packs to put them away, I thought about actually using them in a crisis situation. I was reminded of one of my favorite thoughts: “Don’t pray for a lighter burden, but for a stronger back.”

It feels good to have this project done- for now- until the food expires again. And although the kits might not be perfect- something is better than nothing- and my kids won’t go hungry.