How to Teach Your Kids Basic Survival Skills

When it comes to emergency preparedness, we often focus on adults—but kids need survival skills too. Teaching your children basic survival techniques not only prepares them for emergencies, it also boosts their confidence, encourages critical thinking, and fosters a sense of independence. Whether you’re prepping for natural disasters, power outages, or outdoor adventures, here’s how to teach your kids essential survival skills in a way that’s age-appropriate and fun.

 

1. Start with the Basics: Knowing Their Information

Help them learn basic, simple, crucial facts. Your child should know:

• Their full name, address, and phone number
• Parents' full names and phone numbers
• How to dial 911 and when to use it

Turn it into a game or song for younger kids to help them memorize the information.

 

2. Teach them How to Identify "Tricky People"

One of the most important survival skills isn’t physical—it’s knowing who to trust. Instead of focusing on the outdated concept of “stranger danger,” teach your kids to watch out for “tricky people.” A tricky person is someone who asks a child to break safety rules, makes them feel uncomfortable, or tries to get them to go somewhere alone—even if it’s someone they know.

What to teach your kids:

• Adults should never ask kids for help. If someone asks them to look for a lost pet or carry something to a car, say no and walk away.
• They don’t have to be polite to someone who makes them uncomfortable. It's okay to say “no,” run, and yell.
• If anyone ever tells them to keep a secret from you, that’s a red flag.
• Safe adults will never try to isolate them or lure them away from where they’re supposed to be.
• If anyone ever grabs you to take you somewhere, kick, punch, scream, bite, and don't stop fighting until they let you go, then run away.

Practice safety phrases and responses:

• “I need to check with my mom/dad first.”
• “You're not my parent!” (yelled loudly if grabbed)
• “Help! This isn’t my grown-up!”

Create a family code word:

This word can be used in emergencies if someone other than a parent needs to pick them up. If the person doesn’t know the code, your child should not go with them.

Roleplay scenarios regularly so your child knows how to respond quickly and confidently. Emphasize that they can always come to you—no matter what someone else says.

 

3. Create a Family Emergency Plan—And Practice It

Kids need to know what to do in different types of emergencies. Go over your family’s emergency plan together:

• Where to meet if you get separated
• Who to contact if they can’t reach you
• How to recognize trusted adults (like neighbors, teachers, or law enforcement)

Make it a drill, not a lecture. Practice once a season to keep it fresh.

For step by step instructions on creating an emergency plan, check out this article.

4. Teach Basic First Aid

Even young children can learn simple first aid:

• How to clean and bandage a cut
• What to do for a burn or scrape
• When to get help

Older kids can learn how to use a first aid kit, perform CPR, and treat sprains or insect bites. Let them help restock the family’s kit so they become familiar with the supplies.

To learn about first aid and medical essentials check out this article.

 

5. Practice Navigation Skills

Technology is great—until it’s not. Teach kids how to:

• Read a basic map
• Use a compass
• Identify landmarks to avoid getting lost

Next time you're hiking or walking in your neighborhood, ask them to help lead the way using cardinal directions or trail markers.

 

6. Build Fire and Shelter (Safely)

With proper supervision, older kids can learn how to:

• Build a simple shelter using tarps or branches
• Start a fire using matches or flint (in a safe, controlled setting)
• Understand fire safety and leave-no-trace principles

This is a great hands-on lesson during a camping trip or backyard adventure.

 

7. Learn How to Find and Purify Water

Teach children how to:

• Spot potential water sources in nature
• Avoid contaminated water
• Use basic purification methods (like boiling, using a filter, or water purification tablets)

You can turn it into a fun science experiment using different filtration methods to compare results.

To learn about water storage and preparation, check out this article here.

 

8. Introduce Foraging Basics and Edible Plants

Depending on your local environment, introduce kids to safe, common edible plants (like dandelions or clover) and which ones to avoid. Teach the golden rule of foraging: If you’re not 100% sure, don’t eat it.

Consider getting a local plant identification book and making it part of your outdoor explorations.

You can learn foraging basics in this article here.

 

9. Make It a Game

Kids learn best through play. Turn survival skill practice into a game:

• Create scavenger hunts for emergency supplies
• Roleplay different emergency scenarios
• Award badges or “survival points” for completing tasks

This keeps learning fun and builds confidence without fear.

 

10. Model Calm and Prepared Behavior

Children will look to you in an emergency. The best way to prepare them is to model calm, proactive behavior and include them in your prepping process. Let them help build your emergency kits, store water, or rotate food supplies.

 

Final Thoughts

Teaching your kids basic survival skills doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming—it can be empowering and even fun. By involving them in the process and practicing regularly, you're helping raise capable, confident individuals who can keep themselves and others safe in an emergency.

 

If you are wanting to start preparing for emergencies, but don't know where to start, don't worry, check out this article. It will walk you through how to get started.

You also might like this article about how to start prepping without feeling overwhelmed.

Or you might be interested in financial prep, how to prep on a tight budget or what to do when your expenses exceed your income. In that case check out our financial prep section.

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