Young or old, everyone that plans on surviving a major disaster or Zombie outbreak needs a Bug Out Bag (BOB). As long as they are old enough and strong enough to carry one, every man, woman and child should have a BOB catered to their needs and abilities.
Extremely important when preparing for disasters like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and Zombie outbreaks, these easily portable emergency kits should contain everything an individual might need for at least 72-hours of survival during times of disaster. The age, size, weight and abilities of an individual play an important factor in not only how a pack is carried but in the contents as well, and each pack should be catered to fit a specific individuals needs and real-world abilities as accurately as possible.
BAGS: Limiting mobility is one of the last things you want to do when attempting to bug out from any location, let alone a Zombie-infested or rubble-filled area. We recommend using anything from a simple fanny pack to small backpack or even a messenger style bag for a child-sized BOB. Do not rely on caster driven bags/luggage as they can be difficult to maneuver over rough terrain and up heights like trees, steep inclines, stairwells, etc.
Fanny Pack – Extremely compact and easy to carry, these mini-BOBs are best left for children ages 4 and up or for those that may have trouble with heavier loads. A small child-sized fanny pack wont hold much, but it can fit a few of the absolute essentials in it like snack bars, an emergency blanket, small flashlight, toothbrush, etc. In addition to items stored internally, fanny packs offer areas around the waist-belt for the attachment of a water bottle, two-way radio, or other similar supplies and devices.
Messenger Bag - Light in weight, mid-sized and easy to carry, these these side-carry bags can hold quite a bit more than a fanny pack, but not quite as much as a full on backpack. Messenger bags make great BOBs for children ages 8 and up or for those that are most comfortable with a more moderate amount of supplies. Some messenger style bags are MOLLE compatible, making them useful for folks wanting to tack on just a little extra carry space… as long as it doesn’t get out of hand.
Backpack - Available in an extremely wide variety of shapes and sizes, there is a backpack out there for just about everyone… including even the very young. As long as a backpack is sized properly and not over-filled, children as young as 4 can comfortably maneuver through a Zombie outbreak or other disaster without too much assistance from adults or fellow survivors.
CONTENTS: While the size and shape of a child-sized Bug Out Bag may be different from that of an adult, the same basic rules of content need to be applied. Pack only what you need and can carry, know how to use everything, and cover all the bases.
Food - An absolutely critical top priority is healthy food. Children burn through calories, carbs, and energy stores like nobody’s business. The hard part is balancing how much to take, but plan for a snack every few hours and 3 meals a day for younger children (4-7) and 3 meals a day for older children (ages 8-10).
Granola bars, protein bars, dried fruit, peanut butter packets, crackers, etc. are great options that provide energy and nutrients without tasting terrible or requiring preparation. Do not pack or provide candy bars, hard candy, gum or similar “snacks”. Not only will those items increase the likelihood of sugar highs/crashes and potentially lead to exhaustion and stomach upset, the add a greater danger of being choked upon.
Water - Children ages 4 – 8 require about 1.3 liters of water a day, and children ages 9 – 13 need about 2.4 liters a day. While providing liquids on the move may not always be easy, it’s is even more important that food. Place a heavy focus on properly packing and preparing plenty of hydration.
We recommend packing powdered juice mix, 1-2 water bottles of water with removable tops or quart sized canteen, water treatment tablets (older children only), and even juice boxes. Just like food, this is an area where you want to avoid heavy sugar content and focus more on the long-term health benefits rather than an immediate “boost”.
Light – Brightly colored, simple to use LED flashlight, 1 set spare batteries, small headlamp. 3 Glow sticks.
Communication - Whistle, 2-way radio with 1 set spare batteries (to match a radio in your BOB)
Clothing/Warmth – 2 pairs underwear, 2 pairs socks, comfortable trekking shoes or sneakers, 2 t-shirts, rain poncho, brimmed cap, bandana. Space blanket, Gloves, stocking cap, 3x instant hand warmers.
First-Aid /Hygiene – Toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, 10 moist towelettes, toilet paper or baby wipes. mini first aid kit (band-aids, tweezers, ) , 3 dust/surgical masks.
Entertainment – Stuffed animal, crayons, deck of cards, their favorite toy, etc. No video games ( they weigh too much, take power and make too much noise)
In Conclusion: Teach your children about their supplies, when to use them, and how to use them effectively. Listen to their concerns and questions and guide them through them as best you can.
Just like the supplies in an adult’s BOB, the supplies in a child’s BOB need to be checked and rotated on a regular basis especially the food and water, every 3-6 months or so. Because children tend to grow rapidly it’s important to keep up on their shoes and clothing, making sure everything still fits before you have to run out of he house in a panic.
Depending on the child, kids over the age of 11 or so can often be trusted with additional survival and preparedness gear, including but not limited to – a small fire kit (striker, matches, cotton catchers, etc), a multi-tool or pocket knife, and sometimes even larger weapons and tools like the Trucker’s Friend. Again, this is a case by case basis, and only responsible and trained individuals should carry potentially dangerous supplies like the items listed above. Don’t just pack a bunch of stuff into your kids BOB either, engage them in the process let them help you pick out the supplies.
Just like adults needs to be ready to Bug Out at a moments notice, so does a child. This means actively practicing your Bug Out plans. Strap on your BOBs and head out for an hour or so and do it again and again, building endurance and ability with each outing. One of the best things you can do for both yourself, fellow survivors, and children during times of duress and disaster… including a Zombie outbreak… is to remain calm and collected as best you can. A panicked person does no good to anyone except the Zombies chasing them.
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