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This post is full of tips for adding baby and kid supplies to your 72 hour kit.
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Baby / Kids and 72 hour kits
I feel it is very important to be extremely well prepared if there are children in you household. So, I am suggesting you take 1 week every 6 month (this week!) to go back over your 72 hour kit and make sure it has what you would need to provide for your kids (if you have them). Even if you don’t have them you may want to throw in a few of these items as you may need to help displaced children. Here are a few suggestions:
- Water that is quick & easy to access; maybe even something that seems a little “fun,” like these aqua blox since they look like juice boxes.
- Drink mix to make stored water more palatable. Remember, young kids don’t realize they can die from dehydration. They just won’t drink if it doesn’t taste right.
- Food you are sure they will eat. Freeze dried fruit in pouches, candy, raisins, squeezable fruit or applesauce pouches, trail mix etc.
- Baby food in your infant eats it or just crush your freeze dried fruit and add water to create healthy, preservative free baby food!
- Baby Formula
- Sippy cups and /or bottles
- Pacifiers / Binkies if your kids use them
- Baby spoons
- Lots of wipes / napkins
- Clothes that are just a bit too big for them now so they will last until you rotate again
- Good shoes: again, a bit too big is better than too small!
- Something comforting for nighttime: a piece of a favorite blanket, a mini-stuffed animal etc.
- Infant front / back carrier.
- Diapers & wipes and / or pullups: again, a bit too big is better than too small!
- Burp Cloths
- Child friendly meds: pain killers, allergy meds etc.
- Flashlights they know how to use and can physically hold / handle
- Toys & Entertainment (discussed in detail last week)
- A child leash / line of sorts. You won’t be able to carry your children and all your stuff and it could be very difficult to keep track of them (especially if you have 4 four and under like me!). I don’t use a leash everyday, but I would in such a situation.
- Instant milk powder (milk is a HUGE comfort food for my kids). Thanks to reader Jennifer for reminding me about this!
- Laminated ID cards for each child with an out of state contact number (often during emergencies, you will not be able to make local calls. So, if someone finds your kids, they can call Grandma, and Grandma can call you!)
Other ideas? Leave a comment below!
Becky is a wildlife enthusiast and pet and livestock care expert with a diploma in canine nutrition. With over a decade of experience in animal welfare, Becky lends her expertise to Simple Family Preparedness through insightful info about pets, livestock, bee keeping, and the practicalities of homesteading.
My kids are past the baby stage, so I don’t need diapers. I do have entertainment items, favorite snacks, and lots of wipes. You can never have enough wipes at any age!
TOtally agree! I use wipes myself!
I have a 9 year old so don’t need diaper bottles but i do have wipes- they’re good for all ages!! 🙂 . I have a card with her fingerprints and picture on it and I keep a description(ht/wt/identifying features) of her on a current picture (update yearly), small stuffed animal, clothes/lt jacket, snacks. I need to get some instant milk- that’s a great idea!! I think I was thinking I will get a rope to keep in it too- could come in handy for a number of things. Have a bottle with ibuprefen and allergy meds tucked in too. Getting there- need to get a decent flashlight and some chalk and some new shoes (needs new shoes every 3-4 months so hard to keep up with extra pairs)
Keeping up with shoes is IMPOSSIBLE! ANd yes, wipes have many, many uses! (-:
Aside from identification and contact info for our child I think we are actually pretty well set. (I skipped ahead to this one when I first started working on our kit!)
Way, a week off!
We don’t have children, but my husband tends to attract them (outgoing science teacher), so I will probably add more games or things to do magic tricks to my kit.
We do have two cats, though, so I’m already eyeballing next week.
Magic tricks?!? Fun!
Our school picture packets arrived today, along with an ID card for each child, with their new school picture printed on it. What timing! I am going to finish filling out the info now, run it through my Xyron laminator, and put them in their bags. These IDs are ours to keep, whether we buy the photo packages or not.
Perfect! Love it when things like that happen!
I have six children ranging from 13 years old to 8 months old. Each of them have their own back pack. Even my 8 month old. I use his as his diaper bag on a daily basis. I keep at least three outfits and plenty of diapers and wipes. I also put things like mylicon drops (for gas)and infant tylenol in his pack because you never know when you will need it. They have come in handy many times already during non-emergency situations. But when you have a cranky baby in need of something, it can become an emergency for him 🙂 I also keep a few jars of babyfood and snack for me or one of my other children should I not have my pack with me.
“baby” emergencies definitely count as real emergencies in my book on some days!
I would not have thought of the drink mix or powdered milk to make water taste better if it does have a “different” taste! I should add one of those, along with good shoes, a few more toys/entertainment, pictures of my children, and a flashlight for my 3 yr old! You bring up a good point about a leash (I wince just saying that word but I totally get the point!), I will think about that. I do have some rope already. Thank you for your blog… I love it!
I don’t love the idea of a leash either, but the idea of losing a child in a situation like that is so much worse!
Hi Misty,
This week I will try to get 2 leash for my 2 boys ages 3 and 4. I also have 2 older girls ages 6 and 10. I’m sure they don’t need the leash. As for the Cat Emergency Kit: I have 2 cats and 2 kittens that lingers around my house. I would feed them whenever I see them. Winning this kit might allow me to help those cats. However they haven’t really approached me so I don’t know if I can. Any suggestions on how to handle cats?
Sorry. I’m no help with cats. I’ve never owned one. Maybe one of my other readers?
Thanks so much! I’m very excited to win.
We don’t really have a baby anymore, but my we do have diapers and wipes and extra extra clothing for her. And we have a backpack carrier for her that has both adult and kid items in it.
I love the laminated ID/contact information card, though. I’d probably attach it to the key-chain things inside their backpacks for easy finding.
I’m glad you won! Enjoy it!
Whether I evacuate on foot or in the car I will want my all-terrain double (or triple if I have room!) stroller to help me transport my preschooler and twin toddlers and all our gear. On a day-to-day basis a stroller is a must have, so I KNOW I will WANT/NEED it in an emergency. It has lots of storage space and can handle rough terrain. There is no way I could keep everyone/thing safe and transported without it! I’ll need a patch repair kit and small air pump to go with it, but it the stroller would be an absolute life saver. My kids can even sleep in it.
Sounds like something I should look at investing in Kristen!
Pacifiers! My little ones would be inconsolable without theirs.
At that stage I would also throw in a muslin swaddle blanket to help my baby get to sleep in a strange place. Plus the 100 other things they are useful for.
For a 72 hour kit, disposables make the most sense, my for at home, flat diapers are very easy to wash and reuse.
Thank you Leigh!! How did I forget pacifiers?!? My little 1 yr old would not sleep without it! I”ve added it to the list!
I cant find week 22 “PETS”. Where did it go???
We have a 6 month old. We cloth diaper but keep a bag of disposables and wipes with our emergency kits as well as a bottle with extra liners and a couple extra nipples, cans of formula, water, and a couple toys. I added some clothes to the kit this evening and will be picking up some infant meds the next time I’m at the store. We have a stroller that I could use if it was an event in which we needed to vacate out house, I also have several wraps/carriers that I use daily and are easily accessible that I could grab if needed.
You can tell I no longer have an infant! I need to add a wrap / a carrier to the list! Thanks Michael!
I still can’t believe I won again! I didn’t even know that I could! Thank you so much!!!
I definitely have to get myself a couple of “child-lines”/harnesses for my 2 1/2 year old twins. I can’t believe I never thought of that! I have a hard enough time keeping track of them in the yard! Thanks for the sweet idea =D
Total Sidenote: Misty, your kids are so freaking adorable! =)
You are welcome Anna and I have to say I agree with you about my kids! But I should, right? (-:
These are great tips. I have a 4 and almost 9 year old, so no formula here but heart to include a small bit of instant milk for them… Their comfort drink at night. I’m thinking two pouches extra would be good. Can’t wait to get my recently order survival bag and adjust/add to fit my needs!!!
Oh yes! I completely forgot to list that. I have some for the very same reason. It is a HUGE comfort food around here!
Everyone has given me valuable insights on properly having emergency items for my Grandkids. Thank you so much!
I know! I’m loving all the input and comments! Keep it coming guys!
My Friend has one of those backpacks that your baby go’s in. So you can carry them on your back. It also has 2 pockets to put stuff in. I think that would be great if you have a baby to carry and you have to leave on foot.
I would have to put my kit on my back and my kid on my chest with a moby or something, plus another kid on each hand and I’d still have one on their own. Oh my! (-:
Congrats to Anna…again! 😀
Now to this weeks category – I don’t have kids in the house anymore. They are all grown up. However, I do have an 8 year-old granddaughter. So you know what that means? Nana needs to make sure Mommy and Daddy are up on their emergency preparedness! Off to email a copy of this weeks post as a checklist for them. LOL You NEVER quit being a mom! <3
Love it Lisa! Way to go!
Thanks for the reminder Misty – I need to update my clothing. The kids grow too fast.
Yes, they do!
I have clothes and shoes (hiking boots), a favorite blanket, coloring book/activity book, fruit in single serving cans so our son can also enjoy the juice, tuna fish kits with crackers, some candy, flash light, rain gear, underwear that is a couple sizes too big….doing pretty good but I can’t have that all in our son’s pack, he’s only 4. It’s just too heavy. I recently purchased a laminator so I can take care of the photos! I still need to add a couple small lego toys or cars and small/thin books…maybe some activity cards or something.
I have three girls ages 13, 9 & 6. They each have there own bug out bag that we all have been working on together. I’ve been teaching the girls about survival and going over different scenarios so they can have as much knowledge as possible. Even if we ever get split up what I’d want them to do. I think it’s important to talk to your children if they’re old enough to understand so they won’t be as scared if something ever was to happen. I love this sight and just wanted you to know Misty that I’m greatful that you take the time away from your family to help give us all tips. Thank You!
Sharon W.
Sharon,
Thanks so much for your comment! It is SO SO good to know that what I’m doing is actually helping others. Yes, this is my business, but I also really want to find a way to make a difference. Comments like yours make my day!
The other thing I might suggest is a “child line”. You can make it out of any rope if you don’t want to buy one. If you are walking short or longer distances, you use your “child line”. You can make the line any length/color you like. The BIG difference is to teach the kids beforehand how to use it. They simply hold on to the knot you have tied in it which is spaced by you w/ the correct number of knots you need. It is a very easy way to keep track of several kids with a glance. The pre-training with “the child line” makes the real difference. Preschools and Grade schools have used these.
I might suggest the an ID kit similar to what is needed for emergency child location… photo’s, fingerprints, family safe/emergency words etc.
I loved the info, as a Grandma who may need to prep for Grand-kids these are wonder ideas. It gives me great insights. Thanks so much!
You are welcome Melanie! Thanks for stopping by!
As for the ID, we will be covering that in detail in 2 weeks. (-:
And another reader mentioned something similar to a child line too. GREAT comment. I will add it to the list!
This item that may sound wrong or rude to some….
we recently purchased 2 retractable dog leashes that we’ll have in our bags. one for each of our little guys. i always have a toddler harness in the trunk of the car. sometimes i use it for my 2.5 yo when he’s not in the stroller. in a disaster situation, being able to keep ahold of little ones could become extremely difficult. holding a leash is easier than holding hands. the newer versions of the retractable dog leash actually are made so they can be clipped onto something rather than having to be held. wouldn’t it be helpful to b able to tether your toddler to your belt loop?
Also thinkin that a recent photo of each child is important to help in locating them if you get separated. should be laminated so not destroyed by water.
I think that is a FABULOUS idea Rachel! One of my biggest concerns is losing my children in such a situation. I CANNOT carry them all and my pack and it is very possible that I will be without my husband as he is at work all day. GREAT idea! I will add it to the list…
As for the ID, we will be covering that in detail in 2 weeks. (-:
Pets next week, ID the week after and other important documents after that. Then, religious needs. (-: Then, done! WOW!