Lost Kid Kit

thatmguy

thatmguy

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Mar 26, 2000
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I have a couple nephews getting into scouting, and I want to give them a few accessories for EDC on their scout camping trips in case they would get lost on a hike.

The ages are 8 and 6, with another coming up at 5.

So far, I want to include a whistle, probably a Fox 40.

I'm not sure how my sisters/brothers-in-law will react to knives, so those may be out at this time.

Any suggestions for a small child EDC kit??
 
My kids all wear whistle/compass/thermometer/magnifying glass combinations (WalMart ~ 3$) around their neck and under their arm.They wear it always, even to school.My wife and I also wear one always for that matter.They also carry ponchos or heavy duty garbage sacks in their fanny or back packs.My oldest (10 yrs) also carries a multitool,SAK,metal match, and tinder sticks on our hikes, but he knows not to use the fire starting equipment without competant supervision.I want to get the middle (8 yrs) and the youngest (6 yrs) a multitool each for Christmas.But they know not to open the blade on any knife or tool unless I give them permission.The oldest also has walkie-talkies on the family frequencys that he got for his birthday that we use during mushroom season and at other times.They also carry various bug catching devices,a rock hammer and other odds and ends that make their hike enjoyable.
 
I'd say in addition to the Fox 40, a signal mirror and a flashlight. They might be a little young for firestarting gear.

Also a food bar of some sort would be comforting if lost. How about a space blanket for warmth and signaling. Oh yeah, one of those survival instruction cards sets.


S.
 
Last year about this time, I put one together for my boys aged 7 and 9.

Fox Whistle
Signal Mirror
Poncho
Matches/tinder
match safe
hard candies
small lockback -for my older boy
micro-light
garbage bags

We spent quite a bit of time during the spring and summer going over the how-to's of all the parts in their kits. All that stuff fits in a 5x7 zippered mesh bag, which in turn fits in a fanny pack.

I think I ended up spending about $30 each for the kits by the time I put em all together, and that included the fannypack and interior bag.
 
Don't forget a small first aid kit with simple to use items -
Band-aids, wet wipes, Neosporin, etc.

If fire is out, then I'd suggest a Space blanket and some hand warmer packets for some heat.

Light is critical for kids. A good long lasting LED style light with lithium batteries may be a good idea - something like a CMG Infinity.

Whistles are a must. So is water - don't forget a canteen or other carry system like the Platypus. Potable Aqua tabs and a few minutes of instruction on their importance and use may also be in order.

Mike
 
callout.jpg


http://www.wherifywireless.com

A little costly but hey, kids are worth it.
 
A survival manual specifically for kids, plus a manual for the instructor/adult (I have both):

http://www.uaf.edu/seagrant/Pubs_Videos/pubs/SG-ED-16&17.html

One suggestion from the above manual- carry two trash bags. For shelter, put one inside the other, fill the space between the inner and outer bags with leaves, pine needles, etc for insulation, and use as a sleeping bag.

You might get some ideas here:

http://www.win.net/~gws/gaelwolf/survive.htm

Kids might think they will be punished for getting lost (didn't do as they were told and wandered off, etc) and may hide from searchers. Stress to the kids that they won't be 'in trouble' and won't be punished.
 
Perhaps a windproof fleece skullcap. They weigh about an ounce, take up hardly any room, and help a lot with maintaining body heat in an emergency.
 
lots of good ideas here. My favorite is to add a roll of survey tape.
teach the child to unroll the tape in a straight line accross a terrain feature.,uphill,accross the trail or canyon,straight away from a creek or river etc. then tie the end of the tape to there body or in th middle of there camp. The tape will work 24/7 asleep or awake. many time searchers walk right by the target and never see them.,for many reasons,sleeping,scared or they are hurt and can't respond well.
 
Red Photon II,lasts 140 hours good for signaling and lighting up the night.Orange bandana.Signal flag,hat,bandage (and many others)all in one!Large heavy duty leafbag good for raincoat,ground cloth ect.
 
I think the signal tape is a great idea, I always have some in my pack. Also maybe a small signal mirror. May I also suggest radio collars.
Lagarto
 
You might consider taking your kids out into the bush in the middle of the night sometime so that they can hear what it sounds like.....can be pretty freaky for a child to hear all the squeaking, rustling and rattling that goes on. Most kids will not have heard that stuff before.

I know of some programs that used to advocate, "hug a tree" for kids. They should sit tight, find a big tree, cuddle up next to it with whatever they have (ie garbage bag, etc) and wait. I think the tree is supposed to be like a "guardian angel" of sorts.

D
 
This is slightly off-topic but I think it is worth adding.

I once listened to a couple world-renowned trackers and search & rescue experts speak about finding lost kids. They said that it is extremely helpful for parents to have a record of the exact make and model of shoes/boots that their kids wear in the outdoors. They also suggested making a paper imprint (rubbing) of the shoe soles.

In Angeles Forest we had a couple young scouts get lost and die of exposure a few years back. They were hiking with a group in an area that gets a fair amount of foot traffic. The trackers I met were not involved in that particular search, but they used it as an illustration of why it would be useful to be able to identify the lost boys' individual footprints.
 
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