100 Survival Skills You Need To Teach Your Kids

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Teaching Kids Survival Skills

Survival skills are not just for adults!  You need to be teaching kids survival skills too.  When you get into a survival situation, you don’t want to have to worry about your kids being a drain or dead weight on you and your family; rather you want them to be able to hold their own weight and contribute to the group.  

Or heaven forbid you are not with your kids when SHTF and they get themselves into a survival situation and either their babysitter doesn’t know what to do or they’re on their own, trust me on this – you are going to want your kids to know these important skills.

Unfortunately, there are so many things to consider when it comes to survival skills that it can be difficult to know which ones are the most important and which ones you should focus on first.  What are the most basic survival skills you should teach young children?

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100 Survival Skills You Need To Teach Your Kids

I have made a list of important survival skills you need to teach your kids below.  They are in no particular order as different family’s circumstances will determine which ones they should focus on first.  Some skills I have made clickable and they lead to more detailed and in-depth how-to articles.  Over time, I hope to link every skill on this list to a how-to article.  

Some of these basic skills can be taught in an hour or an afternoon.  Others may need to be taught over the course of a weekend or week-long camping trip, or even a couple of months.  Don’t worry about making sure your child knows each of these skills by the end of the week – that will just overwhelm both you and them!  Instead, focus on one or two skills at a time and just go through the list until you’re able to check everything off.

Teaching your junior prepper to be self-sufficient over time will be much better for him and you in the long run.  

1. How to grow food
2. What to do when lost (stay put? ask for help?)
3. How to preserve food
4. How to identify spoiled food
5. How to forage for and identify edible plants in the wild
6. How to identify medicinal plants
7. How to hunt
8. How to fish
9. How to safely use a knife
10. How to clean and sharpen a blade
11. How to open a can
12. How to clean and prepare fish and wild game
13. What to do if they encounter wild animals
14. How to build a fire (including obtaining kindling from tree branches)
15. How to cook food over a fire
16. How to cook food in a regular oven
17. How to find a water source and make it safe for drinking (boil water, anyone?)
18. How to find a natural shelter
19. Basic shelter building
20. Basic first aid (with or without a first aid kit)
21. Basic hygiene skills
22. How to use a compass
23. How to determine direction without a compass
24. How to read a map
25. How to signal for help
26. Self-defense (including but definitely not limited to martial arts)
27. How to listen to (and trust) their intuition
28. How to keep a positive attitude
30. How to sew (or crochet)
31. How to barter and trade
32. How to make something worth bartering or trading for (including but not limited to food stuffs, clothing stuffs, etc)
33. How to keep warm
34. How to make pemmican
35. How to overcome fear
36. Evacuation plans
37. Hiding for safety
38. How to react to strangers
39. When to ask for help
40. How to determine who it is safe to ask for help (safe strangers)
41. What to do when home alone
42. What to do during medical emergencies
43. Situational awareness
44. How to swim
45. How to float for a long period of time
46. Basic water safety
47. How to be resourceful when they don’t have the right tool
48. How to handle a firearm
49. Weather patterns
50. Identifying animal tracks
51. Proper butchering and cleaning of small game
52. Importance of good hygiene
53. How (and when) to suture a wound
54. Knot tying
55. The proper way to turn off utilities
56. How to change a tire
57. Pump and siphon gas if needed
58. Basic car repair
59. Importance of nutrition
60. How to read a food label
61. How to identify nutritious foods without a food label
62. Avoiding confrontation
63. Perimeter control and defense
64. How to react to strange dogs (or other animals)
65. How to raise livestock (including small livestock such as chickens, rabbits, etc)
66. Communication skills
67. When to say no
68. How to say no, when necessary
69. When to bite your tongue (stay silent)
70. How to shoot a slingshot
71. How to stay cool when it’s hot out
72. How to make a basic weapon
73. Be able to run or walk a good distance (be in shape)
74. How to remain calm in a stressful or dangerous situation
75. How to wash one’s clothes (laundry)
76. What to do in case of a house fire
77. What to do in case of forest fire/wildfire
78. What to do in case of carbon monoxide
79. How to recognize carbon monoxide problems
80. The importance of staying hydrated
81. How to stay hydrated in various situations
82. The safe and proper way to ration water in a water shortage situation
83. What to do if they get caught on an unsafe icy river or pond
84. How to research something
85. How to determine if something is true or false
86. How to safely store various foods (and how to recognize if it needs refrigeration or not)
87. How to store foods without a refrigerator
88. How to put out a small fire indoors
89. How to put out a small fire outdoors
90. What to do in case of bee sting
91. What to do in case of bug bite
92. What to do in case of allergic reaction (even if they are not prone to allergies)
93. How to safely and properly wash dishes (without a dishwasher)
94. How to change a diaper
95. How to care for a young child
96. How to do basic clothing repair or mending
97. How to pitch a tent
98. How to protect oneself from the sun
99. What to do in case of windburn
100. What to do in case of frostbite (and how to prevent and recognize frostbite)

Survival Skills For Kids

I hope this list of basic survival skills for kids to learn has not been too overwhelming.  There are skills on this list for both older and younger children, as well as for the whole family to learn together.  

Turn these survival lessons into a fun activity you can do with your whole family!  If you homeschool, turn these lessons into a term or year-long unit study.  And even if you don’t homeschool, regular family camping trips are a great way to pretend you’re in an emergency situation without any of the panic or adrenaline.  

Remember – don’t try and learn everything in one sitting.  Baby steps, my friend.  The true survivalist makes learning a life-long adventure.

If you liked this list of 100 things, you’re sure to love another fun list of 100 themed things. Click the image below to view many many 100 things lists now.

Related Posts:

Why is it Important to Be Prepared?
What are the Most Basic Human Needs?

Teaching Basic Life and Wilderness Skills To Kids

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