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Teaching Children About Natural Disasters:  Be Prepared

It is important to teach children to be prepared.

Ready.Gov/Kids offers families and teachers great resources and ways to involve children in preparedness efforts.  Ready.Gov/Kids is sponsored by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).  Children who access the site gain access to a simple four step plan to help their families prepare for natural disasters.

Step 1:  Know the Facts

Children learn about various types of natural disasters. They learn about hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, terrorism, floods and earthquakes.

Step 2:  Make a Plan

Children gain access to games and activities which help them and their families develop an emergency plan together. Families can print out forms where they can enter important information which will help authorities reunite them and give aid to them if needed. The form gives families a place to enter personal and sensitive information such as social security numbers so teach children how to protect such information and prevent identity theft.

Step 3:  Build a Kit

Children and families can play games and participate in activities which educate them about emergency supplies and how to put together a kit which will help them get through natural disaster events.

Step 4:  Graduate from Readiness U

Children must prove what they learned in steps 1 through 3. They must complete an online quiz. Once all the answers are answered correctly, they can print out a Readiness U Graduation Certificate.

Involving children in emergency planning helps them feel much more knowledgeable about natural disasters. When children feel more knowledgeable, they feel more prepared and ready to face potentially disastrous situations.