Some time back I posted about a pack I put together for my two girls (2 & 5 at the time) and their 4H friends.
back pack for kids

While it may be too basic, the idea is to have it when out hiking and camping. My girls do take it when they go. I don't even have to bug them, they ask for it.

Proud papa moment.

Anyway, one of the things that is in their packs is a safety booklet with checklists of things they need to do and we (parents) need to do each time before going out.

I never posted it before because I felt it is just a crude tool for the kids. But the moms liked it and my wife has been bugging, er, encouraging me to post it to get feedback on it.

While 12 pages may seem like a lot, realistically, only the back cover would be looked at in a "survival" situation. The rest is preparation. And the 12 pages is printed on 3 8 1/2 x 11 pages, front and back, laminated, folded and tied together (emergency cordage and tinder.

Anyway, here is the booklet I made for the kids. Feedback away. No worries about sparing my feelings. It is all constructive to me. The backgrounds are all white but they show up grey in the pictures for some reason.

Front cover



Inside















Checklists





[img]http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/8373/4hbookletpg11vt1.png[/img]

Back page

[img]http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/142/4hbookletpg12ri1.png[/img]

The packs have since been more personalized for individual comfort and needs and components upgraded as upgrades are made available.

Aloha:

You Might add a stuffed animal like a Beanie Baby. It could work in conjunction with the book when you upgrade it. And 5 year old girls still like somthing to hold on to when they feel loneley.

On the next edition, maybe explain the STOP acronym? I don't know many 5 year olds that know what "observe" means:

S
T
O
P

Stay where you are. Think about when you last saw your parents. Look around- have you been here before? What can you do to help your parents find you?

Something like that. my $.02

Thanks everyone for your comments. Any more suggestions for version 2.0?

The kids actually like taking it hiking and camping and do use the items in there. The most popular by usage are the magnifying glass, flashlights, telescope/microscope doodad, and the good old pen and notepad. If they had their way, they would use the whistles all the time too. I let the kids blow them periodically, because sometimes you have to do to learn.

Before they were given their packs, the kids and parents went through a two our "class" on the items in there and theire usage as well as the booklet. The kids and the parents agreed to do the checklists and I did recommend having a personal item for each child as well as individual stuff that the parents feel are appropriate, such as medicine, etc. I weighed out the packs with a full water bottle and snacks and it came out to right around two pounds. I wanted the loaded packs to be under three pounds closer to two.

STOP is explained, but not in writing. I know observe and plan are a little difficult for kids, so we practiced and when we went over the booklet, I used both eyes and ears to explain observe. And they are told to stay hydrated and to stay put unless it is dangerous to do so. I also periodically drill my kids. And we go over the booklet and their gear prior to going out. And as the kids use their stuff and are outside, they get more comfortable with them.

I had one of everything opened to explain and practice with. The opened items made their rounds to each family so they could play and learn at home while keeping their kits pristine. I am happy to say that the packs are users and they have been personalized by the kids.

We now have about a dozen or so kids (not including the adult kids like me) that join us on our outings. We will be camping again in April after taxes.

Oh yeah, I also upgrade the kids' gear and provide duplicates to the parents as practicable. It is an expensive process so not everything is first class up front, but everything is usable. I think after I sell my rental property, I want to upgrade their signal mirrors and then their whistles. I may have to hit up Redflare for the purchase.

I' like the contents of the books, maybe you could also give some very,very-basic first-aid instructions on when to use the wet-naps, bandages en sanitairy-napkin.

About your kit: does that shake-flashlight really work? I heard some rumors about them not working properly. Are you also goin gto upgrade these?

Your booklet is very well done. Your scouts are lucky to have someone to take the time to go though saftey programs with them. The only thing that i see that i would change is stay dry under the tree in the rain. Around here you want to stay away from the trees in the rain because of lightning.

Thanks for the feedback.

The shakelight does work and we have a fauxton clone backup.

For liability purposes, I didn't include any first aid in the booklet. But we did practice when we went over the kit. I used a red pen to draw a big gash on myself and we went over the cleaning, bandaging etc.

They each have a rounded point school scissors and nail clippers for theit cutting implements. I am not ready to give them knives just yet.

I did get the tip on lightning, but am not sure what else to suggest as we are mostly in a tropical rain forest environment. I would appreciate suggestions on alternatives.

Neat job on the booklet. Sorry that I'm going to be
a bit long in this post. It's a bad habit of mine
when someone asks my opinion about stuff written
on a page.



Why not take a picture of a kid actually wearing the
poncho and put it there instead of the arrow pointing under the tree?

The statements for both parents & child to sign are a
touch confusing. For example, you have a statment
"I read this booklet to my Mom or Dad at least 3 times"
and have the parent sign. Okay, so you want the parent
to sign to prove that he or she was read to; however,
the "I" in the statement is the child, not the signer.

The "stay dry" "stay warm" "use sunscreen" pages seem
to be more general info not specific to "if lost"
However, the "if lost" and "get help" pages seem more
related to each other, yet are not next to each other.
It might make more sense to connect these two ideas
(if lost & get help).

On the "get help" page, you show a picture of
two whistles. How about a picture of either
one girl blowing a whistle, or a picture of
three whistles?

If the stuff is laminated, do the kids actually
mark on the pre-hike checklist each time they go out?
Then do you erase it for next time? What about
having a separate "adventure log" for the stuff
that the kids are supposed to check off each time?
E.g. a little page that isn't laminated and
can be replaced with date, adventure name,
and check boxes for initialling the other stuff.

-Kuovonne

If you're in Hawaii, how about just putting in there "stay under short trees" in regards to lightening? For most of the island (hawaii) I saw, other than the volcano, trees were everywhere. At least short trees have less chance of catching lightening. Another thing might just be to teach the parents about lightening safety and have them practice at home with the kids. You folks don't have a shortage of rainfall!

Just a thought, and I have no idea if it's true, but would sitting on a fallen log help decrease the chances of a lightening strike? wood tends not to conduct all that well?