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I live in Texas where we spend every spring and early summer enduring thunder storm and tornado warnings and watches. Most pass by and leave us relatively unscathed but we’ve had a few extremely memorable {and quite scary} storm situations. Being prepared and keeping the kids calm in the midst of the storm is so important and my Duracell-powered storm kit and entertainment ideas can help you endure the storm season in your neck of the woods!
When the storm is raging, it’s hard to have the wits to gather up the needed supplies. In our case, during a tornado threat we throw all the vacuums, mops, and wrapping paper out of our under-the-stairs closet and stuff seven people and a dog into that cramped space. There isn’t a lot of extra time to grab a flashlight or items to entertain the kids so planning ahead is the best bet. That’s why I created a storm kit.
I made a quick stop at Walmart to buy some supplies and then put it all together in just a few minutes.
I bought a simple plastic box and labeled it with vinyl so everyone will know this is the storm kit and should be untouched at other times {you don’t want to stash yourself into a closet only to discover all the goodies are missing from the kit}.
We rarely have to hide away for long periods of time {after all, a tornado moves pretty quickly through an area} so I just packed a few practical items in our kit plus some things that help entertain the kids during a somewhat scary time.
My kit contains two flashlights both powered with Duracell batteries, extra Duracell batteries so we’re not caught off-guard with a dead flashlight, glow sticks to amuse and entertain the kids and bring a bit of comforting light in the event of a power loss {and help us easily see where the kids are}, bubble gum {keep reading to see why I included that}, simple snacks, biscuits for the dog, and wipes {because let’s face it, five kids in a closet is a mess waiting to happen}.
Waiting out the storm in a small space is never a lot of fun but there are simple ways to help pass the time and keep the fears at bay. A joke or riddle book is a great thing to keep in the storm kit to entertain the kiddos.
One of our favorite ideas is using our Duracell-powered flashlights to play shadow games with the kids. Everyone can take turns trying to make fun shapes and creative animals on the wall. The more creative the kids get, the better, and this simple game always brings about lots of laughs.
And the bubblegum? Perfect for a bubble gum blowing contest! The kids will forget they’re locked in a closet in the midst of a raging storm while they focus on blowing the perfect, humongous bubble! {Now do you see why wipes are a must?}
Being prepared during storm season will make it less overwhelming and having a few simple activities for the kids can take away the fear and turn it into fun.
What storms hit your neck of the woods? What would you include in a storm kit?
Stephanie says
We’re inland, but we still can get walloped by hurricanes – most recently Sandy. We’re usually lucky to just have street flooding and not major damage but it can still be scary without power and those strong winds lasting hours! Having spare batteries in our kit is a must, as well as a number of games and an old LeapReader pen with books for the kids to “read” to each other! #client