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They say the tub is a good place to take shelter during a tornado, but with our big family, I'm not so sure that helpful hint applies! When Jamie was offered a job in NW Arkansas last fall, we had only one reservation about moving here: tornadoes. Since then, we’ve decided to do our best to take the threat seriously, without letting fear consume us. Everything’s more bearable when you add some silliness! Being prepared for severe weather is important in our part of the world, so we decided to make that part fun, too. In addition to the essentials like a weather radio, phone app, and a well-practiced plan of action, I've also come up with a fun kids pack idea to keep the little ones' minds off of the stormy weather outside. Since the loss of power is a major part of severe weather, Duracell batteries are essential additions to our kids packs.
I buy all my batteries at Walmart. Their battery center is conveniently located near the checkout aisles, so I don't have to head back to the electronics section every time I just need to grab a quick pack. They're always well-stocked with lots of different sizes.
Duracell has always been a trusted brand for us as they're long-lasting and affordable. Batteries are a hot commodity around our place. You wanna make one of my boys happy? Batteries. Batteries are the answer.
Each of my younger kids has a pack specific to their own interest. This one is 5 year old Avalon's. She's got a snack, a water bottle, coloring and reading books, a pair of socks, a battery-powered game, her flashlight lantern, and fresh batteries.
I like to keep individually wrapped snacks on hand that can be put into their packs. Granola bars and fruit snacks are good choices because their shelf lives will last through the whole season. (Don't forget your medieval armor to protect you against flying debris!)
Ok, so no one has actually done the tornado drill with the medieval helmet on---but I do have them wear bike helmets and bring a pillow to put over their heads. When I was a kid growing up in Oregon, we had earthquake drills. The main thing they'd try to drill into us was to cover our heads, so I want my kids to get in that habit too. Avalon also loves to bring this little flashlight that doubles as a lantern.
Lynzie brings along her battery-powered book light. Our shelter-in-place spot is one of our bathrooms because it's the only room with all interior walls. Since we don't have a tornado shelter or basement, this is our next best option. It has actually really surprised me how many of my friends don't have a tornado shelter or basement. In fact, I took a poll tonight on Facebook to see how my local friends handle severe weather alerts. I'll post the results at the end of this article, but one of the biggest surprises to me was that the majority of those polled think that 50% or less people in our area have a safe shelter plan when a storm hits!
Handheld, battery-powered games are another fun thing my kids like to include in their packs. It's a good distraction for them and helps release some of that tension and worry that comes with the fear of the unknown. (The boys are pretty good about the eyes, nose and mouth protection---but I think they need the girls' lessons in head protection!)
Here are the results of the poll I conducted with my local friends tonight.
Do you live in an area with severe weather? Besides, the obvious essentials, are there any fun or silly things you do with your family to help lighten things up during a storm? Make sure to grab a Duracell coupon so you'll be stocked up on batteries if your lights go out!
#PrepWithPower
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