Emergency Kit for Kids: Go-Bag Checklist by Age
When something goes wrong, adults grab the big bag. Kids grab whatever is in reach: a tablet, a stuffed animal, one shoe. An emergency kit for kids fixes that. It's a small bag your child knows is theirs, packed with things they can carry, use and find comfort in. Below: a go-bag checklist by age, a weight rule from pediatricians, a contact card, and a 10-minute practice drill, sourced from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Ready.gov, the CDC and the American Red Cross.
Quick answer: an emergency kit for kids is a small personal go-bag that rides alongside the family kit. Keep it light (the AAP says a child's backpack shouldn't weigh more than 15% of their body weight), and pack a water bottle, snacks, a flashlight or headlamp, a rain poncho, a warm layer or emergency blanket, a change of clothes, a whistle, a laminated contact card, and one comfort item. The heavy stuff (3 days of water, food, medicine and documents) stays in the family kit that an adult carries.
Why Kids Need Their Own Emergency Kit
Ready.gov's kid-friendly Build a Kit page puts it simply: if the power is out, you may not be able to go to the store or the bank, so you need your own food, water, cash and supplies to last at least three days. Most of that belongs in the family kit. But a child's own bag does three jobs the family kit can't:
It keeps them calm. The CDC's emergency kit checklist includes comfort items: books, games, puzzles, a favorite stuffed animal or blanket, and paper with crayons.
It covers them if you get separated. A whistle, light and contact card matter most when you're not beside them.
It gives them a job. Ready.gov's coping guide says involving children in the family disaster plan builds a sense of control and confidence.
The idea isn't new. The Red Cross Pillowcase Project for grades 3 to 5 was inspired by New Orleans university students who carried their belongings in pillowcases during the Hurricane Katrina evacuations, and each child took home a pillowcase as their own emergency kit. The program retired in June 2024, but the idea still works at home.
The Golden Rule: Keep It Light Enough to Carry
A kid's go-bag that's too heavy gets dropped, dragged or left behind. The AAP's backpack safety guidance says a backpack shouldn't weigh more than 15% of a child's body weight, so a 100-pound child shouldn't carry more than 15 pounds. If your child has to lean forward to carry it, it's too heavy.
Here's what that rule looks like in practice:
Child's weight | Max pack weight (15%) | What that means |
|---|---|---|
40 lb | 6 lb | A small pack: snacks, one water bottle, poncho, light, comfort item |
60 lb | 9 lb | Add a change of clothes and a warm layer |
80 lb | 12 lb | Add a second water bottle and a small first aid pouch |
100 lb | 15 lb | Close to a light adult day pack |
Water is the heavy part. A gallon of water weighs about 8.3 pounds (USGS), so even one gallon would use up most of a 60-pound child's budget. That's why the family's 3-day water supply (Ready.gov and the AAP both say about a gallon per person per day) stays with the adults, and your child carries one or two bottles.
Weigh the packed bag on a bathroom scale. It takes 30 seconds.
Emergency Kit for Kids Checklist (Every Age)
Start with this core list, then adjust by age below. Print it and let your child check off each item.
Water and food
A refillable water bottle or a 1-quart canteen (full)
3 to 6 small no-cook snacks your child already likes (granola bars, dried fruit, crackers)
Check allergies and swap items as needed
The AAP's family disaster supplies list suggests buying one or two extra snacks for kids to sample ahead of time, so they're less tempted to raid the kit.
Light and signaling
A small flashlight or a headlamp. Headlamps are easier for kids because they keep both hands free. The Rothco Cree LED Headlamp ($15.99) fits easily in a kid's pack.
Spare batteries, stored outside the light (the AAP suggests storing flashlight batteries outside the device)
A whistle on a lanyard or zipper pull. Both Ready.gov and the CDC list a whistle to signal for help.
Weather and warmth
A rain poncho. The Rothco All Weather Emergency Poncho ($1.99) is compact and packable, so it's cheap enough to put one in every family member's bag.
An emergency blanket such as the Rothco Polarshield Survival Blanket ($5.99), or a small fleece blanket for younger kids
A complete change of clothes, including socks and underwear, packed in a zip-top bag to keep it dry
A warm hat or hoodie in cold months
Health and hygiene
A small first aid pouch: adhesive bandages, a few gauze pads, antiseptic wipes
Hand sanitizer and a pack of tissues or wipes
Travel toothbrush and toothpaste (both are on the Red Cross Pillowcase Project list)
Any daily medicine stays with the adult (see the medication note below)
ID and contact info
A laminated contact card (details in the next section)
A recent photo of your child, in the family kit and on your phone
Comfort and boredom busters
One small comfort item: a stuffed animal, a soft blanket or a favorite toy
A small notebook, crayons or colored pencils
A deck of cards, a small puzzle book or a paperback
For older kids: a charging cable and a small power bank, if they carry a phone
The bag itself
The AAP recommends two padded shoulder straps, worn on both shoulders, with the heaviest items packed closest to the back. A simple, durable pack like the Rothco Canvas Daypack ($26.99) works for older kids and teens. Have your child try it on fully packed and snug the straps.
The Kid ID and Contact Card
FEMA's family emergency communication plan says to make sure everyone carries a copy of the plan in their backpack, purse or wallet. For a child, that means a small card in a zippered pocket of their go-bag (and one in their school bag). Include:
Child's full name and parents' full names (not just "Mom")
Two parent or guardian phone numbers
One out-of-town contact who can relay messages
Your family's meeting place near home and one outside the neighborhood
Allergies, medical conditions and medications, if any
The words "In case of emergency, please call:" so a helper knows what to do
FEMA also suggests saving at least one contact as "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) in every family member's phone, and it explains why texting matters: a text message needs far less bandwidth than a phone call, so it may get through when a call won't. Teach your kids to send a short text like FEMA's own example, "I'm OK. At library," instead of calling over and over.
Ready.gov's fillable Family Emergency Plan has a section for each school or child care provider's emergency plan and pick-up details. Ask your child's school how they handle evacuations and reunification, and write it down. If you're a teacher, our classroom emergency kit checklist covers the classroom side.
Go-Bag Checklist by Age
Treat these as starting points and adjust for size, maturity and medical needs.
Babies and toddlers (0 to 3)
Little ones can't carry a kit, so the adult does. The CDC's list for babies and toddlers includes a well-stocked diaper bag, diapers and wipes, ready-to-feed formula if your baby is formula-fed, pacifiers, toddler snacks, extra clothes, and at least two emergency blankets. Our baby emergency kit checklist walks through the full list. Add one familiar toy or blanket that smells like home.
Little kids (4 to 7)
Give them a small, light bag that holds only:
Water bottle and 2 or 3 snacks
A small flashlight (practice turning it on together)
Rain poncho and a change of clothes
Whistle and a contact card
One comfort item and a coloring book with crayons
Keep it very light. A 45-pound child's limit under the 15% rule is less than 7 pounds. Teach the common distress signal: three blasts on the whistle means "I need help."
Big kids (8 to 12)
This is the age where kids can carry real gear and enjoy being trusted with it:
Everything in the core list above
A headlamp instead of a handheld light
A small first aid pouch they know how to use (teach them how to clean a scrape and put on a bandage)
A paper map of your area with home, school and the meeting place marked (Ready.gov and the CDC both list local maps)
A card game or paperback
Let them pack it from the printed checklist, then you check it.
Teens (13 and up)
Teens can carry close to an adult day pack and can help younger siblings. Add:
A phone charging cable and small power bank
A little cash in small bills (Ready.gov lists cash because stores and banks may be closed)
Basic hygiene items they care about
A second water bottle
A copy of the family plan with the out-of-town contact
Talk to teens about their role: who they pick up, who they text, and where they go if they're away from home. For a fuller version, see our get home bag checklist.
What Stays in the Family Kit (Not the Kid's Bag)
Some things are too heavy, too important or unsafe for a child:
Water for the whole family. About a gallon per person per day for at least 3 days.
The bulk of the food. Use our bug out bag checklist to build the adult side.
Medications. The AAP suggests asking your pediatrician about getting a 2-week supply of prescription medicine if possible. An adult should hold and give all medicine.
Documents. The AAP recommends printed copies of insurance cards, a medication list with doses for each family member, allergy lists, your pediatrician's contact info, and current photos of every family member (including one of the whole family together) in a water-resistant bag. Photos can help with reunification if you get separated.
Matches, lighters and knives. Ready.gov's kids list notes that matches need an adult's help. Keep fire starters and blades with grown-ups.
A 10-Minute Go-Bag Drill for Kids
Gear only helps if kids know what to do with it. FEMA says to practice your communication plan at regular household meetings. Try this quick drill twice a year:
Say the word. Pick a family code phrase like "Go-bag time." When kids hear it, they put on shoes and grab their bag.
Time it. Can everyone get to the door with shoes on and bags on their backs in 2 minutes?
Check the light. Each child turns on their flashlight or headlamp. Dead batteries? Swap them now.
Card check. Each child reads their contact card out loud and shows you where it lives in the bag.
Walk to the meeting spot. Walk to your nearby meeting place together so it's familiar.
Send the text. Older kids send a practice text to the out-of-town contact: "Drill. I'm OK. At meeting spot."
Repack and resize. Try on the spare clothes. If they're too small, swap them today.
The Red Cross Pillowcase Project workbook suggests checking your emergency supplies every six months and updating things like fresh water, fresh batteries and right-size clothes. Many families do it when the clocks change in spring and fall. Our daylight saving time checklist has the full twice-a-year routine.
Helping Kids Stay Calm in a Real Emergency
Ready.gov notes that children's coping is often tied to how their parents cope, since kids can detect adults' fears. Ready.gov and the CDC's guide to helping children cope suggest:
Answer questions simply and honestly. Give younger kids short, calm facts.
Limit news and video coverage. Repeated images can frighten young children, who may think the event is happening again.
Keep routines going. Meals, bedtime stories and play help kids feel safe.
Give them a job. Holding the flashlight or handing out snacks helps kids feel useful.
The CDC suggests talking to a professional (for example, a pediatrician or school counselor) if a child stays anxious, fearful, sad or angry for more than two to four weeks after a disaster, or if things get worse. Parents who need support can call or text SAMHSA's Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be in an emergency kit for kids?
A water bottle, a few no-cook snacks, a flashlight or headlamp with spare batteries, a rain poncho, an emergency blanket or warm layer, a change of clothes, a whistle, a small first aid pouch, a laminated contact card and one comfort item. Keep the family's water, medicine and documents in the adult kit.
How heavy should a child's go-bag be?
The AAP says a child's backpack shouldn't weigh more than 15% of their body weight. For a 60-pound child, that's about 9 pounds. Weigh the packed bag on a bathroom scale.
Should kids carry medicine in their go-bag?
No. Keep all medicine with an adult, who should give it. Put a medication and allergy list on your child's contact card instead, and ask your pediatrician about a backup supply for the family kit.
Build It This Weekend
Start with what you already have: a backpack, a water bottle, snacks, a change of clothes and a favorite toy. Then add what's missing, like a headlamp, poncho, whistle and emergency blanket. Prepper Shop ships to the lower 48 states and Washington, D.C. For pets, see our pet emergency kit checklist; for bigger injuries, our first aid kit checklist.
Sources
American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: How to Build a Disaster Emergency Kit or "Go Bag" for Your Family
American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: School Backpack Safety
Ready.gov: Build a Kit (Ready Kids)
Ready.gov: Make a Plan and Family Emergency Plan form
Ready.gov: Coping with Disaster
FEMA / Ready.gov: Create Your Family Emergency Communication Plan (PDF)
American Red Cross: Teaching Kids About Emergency Preparedness and Pillowcase Project workbook (PDF) and The Pillowcase Project press release (2018)
USGS Water Science School: Facts About Water
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