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Kids Get Home Bag: The Complete 2025 Checklist for Emergency Readiness
If your child is at school when disaster strikes, the best thing you can give them is a clear plan and a few simple tools. This guide covers the kids get home bag — what to pack, how to practice it, and how to make sure your child knows exactly what to do if they need to get home without you.
Most emergency plans focus on the adults in a household. But what happens when a disaster hits while your kid is at school — and you are across town or at work? The school might evacuate. The phone lines might be down. Your child might need to get home on their own.
A kids get home bag is not a bug out bag. It is lighter, simpler, and built for a child carrying it themselves. The goal: give your kid everything they need to walk or ride home safely, with a backup plan for what to do if they cannot get home.
ReadyFive covers family emergency plans in the Family category of the app — including a printable contact card and rally point setup. Use this guide to build the physical kit your child will carry.
Why Kids Need Their Own Emergency Kit
Here is what happens without a plan: a child at school, parents unreachable, transportation collapsed, and nobody who can quickly confirm where Mom or Dad are. That child panics — or worse, tries to walk home without water, directions, or a way to call for help.
A get home bag does three things:
- Confirms who to call — the emergency contact card has 3 numbers in priority order so the child never has to guess
- Gets them home or to safety — written directions and a route map work even without GPS
- Keeps them comfortable and cared for — water, food, shelter, and a comfort item reduce panic and support clear thinking
Research from FEMA and the Red Cross shows children who have practiced emergency plans make better decisions under stress. This kit is not just gear — it is a training tool. Build it together, review it every 6 months.
The Family Emergency Plan in the ReadyFive app includes a printable contact card, rally point setup, authorized pickup contacts, and a kid-friendly checklist of emergency skills to practice. Start there, then build the physical kit from this guide.
The Emergency Plan Your Child Needs
Before packing the bag, establish the plan. A child who knows the plan is more prepared than a child with a full kit and no idea what to do with it. Practice the following until your child can recite it without your help:
Step 1: The Emergency Contact Hierarchy
Print this card and put one copy in your child's backpack, one in their locker, and one in your family wallet. Laminate it if possible — it will survive a backpack spill.
2. Call ___________ (Aunt/Uncle/Neighbor) — ________-________
3. Call ___________ (Sibling/Grandparent) — ________-________
If I cannot reach anyone, I go to:
___________ (Name) at ___________ (Place)
Rally point: __________ (Location)
My address: _______________________________
Tip: Choose contacts who live within 2 miles of the school and have a landline. Cell towers may be overloaded — landlines still work during many emergencies.
Step 2: The "If I Can't Get Home" Plan
Kids need to know where to go if they cannot make it home. Establish three options:
- Option A (Primary): Walk home on the practiced route. Use the written directions in their bag.
- Option B (Secondary): Go to the rally point — the pre-designated safe location where the family meets after a disaster.
- Option C (Last resort): Go to a trusted adult's house. Practice 3 neighbors within 3 blocks who have agreed to help.
Make sure your child knows the rally point address and can describe how to get there on foot.
Step 3: What to Do If a Stranger Approaches
Drill this until it is automatic. Children who have practiced stay safer than children who have just been warned.
- YELL "NO" loudly — say it like you mean it
- YELL for help — use the whistle in your bag
- TELL a trusted adult — teacher, police officer, store employee
- Police officer or firefighter
- Teacher or school staff
- Store employee (uniform = trust)
- Parent with children
- Fire station or hospital
Rule: Never go anywhere with a stranger. If someone asks you to go with them, the answer is NO — no matter what they say or what they are wearing. Tell a trusted adult immediately.
The Kids Get Home Bag Checklist
All items should fit in a small backpack. Total weight: under 5 pounds. Label every section with a permanent marker. Practice with your child every 6 months.
- Emergency contact card — laminated, wallet-sized, with 3 contacts in priority order (parent → relative → neighbor), blood type, allergies, and the home address. Keep a second copy in the school office.
- Written directions home + route map — written on a card in the child's own handwriting if possible. Include landmarks, turns, and the rally point. Fold into a Ziploc bag to protect from rain.
- School ID or badge — most schools issue these; make sure it is in the backpack daily
- Medical alert wristband — if your child has asthma, severe allergies, diabetes, or other conditions requiring fast identification
- Small water bottle (16–20 oz) — BPA-free, durable plastic or metal. Hydration bladders work too but are harder for younger kids to use independently. Rotate every 3 months to keep fresh.
- Collapsible backup bottle — a second flat collapsible bottle in the bag's side pocket for refilling if needed. Collapses to almost nothing when empty.
- 3 protein/granola bars — choose flavors your child will actually eat. Seal in a zip bag to prevent crushing. Check expiration every 6 months.
- Shelf-stable fruit snacks or applesauce pouches — small, lightweight, and appealing to younger kids. No chocolate (melts) and no nuts (allergy risk in shared spaces).
- Small pack of crackers or trail mix — plain crackers or a small zip bag of cereal/granola. Keep it simple and non-perishable.
- Junior first aid kit — a small kit with bandages, antiseptic wipes, gauze, and a printed guide appropriate for a child to read. Adventure Medical Kits makes a kid-specific version with clear instructions.
- Any personal medications — EpiPen, inhaler, insulin supplies, seizure meds, or anything your child needs regularly. Keep in original bottles with dosing instructions. Rotate before expiration.
- Sunscreen (SPF 30+) — a small travel-size tube. Useful in summer and for disaster scenarios where shelter is outdoors.
- Hand sanitizer (travel size) — for cleaning hands when water is not available. Keep a small 1-oz clip-on bottle.
- Rain poncho — compact emergency poncho in a sealed packet. Bright color (orange or yellow for visibility). One per school day — pack 2.
- Emergency blanket (mylar) — 52x30 inches (kid-sized), fits in a backpack side pocket. Reflects 90% of body heat. Critically important for overnight emergencies in cooler months.
- Small emergency tarp (4x6 ft) — lightweight PE tarp for sitting, ground cover, or improvising a lean-to shelter. Weighs under 4 oz. Pack flat.
- 115dB safety whistle with breakaway lanyard — the loudest item in the bag. For emergencies where the child needs to signal for help. Make sure the lanyard breaks away if caught on something. Practice blowing it.
- Favorite small stuffed animal or toy — one item, small, and meaningful to your child. Provides emotional comfort during a stressful situation. Does not need to be a survival tool — it is a comfort tool, and it matters.
- Coloring book + crayons (travel set) — a 12-pack of crayons in a small box. Keeps a stressed child occupied while waiting for pickup. A coloring book is also a good distraction if a child needs to stay calm in a shelter setting.
- Playing cards or small card game — a deck of cards or a travel-size game (UNO, Top Trumps) fits in a backpack and gives a child something to do while waiting. Reduces boredom and anxiety.
Total checklist: 16 items. Total bag weight should stay under 5 pounds. Use a small 15–20L backpack. Label every section. Rotate food and medications every 6 months. Involve your child in packing it so they know where everything is.
3-Tier Kids Get Home Bag Product Recommendations
Build your child's get home bag at whatever budget fits your family. All products are available on Amazon with the ReadyFive affiliate tag. Prices are approximate and vary by brand.
Budget Tier — $25–45
Essential kit for families starting from scratch. Covers the critical items: contact card, water, food, first aid, and a whistle. No frills — but all the must-haves are present.
Emergency Contact Card (Laminated, 10-Pack)
Pre-printed wallet card with spaces for 3 contacts, blood type, allergies, and the home address. Waterproof and laminated. Buy a 10-pack: one for your child's daily backpack, one for their school locker, one for the car, and extras as backups. Good enough for the purpose.
$8–12 Buy on Amazon →My First Safety Whistle (3-Pack) with Breakaway Lanyard
115dB whistle, breakaway lanyard, bright colors. For kids 4+. Three whistles in the pack — one in the bag, one in the car, one backup. Loud enough to be heard over traffic. Practice blowing it before you need it.
$6–10 Buy on Amazon →Swiss Tech Kids Emergency Blanket (2-Pack)
Kid-sized mylar blanket — 52x30 inches, fits in a backpack side pocket. 2-pack: one in the bag, one in the car. Reflects body heat in cold or wet conditions. No substitute for a real blanket but better than nothing in an emergency.
$8–12 Buy on Amazon →Mid Tier — $50–85
The standard kit. Adds a junior first aid kit designed for kids, a reusable rain poncho, and better food options. Most families will be well-served at this tier.
Adventure Medical Kits Adventure Kids First Aid Kit (71 Pieces)
71-piece first aid kit designed specifically for children. Includes junior bandages in fun colors, wound care supplies, and a built-in illustrated guide kids can read themselves. Lightweight pouch fits in a backpack. Solid quality at a reasonable price.
$20–28 Buy on Amazon →MIRA Safety Kids Rain Poncho (3-Pack)
Reusable rain ponchos sized for children ages 5-14. Bright safety colors (orange/yellow). Can be reused 20+ times — wash and dry between uses. 3-pack: one for the bag, one backup, one for a sibling. Compact in their pouch.
$12–18 Buy on Amazon →Kind Organic Protein Bar Variety Pack (12 Bars)
12-bar variety pack. Nut-free options available. Oats, nuts, honey, and dried fruit. Keeps for 6+ months. Kid-friendly flavors — dark chocolate nut-free, fruit and nut, peanut butter. Taste better than most emergency bars.
$18–24 Buy on Amazon →Premium Tier — $90–140
The complete kit for families who want the best gear. Includes a water filter so your child can refill safely, a higher-quality backpack, and a small travel game. Overkill for most — but the best option for extended scenarios or areas with higher disaster risk.
Sawyer Mini Water Filter
0.1 micron absolute water filter. Removes 99.99999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa. 0.5L per minute flow rate. Works as a straw, inline on a water bottle, or with the included syringe. BPA-free. This is the same filter recommended for adult emergency kits — and it works for kids too. If your child has to refill water from a stream or faucet, this keeps them safe.
$20–25 Buy on Amazon →M玩玩 Waterproof School Backpack with Emergency Kit Pre-Loaded (18L)
Waterproof school backpack sized for ages 6-12. Includes a pre-loaded basic emergency kit inside: contact cards, whistle, flashlight, first aid basics, and a rain poncho. One less thing to assemble. You still add food and personal meds, but the structure is there.
$35–50 Buy on Amazon →Melissa & Doug Wooden Magnetic Travel Game Set (3-Pack)
game boards that fold flat. Magnetic pieces don't scatter. Includes checkers, tic-tac-toe, and a card game. Good for keeping a stressed child calm and distracted while waiting. Adds comfort and engagement to the kit without much weight. $18–28 Buy on Amazon →Prices and availability on Amazon may vary. All links include the ReadyFive affiliate tag. We earn a small commission when you purchase through our links — at no cost to you. Commissions support the free guides and app development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Track your family's emergency readiness in the ReadyFive app
The Family category in the ReadyFive checklist includes printable contact cards, rally point setup, authorized pickup contacts, and a kid-friendly emergency skills checklist. Build your family's complete plan alongside your child's get home bag.
Open Family Preparedness Checklist →Free printable: the family emergency plan
you'll actually fill out.
One page. Covers emergency contacts, meeting points, utility shutoffs, medical info, and a 5-needs quick checklist. Print it, keep it in your go-bag.
✓ Check your inbox.
Plan is on its way. Explore the full ReadyFive checklist →
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