Kids survival gear matters. No matter what age you are, it’s never too early to learn basic survival skills and get used to outdoor gear.
Whether it’s learning to use a compass or breaking in a decent pair of hiking boots, getting the right kids survival gear could be the difference between your child growing up with a passion for self-sufficiency and preparedness or losing interest entirely.
Kids Survival Gear
Paracord Bracelet
Kids love stuff like paracord bracelets. They’re an excellent teaching tool for survivalist kids and make for relatively inexpensive gifts. Check out our list of great paracord bracelets here. Or, even better, try making your own!
This can be a fun and educational activity. Plus, it’s effortless, and you end up with a great piece of survival gear. Watch the video below to see for yourself.
Dorcy 41-2521
It’s no secret that kids love messing around with flashlights. They’re the most fun survival tools and can be used to teach your kids Morse code. The Dorcy 41-2521 is an excellent flashlight for kids simply because it’s utterly bombproof.
This chunky thing can survive being dropped from extensive heights and is both waterproof and buoyant. This makes it perfect for survivalist kids, who tend to drop stuff all the time.
It’s also brightly colored, making it hard to lose around the campsite. Lastly, it’s pretty cheap, and can usually be picked up for well under $10.
So, if it does get dropped one too many times, it’s not going to cost much to replace. The one downside, however, is that the Dorcy is pretty clunky, particularly for kids with small hands.
Leafnite SK98 Kids Mini Flashlight
For a more compact alternative, the Leafnite SK98 Kids Mini Flashlight beats out its competitors. This mini-flashlight is water-resistant and has three different output modes.
Plus, it’s small and has an excellent grip. The only downsides are the price and color. Jet-black, the Leafnite isn’t easy to track down when kids lose it. It also tends to cost around $20. For that price, you could just get two Dorcys.
REI Sahara Convertible Pants
Finding good quality outdoor clothing designed for kids isn’t always easy. Luckily, REI’s Sahara Convertibles are designed primarily for children, with sizes suitable for toddlers and up.
They have excellent details, such as color-coded zippers and cinch-up waistbands, that are perfect for growing kids.
Trumark Slingshot
You can probably already hear the windows shattering. Yes, slingshots are the bane of parents everywhere, but admit it, kids love them. Slingshots provide endless hours of entertainment that will get your young ones away from the television, and out into the fresh air.
Trumark sells good quality slingshots at very reasonable prices. Plus, the ammo can be stored in the handle, so you’ll never forget where it is.
Slingshot Sniper: How To Master The Art Of Slingshot Shooting
Before setting the kids free with their slingshots, you might want them to learn how to use them without losing an eye.
Professional slingshot champion Kenny Cannon wrote Slingshot Sniper intending to introduce complete newbies to the sport.
It’s an excellent primer on basic safety for survivalist kids and takes the beginner through the basics of how to properly use a slingshot.
The accompanying video guide is particularly useful, and offers a more professional approach than the average YouTube video.
Gerber Bear Grylls Fire Starter
Not one for the little tots, the Gerber Bear Grylls Fire Starter is nonetheless a great idea for older kids who are responsible enough to manage a fire.
While there are plenty of fire starters on the market, Gerber gets marks for its large, easy-to-use design. It’s a bit bigger than most fire starters, but that makes it much less difficult to master.
So along with being reasonably sound quality, it’s also a great training starter. It comes with a lanyard, so hopefully, it won’t go missing. As for the obnoxiously-sized Bear Grylls logo on the flank, I suppose it’s up to you to decide whether or not that’s a selling point.
BRUNTON TruArc 3 Compass
Learning how to use a compass is an essential skill for anyone, and is a critical piece of any kid's survival kit. Teach your survivalist kids the basics with the BRUNTON TruArc 3 Compass.
An excellent general-purpose compass in its own right, the TruArc 3 also happens to be a solid entry-level choice for kids. It’s pretty reliable, and boasts a global needle. Moreover, at just $13, it’s a financial steal.
Boy Scout Handbook
When it comes to survival books for kids, there are a lot of good options. Willy Whitefeather's Outdoor Survival Handbook for Kids is a classic, while the 2015 Ultimate Survival Guide for Kids is a popular, newer alternative.
I’ve heard that Survivor Kid: A Practical Guide to Wilderness Survival is also pretty good, but I have been unable to check it out myself.
In the end, though, the Boy Scout Handbook remains the primary book for budding survival kids. The latest edition was published in 2016 and contains an extended emphasis on conservation. Make sure your kid has a copy.
KEEN Pagosa Low Hiking Shoes
Over a decade ago, KEEN revolutionized the outdoor footwear market with its trademark hiking sandals. Now, they’ve done it again, producing what is arguably the best hiking shoe for small children.
The KEEN Pagosa Lows are waterproof and boast a fixed bungee lacing system and reasonably stiff soles. They’re the perfect first pair of hiking shoes for small kids and toddlers.
If you’re looking for a way to get your kids comfortable in the outdoors from an early age, then this is it.
What do you think? What survival gear do your kids love? Let us know in the comments below!
Up Next: 8 Options for Your Child’s First Firearm | Children & Guns
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on March 7, 2018, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
The slingshot sniper book is out of print. Can you recommend a different book on the subject please?