Turning Hurricane Preparedness into a Child-Friendly Activity 

Preparing for hurricane season doesn’t have to feel stressful, overwhelming or scary. With a little creativity, families can turn preparedness into fun activities that help everyone feel ready for hurricane season. By involving your child in age-appropriate ways, you can build safety skills while spending quality time together.  

Start with a family emergency kit scavenger hunt. Take a look at the disaster supply kit checklist at https://www.floridadisaster.org/globalassets/plan--prepare/disaster-supply-checklist.pdf to see what you will need. Set a timer and have family members help gather items from the list such as flashlights, batteries, water bottles, non-perishable snacks, first aid kit and comfort items like books or games from around the house. Younger children can help decorate the emergency kit container with stickers and labels. This activity will help your child understand why supplies are important, while giving them a sense of responsibility. 

Create a simple map of your home and neighborhood and practice evacuation routes or safe places to go during a storm. Role-playing different scenarios like “what to do if the power goes out” will help your child remember important steps without feeling afraid. Keep your tone calm and reassuring, emphasizing that planning helps keep everyone safe.  

Families can also enjoy weather themed learning activities by watching a kid-friendly video about hurricanes, reading a picture book about storms, or completing a simple science experiment. Try creating a mini hurricane in a bowl by stirring water in a circular motion while dropping food coloring into the center to show the swirling motion. Follow up with a discussion about how people prepare for severe weather and how first responders help them recover if they need assistance.  

Finally, you can end the day with a hurricane preparedness celebration! Once your kit is complete and your plan is practiced, enjoy a family game night or special snack to highlight that being prepared is a positive accomplishment. These small activities can help your child associate emergency preparedness with confidence and teamwork rather than fear.  



By turning hurricane preparedness into family fun, parents can teach important safety lessons while strengthening family bonds long before the storm clouds appear.