That's a great Idea, but not for me. My Son tends to "Weaponize" everything he gets his hands on. Last time he was at my House, he made a Frog Giggin' Stick Spear Thingy. I told him I could just buy him one, and he said,"You mean that someone else already thought of that."

 

How about some assorted band-aids, alcohol wipes and maybe a can of Bactine.

 

My thoughts on a youth bag:


Separate bag inside a Kevlar lined backpack

Laminated ID w/picture, name, home address, telephone number, alternate address and telephone number of close relative with their pictures and names.

Another laminated card w/home address and telephone number and parents cell phone numbers

List of safe houses if parents aren’t available with names, addresses and telephone numbers. Telephone number of a taxi service that is trusted.

City map with home and relatives’ addresses marked, along with the list of safe houses.

A small coin purse with a ten dollar bill, a five dollar bill, five ones, plus coins. (Money primarily for paying for a taxi. Including a signed note that offered a reward to get the bearer safely to one of the addresses on the laminated cards. The change is primarily for vending machines or pay phone (If any still exist)

Prepaid cell phone if the school allows.

Telephone card (Use at least once a month under supervision so the child knows how)

2 boxes juice, packet of trail mix, packet of jerky, hard candies.

2 1-liter bottles of water

Windup LED flashlight

Space blanket & disposable poncho

Change of underwear, knit cap, pair of warm gloves in vacuum sealed bag

Camper’s pack of toilet tissue

Individual moist towelettes

One-ounce bottle of Purell for sanitation if regular bathroom facilities aren’t available

Couple of band-aids and two larger patch bandages

Over-the-counter medications (only if allowed by school)

Packet of tissues for runny noses

Whistle and signal mirror

Dust mask and swimming goggles for dust, smoke, or fumes

Lighter and pocket knife if allowed by school (used monthly to keep in practice)

Memorize three code words. One to use to indicate it is the parent’s instructions, by them or trusted family and friends to give or receive information or be picked up. A second word that means to keep doing whatever it is you are doing, primarily meaning stay where you are. A third word to mean to follow the Get Home Plan.

Just a few ideas off the top of my head.

 

Lighter and pocket knife if allowed by school (used monthly to keep in practice)

Great insight, as usual Jerry. However, there are no public schools left in the country that would allow either of the highlighted items above.

 

Honestly, the way things are going in the American education system ... the best school-friendly survival kit for your kids would be to home-school them.

 

I soooooo agree with this one ...

Homeschooling allows for much better teaching of YOUR values and beliefs, as well as practical things like the use of a knife/slingshot etc and the value of preparing.

My 12 yr old's BoB has matches, snacks, water, clothes, etc .. and will soon have a knife as well. His EDC backpack still needs work, but does carry his water bottle and some candy, as well as a change of clothes at a minimum. He is fixing to get a pocketknife which he will be allowed to carry everywhere as long as he doesn't misuse it.

~R

 

A ferro rod with scraper (if the school allows it), pocket warmer heaters, picture of the family, maybe a cheap monocular, favorite book, pad and pencil, water filter straw (if taught how to use it). That's all I can add for now. Jerry covered most of it.

 

My school actually made earthquake kits... that you had to bring to class they sent a list home they stuck them in a big garbage can to take out with earthquake drills adults would come pick up the kids and they had a list in the same can who goes with who ect.. The school did that.. I also used to carry a pocket knife with me too school I was wasn't allowed ie school rules I just did what my grandfather told me to say.. Im Scottish and I was told to always have a knife on you its part of my tradition.. they ask my parnets yep.. done no more issuse at all.. and if they did push it well it would turn around and bite them in the rear..

 

Put store bought bottled water in the bag.

Skip all firestarters. He´s supposed to get home, not bug out.

Include some of those chemical hand warmer thingys and perhaps clean, dry socks.

 

Jerry gave great recs. Some schools will not allow the xtra food items and or hard candies. Most will not allow pocket knife or lighter. The whistle and mirror would probably be confiscated. Mind you, I live in an area with urban schools and urban school issues. Good luck, we homeschool for A LOT of reasons.

 

How about a map of all the walking/biking trials in the area, city bus maps, bus fare and the knowledge of how to get home from school. Don't forget the right cloths to get home during any season. I always had a pair of mittens, scarf and stocking cap in my locker I only used them twice in my school years but boy was I glad to have them.

 

A multitool which they can't deny. It weighs only 1.4 ounces.

http://www.amazon.com/IDL-Tools-International-1900CP-Multi-Tool/dp/B000056VTW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1300462345&sr=1-1

And one of these ( in grey color)

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Survival-Technologies-Sparkie-Starter/dp/B001H9N8DY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1300462794&sr=1-1

 

Not enough information.

How far is the school from his home or location he is supposed to meet his parents?

What is the terrain like? (For instance, it was an easy flat 3 mile walk from my house to my high school, 1 mile walk to elementary school on simple terrain)

I'd say regardless of these answers have:
1)Money
2)Cell phone
3)Knowledge of the safest way to get home on foot
4)Snack and bottle of water

 

How about a family photo and add an out of state relative phone number to your list. Local phones may jam up in an emergency, but long distance might work. Last, on your map, have a rally point marked in the event your home is not accessable.

As your kids get older (driving age) a bigger bag for their trunk that is sealed with your name on the tag. No matter what is in it, the kid could claim, Oh dad borrowed my car last night and must have left it there" My story and I'm sticking to it.

After Jerry D, what else is there left?

 

Honestly , who says the kid has to show the kit to anybody ? just tell him hes not to show it to anyone and it stays in his backpack , last time i checked schools just cant unlawfully search children without their parents present or prior permission , unless things have drastically changed in the past 10 years.

 

Schools have metal detectors now.

 

Jerry calls it about as close as you can get every time. No point in me saying a word other than there are some ready made childrens ones you can look at and pattern from too.

Color book, crayons and small lightweight fun games. Paper dolls, prepunched for girls. Puzzles and magic trick instructions for boys. Silly putty, yo yo and other such things.

 

Always assume the school will search everything.
Be sure the child has good quality footwear, clothes, and backpack. Main goal is to get home, or to the designated pick up point. If you feel a BOB is needed, cache it OFF school property.
I would not recommend carrying anything besides a water bottle and a field jacket liner in the pack.

 

I keep a kit at school too, although I'm a bit older than your nephew, and it stays in my truck. It includes basic first aid equipment, a compass, a little extra food, a multitool and, yikes, a few very well hidden matches and cottonballs. Some of the stuff is a no-no on school property, and that's a risk that I'm willing to take. I seriously believe that anyone who DOESN'T keep at least a first aid in their car needs to get one now, because the first aid kit sitting at home isn't gunna do a thing for the kid who just busted his head open at the grocery store.

The things that my school busts kids on most is

Knives: People flash em around and act stupid, or leave em in the car to where everyone can see. Make sure the kid knows that a knife is not something to be shown off, although I'm sure he does just fine...

Toy Guns: that has nothing to do with a survival kit, so I'll just skip it.

Spent/Loose Cartridges: If your nephew gets to driving age and hunts or something, make sure he gets all the shells out of his truck.

The big one is Medication. Lots of good, normal kids have been busted for keeping Advil in their cars. If you include that in the kit, then be super careful.


Well, as a high school kid, there is my input. Hope I said something that may be useful.

 

ADVIL ?! are u serious

 

Everyone has great ideas however keep this in mind, he should only have the tools/items to get him home in case of an emergency or to have to survive if something happens along the lines of a bombing in the area, that kind of deal.

Knowledge is power as well.

 

our little ones are to little but its still not a bad idea to get started early.

 

Holly smokes!! You got to be joking!!

An average 12 years old is not a grown up man that could handle a lot of load.

Lets see..
2x 1 litre bottle of water? thats 2KG
2 boxes of juice /food would weight at least an extra 500 grams
add that to the other bits and pieces, the EDC alone would weigh about +4 kg.

An "average" 12 years old weight what? 40kg? thats about 10% of their body weight!!
And that is BEFORE adding the usual school paraphernalia, books, pens, etc etc..

 

Emergency disposable cell phone, knife, and money. Snacks & ID and the like he should already have.

 

The schools have gotten crazy with zero tolerance. Hell when I went to high school half the trucks in the parking lot had 30 30s hanging in the back window. Im curious how far from the house the school is located. I make sure my daughter keeps a couple of those feminine hygene products, a space blanket, a whistle, and a disposable ponco in her bookbag but her school is within two miles of our house.

 

As a teacher, i can't even have a knife on my person in school. If a student has anything that can be seen as a weapon, or used as a weapon it's a guaranteed expulsion. We've had first grade kids who have had their parents pack a lunch with a butter knife get expelled. We just had a special needs student bring a swiss army knife to school not realizing what it was and he was expelled. Also, they have no rights when it comes to personal property. We can search anything at anytime.Remember, we are not the police so we do not need a warrant or probable cause. That's why so many schools are going with either no book-bag or clear plastic book-bags. I'm not saying i agree with any of it, i'm simply saying that this is how it is.

 

Isn't it a violation of our 4th amendment right to search a vehicle without a warrant? I would being suing the school for searching my vehicle (its mine until they are 18/out of school), but again we let the government do what it wants for a false sense of security.

 

I would say have a wallet with some money and everything that would fit in it then have a keychain and a flashlight on you