A child may know where the crayons belong but not know which grown-up to contact if the usual pickup plan changes. A family planning session can make those everyday details easier to talk about. It also gives children a practical reason to read names, copy numbers, describe places and ask questions.
The six-page Family Disaster Plan from Nomadic Kids Crew gives you a place to start. It includes household contacts, meeting places, a practice log, a supplies and pet checklist, and emergency reference information. An adult should lead the activity, choose what fits the household and check current official guidance. This is a planning resource, not a substitute for instructions from local officials.
Download the free Family Disaster Plan (PDF)
Used with permission for free personal and classroom use. No purchase or signup is required to download our hosted copy.
What is inside the printable?
The opening page has space for your family name, the date and the next update. Page two collects household information and useful numbers, with three cut-out contact cards. Page three covers meeting places, alerts, routes and a practice log. Page four brings together a family supplies checklist and a pet plan.
Page five contains the creator’s quick-action reference for tornadoes, floods and power outages, with source references. Page six introduces the related book and apps. Those are separate resources; downloading the plan does not require using or buying them. The printable uses characters and references from the author’s fictional adventure series, but families can complete the planning pages without reading the books.
Start with one page and one conversation
You do not have to turn all six pages into a single lesson. Begin with the contacts page and explain what you are doing in plain language: “We are writing down the people we can ask for help, so we do not have to remember everything.” Let your child look at the page before asking them to fill anything in.
An older child might copy a familiar name or read a number back to you. A younger child could point to the person they recognize in a family photo while an adult writes. Check every number yourself. The aim is a useful household document, rather than a perfect handwriting exercise.
Make the places specific
The meeting-place page asks for locations near home and outside the neighborhood. Adults should decide which places are suitable for their circumstances and local plans. Children can help describe a familiar landmark or ask what a place looks like. A description such as “the library entrance beside the return slot” is easier to discuss than an unexplained address.
Keep the distinction between a practice conversation and an actual emergency clear. Children should not be asked to choose evacuation routes or make safety decisions on their own. If a question needs information you do not have, leave it for the adult to check rather than filling in a guess just to finish the worksheet.
Give pets and everyday needs a place
The pet section asks about a pet-friendly place, a helper and supplies. That makes it a useful prompt for the small details families might otherwise discuss separately. Who knows where the carrier is? Where is the vet’s number? Which adult will check that the information is current?
Use the checklist as a conversation starter, then adapt your household planning to current official recommendations and individual needs. A child’s role might be finding a flashlight with you or noticing an empty space on the page. Adults remain responsible for equipment, medicines and decisions about what the household needs.
Practice calmly, then record what needs changing
The practice log has room for a date and a description of what you did. Keep the first entry modest: reviewing the contact card together or talking through a familiar meeting place. Explain the activity beforehand and choose an approach that is appropriate for your child. There is no need to add surprise, frightening stories or a race against the clock.
Afterward, ask what was unclear. Perhaps a contact has changed their phone number, or two people understood the meeting-place description differently. Those are useful discoveries. Update the plan together and write down the next thing an adult needs to check.
Keep completed copies private
The blank printable can be used in a classroom, but a completed household plan contains personal information. Teachers can demonstrate the activity with fictional names and numbers, then let families complete their own copies privately. Do not ask children to share household medical details, addresses or contact cards with the class or on social media.
At home, agree where the relevant copies will be kept and who needs access. Revisit the plan when contacts or household arrangements change. Before relying on the emergency reference page, check its sources and current local instructions with an adult.
Credit: Family Disaster Plan from the Snack Attack! Survival Workbook, part of The Nomadic Kids’ Field Guide to the End of the World by Joshua Utke. Used with permission. Free download at https://nomadickidscrew.grok.me.
Shelved in The Fourth Reader: Teaching Days
