Last week I wrote the first post in my gift idea series. This week, I’m continuing with the series, but with possible gifts for kids. As with last week’s list, this week’s gives an overview of possibilities, not an exhaustive list.
When I was first compiling my product list, I went to my favorite store for sports/outdoor gear: Canadian-based Mountain Equipment Co-op. My husband got all of his hiking gear there, and we’ve all gotten jackets from there. The American-based equivalent seems to be REI (in case you’re wondering). Then, of course, I went to my old stand-by, Amazon. Because you can get pretty much anything on Amazon.
NOTE: Neither I nor ICoS are sponsored by any of the above-mentioned companies. We do not get paid for mentioning their items.
Now, on to the list!
The Post-Apocalypse Gift Guide, Children Edition
Survival Gear: Because even kids need to survive, too
1) Gas mask. Preferably kid-friendly; you don’t want it to be so big, it doesn’t fit properly. Because, you know, that would kinda defeat the purpose.
Or, if you want to have a canteen to go with your gas mask to save yourself from having to get a separate one, there’s always this lovely option:
2) Helmet. I don’t know about your kids, but mine can be a little rambunctious and accident-prone (at the same time), which, while good for providing great moments of hilarity, will not be great for surviving. Therefore, I recommend getting some head protection of some sort.
Or, for better protection, I suggest this:
Safety Gear: Because they need to stay safe somehow
1) Safety harness. Yeah, yeah, there’s an ongoing debate about how it’s terrible to leash your kids blah blah blah. But my two- and three-year-olds love to run randomly into the parking lot because they know it’s guaranteed to give Mommy a heart attack. So I’ve used harnesses before. Strangely enough, not in a parking lot, but in West Edmonton Mall. Which is actually worse.
2) Lamps and flashlights. Even kids need to see, too. Though getting them plain old flashlights might be a bit of a challenge, since my kids will just lose it anyway (yours might not, though). So with this in mind, I suggest getting lamps that can be attached to them somehow. You don’t want to lose these things; I’d imagine it could get pretty tricky getting more after the world’s already dead.
On the other hand, your kids might hate wearing anything on their heads. In which case, you might want to try this:
Of course, you’d have to attach it to their backpack or something.
3) Speaking of backpacks, they might need one of those, too. Everyone has to help carry survival gear, right? But you don’t want to load down your toddler with a full-sized hiking backpack (well, you might, but I wouldn’t suggest it). Here are a few child-sized alternatives (all images from mec.ca):
4) Hydration and water bottles. You probably don’t want your child taking your water bottle from you, so here are some ideas for a Water Bottle Of Their Very Own (TM):
(My kids each have one of these Nalgene bottles. It comes with a detachable vent/valve, so it’s great as a sippy cup, too.)
Sleeping Gear: Because you’re going to have to put the kid down sometime
1) Cot. Great for traveling. Also great as a toddler pen.
2) Portable (inflatable) crib. Once upon a time, we had two portable playpens (yes, at the same time). They were both bulky, heavy, and a pain in the ass to actually transport. Which, you know, defeats the purpose of having a portable anything. This GoCrib? Would’ve been freaking awesome. It comes with an air pump and a backpack carrying case (you can’t see the air pump in the picture, but that tiny thing in the bottom left corner is part of it).
Weapons: Because kids need to fight the bad guys, too
1) Batons. Lightweight, easy to carry, and can (hopefully) be easily tucked into a backpack. I’d suggest these for very young kids (I know my two-year-old would have a blast knocking people upside the head with one of these).
2) Pepper spray. If you don’t want your kids in hand-to-hand combat but don’t want them carrying guns or anything else quite yet, try some pepper spray. But make sure they can’t lose them. Because that could be bad.
There are, of course, lots of other weapons to choose from. In a future post I’ll talk about arming the children. They need to contribute to the survival of the group (their tiny human status doesn’t exempt them), so they’re going to need weapons, too. Maybe not guns, but they’ll need something.
Again, the above list is just an overview. You probably have ideas about what should go on a kids gift list. If you do, leave a comment and tell us what you’d get your kids!
When I saw the first gas mask all I could think of was “Are you my Mummy?” I really like this list, especially the inflatable play pen, and I’m looking forward to the next one so I can get some ideas for arming my future children for the post-apocalyptic world.
I thought of that too! such a creepy episode!
I…have no idea what episode you guys are talking about… (bad me, I know).
The inflatable playpen is pretty cool. I wish I’d discovered it a few years ago, if it was around then.
“The Empty Child” –Should be on Netflix.
This is the creepy kid:
Personally, I’ve never seen leashing kids — particularly young children — as a bad idea. It’s a good way to give them a sense of independence while still being able to keep them close. This is useful in an everyday scenario like a shopping mall or a theme park; in a PA situation, it could be the difference between life and death.
It would also be perfect for the post apocalypse, you can carry them and mind them constantly so they need to learn without being exposed to all the consequences.
Yes, exactly. Ah well, I figure all those people who think leashing/harnessing their kids is a crime will end up being the first to have their kids eaten by zombies and/or rabid dogs.
I was given a backpack, flashlight necklace, compass, whistle,thermometer, field glasses and a longbow for Easter when I was in second grade. No gas mask though. Still a decent set; I haven’t managed to break anything for years afterward.
Best. Gift. Ever. (Seriously.)