The Household Safety Audit · Connected Through Play

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The Household Safety Audit

When you have time, invite the household members for a planning session and share that you are going to treat your home like a "Command Center." Your goal is to move through the house and identify where your "Safety Assets" are located.

Because this can be scary, I encourage you to incorporate the Notice & Wonder strategy. Here’s an example: "I noticed that we have a flashlight in the drawer. I wonder what else we might need if the lights went out for two days?"

For this activity, I’ve also created more detail by age to help guide the experience, of course, you know your family best, so adjust as needed.

Ages 3–5: The "Go-Bag" Show & Tell

The Goal: Familiarize them with emergency gear so it doesn't look "scary."

The Play: "Packing for an Adventure." Give them a small backpack. Have them find three things they would want to have if the power went out (a favorite stuffie, a whistle, a specific snack).

The Rule: Practice "Red Light, Green Light" to an exit. When you say "Safety Stop," they have to freeze and look for the nearest door.

Ages 6–8: The Map Makers

The Goal: Spatial awareness of safety routes.

The Play: Draw a "treasure map" of the house. Mark two ways out of every room with a big red X.

The Logic: Go outside to your "Family Meeting Spot" (a specific tree or mailbox). Have a "Picnic" there so the spot feels like a happy, safe anchor, not just an emergency spot.

Ages 9–11: The Comms Captains

The Goal: Information management.

The Play: Create a "Communication Card." Who is our "Out-of-Town Contact"? (It’s often easier to call long-distance than local during a crisis).

The Challenge: Have them memorize the phone number of one person who doesn't live in your house. In a world of digital contacts, "Brain Storage" is the ultimate safety asset.

Ages 12–14: The Quartermasters

The Goal: Resource inventory and systems.

The Play: "The 72-Hour Audit." Have them go to the pantry and find enough food to feed the family for 3 days without using the stove or microwave.

The Skill: Show them where the main water shut-off and the circuit breaker are. Explain the "Physics of the House,” how the water flows and how the power clicks.

Ages 15–17: The Lead Strategist

The Goal: Critical thinking and community impact.

The Play: "The Scenario Stress-Test." Give them a scenario: "It’s 2 AM, the power is out, and the roads are flooded. What is our first move? Who are our neighbors who might need extra help (the elderly, families with infants)?"

The Skill: Have them sign up for a basic First Aid/CPR course or audit your current First Aid kit to see what is expired.

Your Turn

What is your family’s "Safety Anchor" (your meeting spot)? Did you discover any "gaps" in your pantry or your plan while doing the audit?

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