Talking to Kids About Natural Disasters

🌪️ Be Ready, Not Scared

When it comes to natural disasters—like storms, wildfires, earthquakes, or floods—talking to your kids might feel a little overwhelming. But here’s the truth: kids want to feel confident, capable, and included. And the best way to help them do that? Have a plan—and talk about it together.

🧠 Why It’s Important to Talk About It
Avoiding scary topics doesn’t make them go away—in fact, it can make kids more anxious. Talking openly helps them understand what’s going on, know what to expect, and feel ready instead of rattled. When kids know there’s a plan, they feel safe and supported.

Safety Fact: Families who create and practice an emergency plan are more than twice as likely to take protective action during a disaster. Planning = power! 💪

💬 Conversation Starters for Curious Kids
These questions can spark thoughtful, age-appropriate discussions at home or in the classroom:

💡 What’s the first thing we should do if the lights go out during a big storm? 🔦⚡
📞 If there was an emergency, who would you call first to help? 🚒
🎒 Let’s build an emergency kit! What are 3 things you think we should pack? 🔋📚
🚪 If we had to leave the house fast, what special thing would you want to bring? 🧸🐶

✨ Build Confidence With a Plan
Kids feel braver when they have a role to play. Let them help make the family emergency kit. Practice your fire escape route together. Choose a family meeting spot and make it fun—maybe it’s near the big tree down the block or Grandma’s front porch.

And remember: it's okay if you need a little help getting started. That’s why we created the Bright Littles Safety Journal—a kid-friendly tool packed with fun activities, conversation prompts, and planning pages to help your family create a safety toolkit with confidence.

✅ Talk it out.
✅ Write it down.
✅ Practice your plan.

You’ve got this—and we’re here to help every step of the way.

🔦 Ready to create your plan? Grab your Bright Littles Safety Journal and let’s do this—because brave kids are prepared kids!