Does your family have a first aid kit for emergencies? What’s in it? Here’s a fun weekend activity to help you think through those emergency situations and create a practical first aid kit that you can do at home with your family during National Safety Month.

Supplies:

• Index Cards
• Markers
• Pen
• Notebook
• Container to hold first aid supplies ie. shoe box, Ziplock bag, tote bag, etc. 
• First aid supplies ie. band-aids, antiseptic wipes, scissors, gauze, tape, tweezers, gloves, and anything else. 

Steps:

1. Assign an index card for each type of emergency that could happen (burns, bites, breaks, nose bleeds, cuts, stings, etc.)
2. Think about and ask your family what supplies would be most helpful to treatthose emergencies. Ask probing questions like “When was the last time you got hurt?”, “What were you doing?”, “How did you treat the injury?” and “What did you wish you had with you when it happened?”
3. Review your notes. What kinds of emergencies do you need to prepare for? On each index card, write down what kinds of supplies you would need for that type of emergency. If you can laminate them, that would be even better. 
4. Build your kit! First, notice what supplies you have at home and put them aside for your kit. Make a shopping list of the supplies you still need.
5. Sort the cards into two piles: “injuries we might get” and “injuries we probably won’t get.” Rank the injuries from most likely to least likely in each pile.
6. Put the cards into a folder you can easily find. You can even use a hole punch and tie them together to keep them inside your first aid kit.
7. Have a family member discuss each section of the kit, where it will live, and what to do in case of an emergency. Feel free to add pictures or decorate the kit to make it easy to find. 

This activity and more can be found on the National 4-H’s Healthy Living Activity Guide. You can also call the Union County 4-H office at 704.283.3735 to learn more about other opportunities to get your family involved in activities.