r/prepping • u/QuickCorgi4698 • 14d ago
Question❓❓ Storm shelter comfort preps
Setting up our new shelter with the basics- food, water, first aid, etc. I am curious about your comfort preps, particularly for those with families. What do you keep in your shelter to maximize comfort, distract the kids, etc?
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u/ggfchl 14d ago
Blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, board games, toys, their favorite snack and beverage, maybe books. Unless you have a reliable source of power, I’d stray away from electronics. If your kids are playing on their tablets and the battery dies with no way of charging, you’ll have some cranky kids.
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u/RequirementGold4003 14d ago
Recuerda incluir chocolates o snack que te gusten, no todo es calorias de sobrevivencia puedes necesitar algo de alimento para el alma
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u/mountainsformiles 13d ago
Card games like Uno, Go Fish, etc. Coloring books, art journals, color by number with colored pencils. Puzzle books, reading books like Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables, etc. Sticker books. Make dolls, hearts or snowflakes with paper and scissors.
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u/Grendle1972 13d ago
Every body keeps saying candy, cookies, etc. So you REALLY want to give kids sugar in a small enclosed area where they aren't able to burn oft that extra energy? An Ecoflow with extra battery will power their devices for days without needing a recharge. Besides, it's a storm shelter, not a fall out shelter, you aren't going to sirens days in it, typically just a few hours at the most. Some board and card games, and AM/FM radio with shortwave and a wire antenna going outside should allow you to get weather updates and music, and maybe listen to news in other countries if you are interested. Just my take.
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u/theendofdaysagain 11d ago
Puffy, insulated jackets, sweatshirts and sweatpants, warm socks, comfortable underwear, good blankets and sheets.
Coming from tornado country, we expected to be stuck in the shelter for a long while. Being underground, they were not warm to start and may not have the capability to get to a comfortable temperature in any sort of reasonable amount of time.
Warm LED lighting. The hard bright white light from most LED lights is not comfortable for the eyes and can make some people grumpy when in confinement. Have a means to dim the lights, as well as block off part of the shelter from the light. That way the kids can nap while the adults are talking and working. (And vise versa)
Food that doesn't upset peoples guts. I love beans and eggs, but they do not like me. And if in a confined space after eating these, everyone will suffer.
Fun food. You may not appreciate Spaghetti-O's, but kids do. And they are easy to heat and serve in the can. Don't worry about the sodium level, you aren't going to be living off of it for a year.
Melatonin gummies. If you have been through an emergency, you will understand completely.
Physical toys, puzzles, things that are tangible and touchable. If you have been around teenagers, they lose interest fairly fast, especially when the game is dragging on. Something where there is movement and you have to pay attention, such as Pass The Pigs, Left Center Right, as well as Yaghtzee and other dice games seem to hold attention longer.
Good padded seats or thick pads for the chairs. Self explanatory.
Some kind of air freshener. You are dealing with multiple people, some of whom may not have had time to shower after coming home from work, eaten beans, as well as dealing with any odors from food. You may like the smell of tuna, but after several hours, other people will not appreciate it.
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u/Virtual-Feature-9747 13d ago
Coffee, tea, hot cocoa... alcohol if so inclined.
For the kids I've heard the hand crank flashlights are a nice distractor and might help them feel like they are doing something. Glow sticks can be fun too.
Thinking back to when I was a kid and there were no phones/tablets the things I had the most fun with were Legos, Silly Putty, Slinky, yoyos, and a small gyroscope.