Tornado Tips

It is tornado season around here and unfortunately that means we will be taking shelter quite often.  Last week alone we had to take shelter once and were warned we might have to on another occasion.  Taking shelter with a small child can be interesting as they are either super scared or can't figure out why you took them away from their play time.  I've gathered a few tips over the years so I thought I would pass them along.

Wear shoes.  Ok, this is my mom's tip.  As a child, we always had to run to the backyard neighbors house when the sirens went off.  If a storm was even predicted we had shoes nearby or on.  I have a basement now but I still put shoes on everyone in case something does happen so that we won't be climbing out of ruble barefoot.

Bring snacks. You may only be in the shelter for a few minutes but it could turn out to be a long time in there.  Bring a sippy cup and a few snacks for the little ones and a bottle of water for you because a snack can always help pass the time.

Keep your laptop handy. If you have a laptop, keep it charged so that you can use it during a storm.  When the kids are occupied I use it to watch the weather and keep up with friends on Facebook.  If the kids aren't distracted though I find games for them to play online.  My oldest recently discovered what a tornado was and he now freaks out every time he hears the word.  Last week I got him interested in a game and he completely forgot about the tornado while we were hanging out in our shelter.

Prepare for a long night.  If it looks like it is going to be a long night of storms, bring pillows and blankets to your safe area.  I realize some of you are hanging out in a closet and there isn't really any room to sleep but I suggest keeping the family together in a nearby location so that it is much quicker and easier to get in your shelter when needed.

Do you have any tips for surviving a tornado and/or keeping your family entertained while you take shelter?  Feel free to leave a comment with some of your favorite tips.