“Are You Prepared?” is a free educational preparedness game designed to help children (and the adults supporting them) talk about natural hazards and learn practical actions to prepare for, stay safe during, and recover from hazardous weather events.
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Are you prepared?
General Information
ISIG
A free, evidence-based educational card game that teaches children aged 6–12 how to prepare for and respond to natural hazards through play.
The resource is intended for classrooms, families, and community/youth groups and is supported by printable game cards, educator support sheets, and short “how to play” videos. The game and support materials were developed using evidence and co-design input from resilience professionals, emergency responders, and education experts, and were play-tested with end users.
In Scotland, disruptive hazardous weather and climate-related impacts can affect communities at any time. The solution responds to the challenge that children are particularly affected by disruption, yet preparedness messages often fail to “stick” without practice. The game translates preparedness advice into simple, repeatable actions and prompts conversations that build everyday readiness.
The solution focuses on hazard preparedness behaviour, including how to prepare, stay safe, and recover, in the context of hazardous weather and natural hazards.
Hazard Type
Geographical Scope - Nuts
Population Size
Population Density
Needs Addressed
- Low retention of preparedness advice when delivered only as information: the game creates practice and repetition through play.
- Limited tools for educators and youth leaders to teach hazard preparedness in an engaging way: the solution includes support sheets and classroom prompts.
- Need for inclusive, low-barrier materials usable in classrooms and community settings: the resources are printable and freely downloadable.
Primary focus: children (6–12); secondary beneficiaries: families and community groups who use it to discuss preparedness.
This solution is best implemented through multi-stakeholder governance, because development and delivery work best when education actors and resilience/emergency practitioners collaborate. Central stewardship can maintain quality and updates, while schools/youth groups deliver locally.
The solution assumes an environment with organised emergency arrangements and focuses on strengthening public preparedness and risk awareness through education (not operational response).
Adaptable to basic infrastructure: can run with printed cards and paper-based support sheets; digital access helps for videos/feedback but is not essential.
To convert preparedness guidance into practical, memorable actions by encouraging discussion, questions, and repeated decision-making in safe, age-appropriate scenarios.
Facilitated gameplay, classroom/community discussion prompts, glossary support, and optional videos; feedback survey to collect user experience and improve future resources.
End users (teachers, pupils, families) have influence primarily through feedback and play-testing that shaped refinement of the resource, but they do not co-decide governance or strategic direction of the programme.
Capacity is built through repeated practice of preparedness behaviours (recognising hazards, choosing protective actions, discussing “what would you do?”). Long-term empowerment is strengthened by enabling teachers and youth leaders to reuse the resource across sessions and embed it into routine learning or club activities, building confidence over time rather than as a one-off awareness moment.
Vulnerable Groups
Governance
Emergency Preparedness
Engagement Level
Empowerment Level
Implementation
- Free printable game cards (colour and low-ink versions).
- Teacher/youth leader support pack: glossary, discussion prompts, homework activities.
- Supporting “how to play” videos and practical add-ons (e.g., card holder guidance).
- National distribution approach (packs sent to public primary schools) plus printable access to maximise reach.
Public materials are presented in English.
Primary implementer is the NCR (developer and steward). In other contexts, this solution can be implemented by universities or resilience hubs, education authorities, local governments, civil protection agencies, or community resilience organisations, ideally partnered with educators and responders for validation.
The NCR positions itself as an evidence-to-practice resilience hub connecting universities, government and practitioners to build resilience to significant natural hazard events, indicating strong DRRM expertise for designing preparedness tools.
- Lead developer/steward: National Centre for Resilience
- Education partners: Education Scotland and teachers
- Resilience professionals and emergency responders (validation and co-design input).
- Community/youth groups and families (delivery contexts and feedback).
- Download printable cards and support sheets (or request a physical pack).
- Introduce key concepts using glossary/prompts; facilitate gameplay.
- Reinforce learning with homework activities and repeat sessions.
- Collect user feedback to improve future versions.
- Facilitator time (teacher/youth leader)
- Printing (or access to physical packs)
- Optional: basic digital access for videos and feedback submission
Ongoing, reusable tool; can be delivered as a one-off session or embedded periodically (e.g., annually/seasonally ahead of winter weather).
Experience of the Implementing Organisation in DRM
Target Audience
Resources Required
Timeframe & Phases
Participation Results
- Co-design and play-testing improves fit and usability for children and educators.
- Low-barrier printable resources help equity of access and scalability.
- Feedback loops help maintain relevance and justify continued production of tools.
A common implementation challenge is maintaining engagement without trivialising risk. This is mitigated by using play to sustain attention while anchoring learning in clear advice and guided prompts.
Another challenge is uneven access across schools or groups (time constraints, differing resources). This is mitigated through free printable materials and a supporting pack that reduces facilitator preparation.
- Risk: low uptake or inconsistent delivery quality.
Mitigation: provide standard support sheets (glossary, prompts, homework) and short “how to play” guidance to make delivery easier and more consistent. - Risk: resource constraints for physical packs.
Mitigation: ensure free printable versions are available; distribute physical packs strategically (e.g., to schools/youth organisations). - Risk: content becoming outdated as climate risks evolve.
Mitigation: maintain central stewardship and collect user feedback to guide updates and new resources.
Risk & Mitigation Plan
Scalability and Sustainability
The solution represents a public educational resource model: sustainability depends on (1) central stewardship to keep materials current, (2) periodic printing/distribution as needed, and (3) continued integration into school/community programmes. Feedback collection supports iterative improvement and justification for continued investment.
The solution scales well because printable versions are freely available and facilitation can be done by existing school/community staff. It is adaptable to other regions/countries by localising hazard examples, terminology, and official guidance, and by co-designing with local responders and educators.
This is a low-tech/high-reach innovation: an educational game with printable delivery supported by optional digital videos and feedback tools.
Because the marginal cost per additional user is low (especially via printable access), this solution can be sustainable if a host institution funds periodic updates and (where relevant) physical distribution.
Likely direct costs include: design and illustration, evidence review and co-design workshops, piloting/play-testing events, initial production of physical packs, and creation of educator support materials and videos.
Likely operational costs include: reprints and distribution logistics, website hosting/maintenance, staff time for outreach and partnerships, and periodic updates informed by feedback and evolving risk context.
- Design for low barriers (free printable materials) to keep scalability high and dependence on infrastructure low.
- Embed feedback loops to sustain relevance and demonstrate ongoing value to funders and partners.
- Co-design increases transferability: partnering with educators and responders makes local adaptation easier and improves credibility.