READY WRIGLEY 

PREPARES 

FOR

TORNADOES
This series has been endorsed by:

www.healthychildren.org www.savethechildren.org/GetReadyGetSafe
Note to Parents, Guardians, and Teachers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created Ready Wrigley to 

provide parents, guardians, teachers, and young children with tips, activities, and 

a story to help the whole family prepare for emergencies. Together with your child, 

join Wrigley as she helps her family prepare for emergencies by staying informed, 

packing emergency kits, and making a family communication plan.

The activity book is designed to provide an interactive tool to further your child’s 

education and promote disaster preparedness in your community. We hope you 

will encourage its use in your schools, communities, and families to help children 

learn the importance of being prepared.

NAME:

1
2

Thunderstorms make loud rain, thunder, and lightning. 

A severe storm can also make a tornado. 

A tornado is a powerful, spinning, funnel-shaped cloud 

that goes from the sky to the ground. A tornado is very 

dangerous. It has strong winds that can destroy things in 

its path.
Tornadoes can happen day or night, with little or no time 

for a warning. These weather signs may help you know a 

tornado is coming. 

If you notice any of these signs, find an adult or take shelter 

right away!

3
Tornadoes can happen at any time of year, so it is a good 

idea to get ready now! Do you know what to do? 

READY WRIGLEY TO THE RESCUE! 

4
5

A storm or tornado can happen when 

you are not with your family. Wrigley and 

her family talk about what to do and 

who to call in an emergency.

Fill out a plan with your family to have in 

an emergency. 

Cut Here

MY FAMILY COMMUNICATION PLAN 

My Name:

My Address:

My Telephone Number:

Meeting Place:

Family Information

Work Number:

Cell Number:

Email: 

Neighbor/Relative name and number:

Out of town contact name and number:

 Always remember to dial 911 in emergencies. 
6

MATCHING

Wrigley and her family make sure their emergency kit is 

ready. An emergency kit keeps everything you might need 

in an emergency in one place. 

Bandage

Batteries

Cell phone

Flashlight

Food

Medicine

Pet Food

Radio

Sleeping bag

Water

-

-

Make sure you have enough food, water, and 

supplies in your kit to last at least 3 days.
7

EMERGENCY KIT SEARCH 

Some families might need extra items for special needs. 

Don’t forget to include these items in your emergency kit.

Help Wrigley find the extra emergency kit items by circling 

the words below. The words can be across, down, or even 

diagonal. 

DIAPERS

GLASSES

HEARING AID

INSULIN

MEDICATION

OXYGEN

WALKER

WHEELCHAIR

If a family member needs special care, make 

a list of doctors’ names and numbers, and 

medications and their dosages.

A E L N A D P W C J D Z L

Z T O K Q I L S E O P D L

D G X T D A E D C S I U W

F J Y O U P I M I A T G A

K P G X J E J N G C S L L

T Z E R D R A N S E O F K

F V N H T S I O S U Q P E

F K P Y S R Q S B K L H R

R E Y R A U A T O J K I M

Z W H E E L C H A I R E N

Z L H N G N A I Q J L N I

M E D I C A T I O N F D N
Wrigley and her family practice taking shelter from a 

tornado. The safest spot is in the middle of the basement. If 

you don’t have a basement, stay on the lowest floor in the 

house in an inside room with no windows. Don’t forget to 

grab your phones and take your pets to your safe spot!

Color the safe spots for Wrigley’s family to take shelter. 

A safe spot may be a bathroom, closet, or even a hallway. 

BATHROOM

BASEMENT

CLOSET HALLWAY

8
When you are at school, make sure to practice taking shelter 

when your school has a tornado drill. Listen to your teacher 

for instructions. Crouch low, with your head down, and 

protect your head and body. 

9
Thunderstorms are in the area. Wrigley and her family 

turn on the radio and TV, and check their smart phones, 

to get weather updates. They listen for announcements 

about a tornado watch or tornado warning.

RADIO

AM

FM

A tornado watch

means tornadoes are

possible in your area.

BE READY TO 

TAKE SHELTER!

A tornado warning

means a tornado is on the 

ground or seen by radar.

TAKE SHELTER NOW!

10
Wrigley hears sirens going off in her neighborhood! Sirens 

let people know a tornado is coming and warn people to 

take shelter. 

If sirens are often tested in your area, use the 

tests to practice sheltering with your family.

11
When Wrigley’s family hears the siren or a tornado warning 

on the radio, TV, or smartphone, they take shelter right 

away. Wrigley and her family go to their safe spot, get 

under something sturdy, and protect their bodies from 

falling objects. 

12
A mobile home, trailer, or car is not a safe place to be in a 

tornado. If there is a tornado warning, quickly find a sturdy 

building or storm shelter and take cover!

Color the safest places to take shelter in a tornado.

OPEN

Never try to outrun a tornado, but do find the 

nearest safe place to take shelter.

13
Tornadoes and severe storms can be very scary. The best 

thing you can do is plan for and practice what you will do 

if a tornado strikes.

Decode the secret message to learn how to 

prepare for a tornado. 

14

KEY

1–A

2–B

3–C

4–D

5–E

6–F

7–G

8–H

9–I

10–J

11–K

12–L

13–M

14–N

15–O

16–P

17–Q

18–R

19–S

20–T

21–U

22–V

23–W

24–X

25–Y

26–Z

11 14 15 23

23 8 5 18 5 

20 15 7 15

9 14 1

20 15 18 14 1 4 15 !
AFTER A TORNADO 

After a tornado, Wrigley’s house and neighborhood may 

look very different. There may be power lines that are 

down, nails, broken glass, and tree limbs on the ground. 

Wrigley should wait until adults say it is safe to go home. 

Color the items that need to be cleaned up, thrown away, 

or fixed. 

15
Cut Here

16

GREAT JOB! 

(Your Name) 

is ready for tornadoes!

Before a severe storm, remember to:

• Fill out your emergency communication plan

• Find your safe spots to take shelter

• Check your emergency kit and make sure 

you have everything you need

• Listen to the radio or TV for information

• Keep your pets safe! 

Here are some things I learned: 

1 

2 

3 
Written by Cate Shockey

Artwork and layout by Jennifer Hulsey 
CS246821

For more fun activities visit 

www.cdc.gov/phpr/readywrigley

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention