Weekly Quest · Prepare
Build Your Seasonal Car Kit
Week 51 of the Outside family quest calendar sends your crew to the driveway for 90 minutes of hands-on preparation: building or refreshing a seasonal car kit that fits your region, your roads, and the adventures still ahead. It is a simple afternoon project that builds real confidence and earns your family the Road Ready badge in the Outside app.
This page describes Quest 51 of Outside's 52-week family adventure calendar, available in the Outside app. The quest guides families through building or reviewing a seasonal vehicle emergency kit over approximately 90 minutes, earning 450 XP and the Road Ready badge. It is rated Medium difficulty and is designed for parents and children ages 4 to 14 working together on practical preparedness. The page is published by Outside, a family adventure brand, and includes guidance on running the quest, age adaptations, frequently asked questions, and a family journal prompt.
| XP | 450 |
|---|---|
| Time | 90 minutes |
| Week | 51 of 52 |
| Badge | Road Ready |
| Difficulty | Medium |
Why this quest is worth your Saturday afternoon
Most families drive hundreds of miles a month through weather, traffic, and unfamiliar terrain without a second thought about what is actually in the back of the car. Quest 51 turns that quiet gap into a genuine family project. In roughly the time it takes to watch a movie, your crew inventories what you have, decides what belongs there for the season ahead, and packs it together with intention.
The result is a car that is ready for a flat tire on a forest road, a surprise cold snap, or a long wait on the side of the highway. More than that, it is an afternoon your kids will remember because they helped build something real. Preparedness, it turns out, feels a lot like competence, and competence feels terrific.
What goes in a seasonal car kit
A good kit is specific to where you live and when you drive. A family in the mountain West in December needs different gear than a family in coastal Georgia in June. Start by talking through your actual driving habits: long highway stretches, dirt roads, mountain passes, school pickups. Then build from there.
**Core items most families include:** - Jumper cables or a portable jump starter - A basic first aid kit with a current inventory - Reflective triangles or road flares - A flashlight with fresh batteries - Water for every passenger, enough for a day - Warm layers or an emergency blanket, depending on season - A simple tool kit and tire pressure gauge - Snacks that keep (granola bars, nuts, dried fruit) - A printed copy of key contact numbers
For winter regions, add an ice scraper, a small shovel, sand or kitty litter for traction, and extra gloves. For summer heat, bump up the water supply and add sunscreen and a hat per person.
How to run the quest as a family
Open the Outside app and log into Quest 51 before you head to the driveway. The app walks you through the four in-quest steps, which are designed to keep things moving without rushing anyone.
Start at the kitchen table. Ask your kids what they think should be in the car if you got stuck somewhere unexpected. Write down their answers. Some will be practical, some will be funny, and all of them are worth hearing. Then head outside together.
Empty the trunk or cargo area completely. Wipe it out. Take stock of what was already there, and be honest about what is expired, broken, or just taking up space. Let your kids handle the inventory checklist. When everything is decided, pack it together, assign each child something to be in charge of knowing, and take a photo for the app reflection. That photo is the finish line.
Making it work for different ages
Kids ages 4 to 6 are natural sorters. Give them a bin and a simple rule, such as everything soft goes here, everything hard goes there, and they will work steadily alongside you. Let them be in charge of the snack supply.
Kids ages 7 to 10 can own the checklist. Print one out or pull it up on a phone and let them read each item aloud and check it off. They can also test the flashlight, count water bottles, and confirm the first aid kit is stocked.
Kids ages 11 to 14 are ready for the bigger picture. Walk them through what actually happens when a car breaks down: what you do first, who you call, how you signal other drivers. Talk through a couple of simple scenarios. They will surprise you with how seriously they take it when you treat them as a real part of the plan.
What your family takes home
Beyond the Road Ready badge and 450 XP logged in the Outside app, this quest delivers something quieter: a shared sense of readiness. Your kids helped make the car safer. They know what is back there and why. That awareness travels with them.
Families who complete Quest 51 often report that it opens up longer conversations about travel, about the roads they want to drive someday, and about what it means to look after each other. For a 90-minute project in the driveway, that is a strong return. And next time you load up for a road trip, someone in the back seat will remember exactly what is in that kit, because they put it there.
Draw or describe what your family's car kit looks like now that it is packed. Which item do you think is the most important, and why did you choose it?
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to buy a lot of supplies to complete this quest?
Not necessarily. Many families already have most of what belongs in a solid car kit scattered across the garage, the closet, and the back seat. The quest is about gathering, checking, and organizing what you have before filling in the gaps. If you do need to purchase items, a basic first aid kit, jumper cables, and an emergency blanket cover the most important ground and are available at most hardware or big-box stores for a modest total.
How do we complete Quest 51 in the Outside app?
Open the Outside app and navigate to the Quest calendar or search for quest ID quest-51. Once you start the quest, the app guides you through four steps: a family conversation, the hands-on build, a moment of shared discovery, and a photo or reflection to close it out. Log your completion directly in the app to earn your 450 XP and unlock the Road Ready badge.
Our kids are very young. Is this quest too advanced for toddlers and preschoolers?
Young children do surprisingly well with this quest because the work is physical and concrete. Sorting items, counting water bottles, and packing a bin are all within reach for a four-year-old with a patient adult alongside them. Keep their role simple and specific, and let them claim one item as their responsibility. The goal is participation, not expertise.
How often should we review or update our car kit?
A good rule of thumb is to check your kit at least twice a year, ideally when the seasons shift in your region. Spring and fall are natural moments to swap out cold-weather gear, refresh water supplies, check that batteries still hold a charge, and restock anything you used. Quest 51 falls at Week 51 for exactly this reason: it is a natural end-of-year prompt to make sure your kit is ready before winter deepens or before the big spring road trip season begins.