Weekly Quest · Prepare
Emergency Contact Quest
The Emergency Contact Quest turns a simple household task into a genuine family outing: gather your people, head outside, and build the one document that keeps everyone connected when plans go sideways. Forty-five minutes of easy conversation earns your family the Contact Keeper badge in the Outside app. It is the kind of afternoon that feels light and leaves something lasting.
This page is the public web guide for the Emergency Contact Quest, Week 44 of Outside's 52-week family quest calendar, published by Outside, the family adventure app. The quest asks families to spend roughly 45 minutes outdoors writing down key emergency contacts and choosing an out-of-area family contact, earning 300 XP and the Contact Keeper badge upon completion in the Outside app. The guide covers how to run the quest well, age-by-age tips for kids four through fourteen, and what families take home from the experience. It is designed for parents who want practical preparedness built into memorable family time rather than a chore completed at the kitchen table.
| XP | 300 |
|---|---|
| Week | 44 of 52 |
| Badge | Contact Keeper |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Estimated time | 45 minutes |
Why this quest is worth an afternoon
Most families already know they should write down important phone numbers. Almost none of them have done it. The Emergency Contact Quest changes that by moving the whole project outside, handing kids a real role, and framing it as exactly what it is: a small act of care for the people you love most.
When families do this together rather than alone at a desk, something shifts. Kids feel trusted with grown-up information. Parents discover their children know more than expected. And everyone ends the afternoon with something concrete: a contact list that works, a plan that sticks, and the Contact Keeper badge earned inside the Outside app. That combination of fresh air, shared purpose, and a clear finish line is what makes this one of the most-remembered quests in the whole 52-week calendar.
How to run it well
Before you leave the house, gather a small index card or a folded sheet of paper and a pen. You can transfer everything to a more permanent home later. The goal outside is conversation, not perfection.
Find a spot with a little shade and room to spread out. A park bench, a picnic table, or even the curb in front of your house all work fine. Start by talking about who matters most to your family and who would need to reach you in a pinch. Work through four categories together: immediate family cell numbers, a trusted neighbor or two, your family doctor or pediatrician, and one out-of-area contact who can serve as a central hub if local lines are busy.
That last one is the piece most families skip and the one that matters most. Choose someone a few states away, give them a heads-up that you have picked them, and write down their number. Then take a walk, notice something worth noticing, and head home knowing the work is done.
Making it work for every age
**Ages 4 to 6:** Let the youngest kids be the official holders of the list. Give them the job of carrying the paper and the pen. Ask them who they would want to call if they ever needed help. Their answers will surprise you.
**Ages 7 to 10:** This age group is ready to memorize one phone number all the way through. Pick the most important one and spend a few minutes on the walk turning it into a rhythm or a silly sentence. By the time you are back at the car, they will have it.
**Ages 11 to 14:** Older kids can lead the conversation. Ask them to run the list, prompt the categories, and think through scenarios. What if school gets out early and nobody is reachable? Who is the backup? They will engage seriously when they are treated as the ones solving the problem rather than the ones being protected from it.
What your family takes home
The finished contact list is the obvious take-home. Post it somewhere physical: inside a kitchen cabinet, on the back of a bedroom door, or folded into your go-bag. A paper backup matters because phones run out of battery and screens crack.
Beyond the list, families often report something quieter: kids who feel more capable and parents who feel more at ease. That is the real output of this quest. Preparedness done well does not make the world feel more dangerous. It makes your family feel more ready for whatever the world brings, which is a different thing entirely. Mark the quest complete in the Outside app to collect your 300 XP and unlock the Contact Keeper badge.
Supplies and finishing touches
You do not need much. Comfortable shoes, water, something to write on, and something to write with cover the basics. If your kids want to make the final list feel official, let them decorate a card when you get home. Laminate it if you have the gear. Take a photo of it and text it to your out-of-area contact so they have a copy too.
Complete the quest inside the Outside app by following the four in-app steps: talk together about what you hope to discover, head outside and take your time, notice something new and share it out loud, and capture a photo or a feeling before you head home. The app will prompt you to reflect on your favorite moment before awarding the Contact Keeper badge.
Write down the name of your out-of-area contact and one sentence about why your family chose that person. Then ask each family member to write one thing they would want that person to know about your family.
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to go somewhere specific for this quest?
No. Any outdoor spot works: a neighborhood park, your backyard, a quiet stretch of sidewalk, or a picnic table at the end of the block. The point is to have the conversation outside, together, away from the usual distractions of home. The location is yours to choose.
Who should we pick as our out-of-area contact?
Choose someone a reasonable distance away from your home region, ideally in a different state, who is reliably reachable by phone and calm under pressure. A grandparent, an aunt or uncle, or a close family friend all work well. Let them know you have chosen them before you finalize the list, so they are not caught off guard.
What do we do with the list once we write it?
Put a physical copy somewhere easy to find in your home. A kitchen cabinet door, a family bulletin board, or the inside cover of a household binder are all solid options. Take a photo of the list and send it to your out-of-area contact as well. The goal is at least one copy that does not depend on a charged phone.
How do we complete the quest and earn the badge?
The quest is completed inside the Outside app. Follow the four in-app steps during your outing, then answer the reflection prompt asking about your favorite moment. Once all steps are marked, the app awards your 300 XP and unlocks the Contact Keeper badge for your family profile.