It is never too young to begin teaching kids about personal responsibility and safety. These five activities are a fun and informative way to teach your kids about safety.
Safety Games Teach Basics
The next time you and your kids are out in the yard, teach them the safety basics with simple games. You can teach them when to cross a street with the “red light, green light game”, and help them identify crossing signals. A simple game of “Simon says” can include directions to stop, drop, and roll. These games make learning fun, and they create memory devices to help kids remember how to act safely.
Discuss an Emergency Plan
Every family should have an emergency plan in case of fire, severe weather, or power outages. If your family doesn’t have an emergency plan, make on today. After you have your plan, gather your family and discuss the plan. Walk through escape routes and test out any emergency equipment. You can make the activity fun by letting your child hold the flashlight, or lock the door. Make sure they feel included and are actively participating, and they will retain the information better.
Teach Basic First Aid
You won’t always be near your child when accidents happen, so it is important to ensure your child knows basic first aid and what to do in case of personal injury at the playground or at a friend’s house. Professionals, like those at Clearfield & Kofsky, know that any type of accident is stressful. To help with this, show your children where the first aid kit is and teach them how to put on a bandage and how to control bleeding. Most importantly, teach them to find an adult who can help if the situation is beyond their control.
Inform Children about Strangers
By using the term “stranger danger”, kids will remember that strangers can be dangerous and not to approach them. Use flashcards and teach them what firefighters and policemen look like, and that they can help. Teach your child how to dial 9-1-1 in case of emergency.
Knowledgeable Children
Teaching your kids contact information is important in case you become separated in a public place. Make sure they know their full name, your name, phone number, and address. If you have an older child, teach them how to use a cell phone and how to dial your home number.
Teaching kids safety and personal responsibility is important, but with the right activities it can be fun too.
