It is always important to be aware of your surroundings and ensure that no one is setting themselves up for injury. As children begin to explore the world, they grow bigger in stature and in maturity. The more they can get around the more they can increase their awareness. Unfortunately, the more aware they need to become for their own safety, the scarier the world can seem. One of the ways to teach kids about safety without terrifying them is by making it engaging; and at Stretch-n-Grow we love to make it active too! We love kids and want them to learn how to navigate the world safely while having fun.
Here are 3 Safety Rules, and Fun Ways to Learn about them!
1. Traffic Rules: While they may not be driving, kids should know what the different lights and crosswalk signs mean in case they are ever in a place where it could make a difference for them. Red means stop, green means go. Hand means stop, person walking means it is safe to cross the street.
The Game: Red Light, Green Light! This great game gets kids running like crazy. The rules are simple. One person is the traffic light and stands at the end of a long stretch – usually a field. When the traffic light says green light, everyone runs toward the light, and when they say red light, everyone must stop where they are. A good way to have it reinforce traffic rules is to create posters with the traffic light signals and use that in conjunction with calling out the signal names.
2. Stop, drop, and roll! The hope is always that a space will be safe and that fires won’t break out. It is always better to be prepared though, and teaching kids how to safely exit a home and put out fire from their clothes is important. Teaching them how to climb, crawl, roll, and follow a family emergency plan can bring assurance and peace of mind for parents and prepare kids for the off chance there is a need to use those skills.
The Game: Simon Says! The premise of this game is simple, you pick one person to be Simon, and Simon tells the group what to do. They are supposed to obey if Simon utters the word, “Simon Says”. If Simon doesn’t say “Simon Says”, they don’t. The game can be played regularly, and from time to time, Simon can go, “Simon says, Stop Drop and Roll” and kids can practice in a fun, safe manner.
3. Dial 911. Even at a young age, children should know how to dial to get emergency services. They should know how to access the emergency dial on cell phones and know how to repeat their address to the first responder.
The Game: Hopscotch! Instead of writing out all the numbers, write out 911 in the hopscotch set-up in a variety of patterns, with the challenge being to only hop on the nine, two ones in order.
Growing up means learning how to handle responsibility, even at a young age sometimes, but it doesn’t mean it all has to be serious. Using games can be a good way to reinforce important ideas and concepts with kids and get them moving.
By: Bethany Verrett