How to Teach Your Kids about First Safety (Fire Prevention Week)

This is a guest post from ConsumerSafety.org

Awareness weeks are a great way to introduce serious topics to kids in the classroom, and with National Fire Prevention week spanning October 9–16 this year, it’s time to begin planning out a few lessons. When it comes to adults, it’s much easier to get people to follow proper precautions using scary statistics and facts, but how do you educate 3–5 year olds without scaring them?

Anyone with young kids knows that the best way to keep them engaged is through play. There are many methods for teaching young children about fire prevention, but fewer suggestions for teaching kids what to do in a real fire emergency.

ConsumerSafety.org created a fun “Fireman Says” game using the familiarity of Simon Says to teach children how to react in a fire, while getting them up and moving. It’s an engaging game that teaches simple fire safety behavior through repetition of actions and instructions.

More fire safety information can be found in this post about How Your Family Can Practice Fire Safety, which includes links to ConsumerSafety’s fire safety guide, and a free printable of the Fireman Says game.

Here are a few quick takeaways from the post:

• According to the National Fire Protection Association, 2 out of 5 home fires begin in the kitchen. Never leave the kitchen when food is cooking (especially on the burners), and keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen.
• Have your chimneys cleaned regularly, and be very careful with portable space heaters. Make sure they are several feet away from drapes, clothing, or anything that could catch fire.
  Are your outlets overloaded? Check the circuit loads of your electrical appliances and devices. You might need to install additional circuits.