Kids in the Know
If you suddenly fell unconscious whilst with your child, would they be able to dial 999 for help?
How much a child can realistically manage to learn will depend on their maturity, below are a few general guideline on what most 3-5 years can understand.
Children as young as 3 years old should be taught to contact 999 in an emergency. Practice with a toy phone, teaching your child how to dial 999 or the appropriate emergency service.
In an emergency, children should be able to clearly state their name, address, phone number and if possible, provide a brief description of the situation. Set up pretend emergencies and let your child practice calling for help.
Below are other safety issues and dangers that children should be aware of at an early age.
Because a fire can be so fascinating to young children, they need to be taught at an early age how dangerous this is. They should be made aware how painful it would be for them to be burnt by a fire and stress the importance that they should never play with matches or lighters
Make sure children understand the importance of wearing their seatbelts while travelling in cars.
Life jackets, bike helmets, roller blading safety gear and other safety equipment for outdoor activities can help children reduce the risk of injury when they’re out having fun. Make the rules very clear and simple; no matter how short a bike ride, the helmet must go on, no matter how little time you’ll be on the boat, life jackets must be worn etc…
Establish the ‘CHECK FIRST’ rule with children from an early age. This is simply, before they go anywhere with anyone, even someone they know, they must CHECK FIRST! They must:
- Ask if it is OK
- Who they are going with
- Where they are going
- How they are getting there and
- How long they are going to be
Telling children merely to stay away from strangers is a vague concept. Teach them to look for certain kinds of situations or conversations with people they don’t know, such as an adult asking the for assistance or asking them to keep a secret.
