Health & Safety: Activity 5

Benefits for Your Child:

• Understands what an emergency is
• Learns routes for evacuating a home

Children see disasters in television and movies. Identifying possible reasons and routes for evacuating a home or apartment helps your child be prepared in case of an emergency.

Kindergarten Connection

Fire, earthquake, intruder, and bomb drills are standard procedure in schools. Children will learn the proper way to evacuate and where to gather. They will learn to remain calm and know the actions to take when they hear sirens or bells, which let them know to evacuate.

Activity: Just in Case

Point to and explain the purpose of a smoke detector to your child. Push the test button so that your child becomes familiar with the sound. With your child, plan how to get out of your house based on different situations—fire while you are asleep in a bedroom, fire upstairs, or fire in the kitchen. Choose a place for your family to meet after the evacuation. Practice following the plan.

More Ideas:

• Let your child know, “Later today the alarm is going to go off and we are going to practice our safety plan.” Set off the alarm at an unexpected time.
• Teach your child what to do in case of an earthquake or other emergency.
• Teach your child how and when to use 911.
• Help your child make a map of your home and draw emergency routes from different rooms.

Tips:

• Discussing disasters may scare your child. This is typical. While the parent will see the importance of this activity, practicing it in a playful manner will help calm your child’s fears.