Safety First! How Primrose Teaches Emergency Preparedness

A little girl practices dialing a number in case of an emergency

Safety First! How Primrose Teaches Emergency Preparedness

At Primrose, we believe that what children learn in the classroom should prepare them for success both in school and in life. That’s why, in addition to nurturing skills in subjects such as math and reading, we spend time engaging students in life skills, like safety and emergency preparedness. These skills are especially important for children to learn early on and can make all the difference if a child is faced with an emergency.

As a mother and grandmother, I know safety is the number one priority for parents when it comes to their child (and grandchild). Parents of young children have many sleepless nights worrying about their children’s safety.

Children’s safety is also a top priority for Primrose. We know how important simple tasks, such as your child knowing their address or being able to recognize a firefighter or police officer, can be in the midst of a crisis. That’s why emergency preparedness is integrated into our curriculum.

Even though thinking about your child being in emergency situations can be intimidating, we make sure learning about safety is fun for your little one! Students in every Primrose classroom learn about emergency preparedness by participating in different activities that are introduced in age-appropriate ways.

Below are some safety-related life skills that children at Primrose learn to help them feel better prepared and safe if an emergency arises.

I’m Ready in Case of an Emergency

Children start their safety lessons by learning what an emergency is, then learn about different types of emergencies. They practice simple skills like dialing 9-1-1 using play telephones and telling the operator the information they need to be able to help.

Community Helpers

In emergency situations, young children should be able to identify firefighters, police officers, nurses and other community helpers. Although little ones may be cautious, they should understand that these adults can be trusted and can offer help to them and their families should a fire, car accident or disaster occur. Through class discussion, books, games and activities, Primrose students learn all about community helpers and the jobs they do to keep our cities and citizens safe.

I Know My Name, Address and Phone Number

Children at Primrose memorize three of the most important pieces of information they need to know in an emergency situation — their names, addresses and phone numbers. In our younger classrooms, children learn to say their first and last names aloud and then eventually learn to recognize their names in writing. In our older classrooms, children practice dialing their phone numbers on play telephones.

Fire Prevention

During National Fire Prevention Month (October), we place a special emphasis on practicing fire drills, learning about smoke detectors and creating a Home Fire Plan. Students love practicing what to do if they see smoke by staying low and crawling toward an exit, and they learn a valuable safety lesson at the same time!

I’ll Stop, Look and Listen

Outdoor and road safety is one of the first lessons parents teach their children once they are able to toddle around, and we reinforce these lessons in the classroom. With guidance from teachers, Primrose students discuss why it’s important to stop, look and listen, learn a poem about outdoor safety that also nurtures literacy skills, and practice stopping, looking and listening in the hallways at school!

I’m Prepared to Help

Learning the basics of first aid is valuable for children and can also help take away some of the fear they feel when they get a minor injury. In the classroom, Primrose teachers ask students to share a time when they got a cut or a scrape and then go over the basics of wound care — washing the wounded area, gently drying the area and applying a bandage when needed. Children also role play and play games to further develop their understanding of first aid and to help reduce fear by showing them what to expect if they do get hurt.

Safety at Home

Children’s natural curiosity and desire to explore make home safety lessons all the more important! With children at Primrose, we investigate items at home that require extra caution — like hot ovens, cleaning supplies and medicines — as well as car safety, traffic signs, and other home safety basics depending on the age group.

We delve even deeper into emergency preparedness with students in the Primrose Explorers Club, our after-school program for elementary school children. Every October, they work on a fun Village Safety Project.

While the safety elements of the Primrose curriculum touch on some very important emergency preparedness skills, there are many more lessons to learn and actions to take to make sure your family is fully prepared for any situation that may arise. Follow our “Get Ready. Get Safe.” nine-week series with national partner Save the Children® for more information on making sure you and your family are prepared for emergencies.

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