National Fire Prevention Week in October and recent floods and wildfires in the news reminds me now more than ever just how important it is to teach our children to be prepared for emergency situations. As a mother and grandmother, I know firsthand that talking to our children about disasters and safety lessons for preschoolers can be intimidating, but we must prepare our children as best we can for life – emergency situations included.

Children are capable of learning safety basics at a young age and it’s important to their well-being, so it makes sense to teach safety lessons for preschoolers. At Primrose, we integrate essential safety skills into our curriculum alongside skills in subjects like math, science and literacy. We value children’s safety as highly as parents do, and we know that while learning how to dial 9-1-1 or what a firefighter looks like may seem simple, these skills can make all the difference if a child is faced with an emergency.

Starting in our toddler classrooms, children at Primrose learn about safety and emergency preparedness through fun, age-appropriate activities and lessons, including:

• Using play phones to learn to dial 9-1-1
• Singing songs and reading books about firemen, police officers, nurses and other community helpers to learn that these adults can be trusted to help in emergency situations
• Practicing how to stop, look and listen when outside near roads
• Memorizing the three most important pieces of information to know in an emergency – their names, addresses and phone numbers
• Learning how to stay low and crawl to a door when smoke appears

While the Primrose safety lessons for preschoolers touches on these and many other important emergency preparedness skills, there are many more lessons to learn. Consider using the following resources to better prepare your children – in fun ways – for the unexpected:

• Take three easy “prep steps” toward emergency preparedness with your family and complete the fun, kid-friendly activities that reinforce each step.
• Teach children about disasters by reading books about different types of situations, such as:
  • “Whose Hat is This?: A Look at Hats Workers Wear” by Sharon Katz Cooper (2-3 years) 
  • “Clifford and the Big Storm“ by Norman Bridwell (2-3 years)
  • “Franklin and the Thunderstorm“ by Paulette Bourgeois (3-8 years)
  • “Rhinos Who Rescue“ by Julie Mammano (5-8 years) 
  • Click here for more book options.
• Use games, arts and crafts projects, and other activities to teach important safety lessons.

Through these age-appropriate and fun learning games and activities, you can better prepare your preschooler for the unexpected. For more parenting resources related to emergency preparedness, explore these safety-related posts.