Do you have a child entering kindergarten in the fall? If so, consider enrolling him/her in a “Safety Town” program in your area.
Safety Town is a popular two-week education program conducted in the summer to teach safety skills to preschool children. The goal of the program is to help kids evaluate “safe” from “unsafe” when confronted with potentially dangerous situations.
Safety Town, which began in 1937 by an Ohio Police Commissioner and a Kindergarten Teacher after a small child was killed in a traffic accident, has been modeled throughout the U.S. At the time of inception, the program focused on pedestrian safety but has since incorporated additional lessons important to keeping kids safe, such as:
- Bike Safety
- Seatbelt seats
- Stranger Danger
- Fire Safety
- Riding a school bus
- Pedestrian safety
- Water Safety
- Internet Safety
- Bullying
- Playground Safety
The lessons taught are simple and easy-to-understand; the curriculum is fun and interactive. Each day, children learn safety skills in a fun and entertaining way using a child-size mock village – streets, buildings, traffic signals, and cars. Some important skills learned include:
- Name, address, and telephone number
- Proper way to cross the street
- Obeying traffic signals
- Importance of a crosswalk
- Colors, shapes and meanings of safety signs
- What to do if lost
- Familiarity with police officer, fire fighters, bus drivers
- Importance of thinking and acting safely
The theme-of-the-day is reinforced through story time, songs, games, crafts, etc.
Be ready to send your child off to school this fall. Check your local newspapers, schools, and libraries for a Safety Town near you.
