STOP, DROP, ROLL.

Today I decided that we were due to spend an afternoon going over our Family Fire Safety Plan. It also worked well considering we are into our 5th day of rain and unable to get outside! We started off watching an episode of Finley the Fire Engine who demonstrates the STOP, DROP, ROLL and GET DOWN LOW AND GO GO GO methods of fire safety, both which are part of our family plan. We then spent time reading many of our fire books and fire engine books before we got into some practice. I try to keep it all fun while getting across a really important message to the boys. Below I have listed the 10 things that I work through for FIRE SAFETY in our home:

1. We practice feeling our way out of the home in the dark or with their eyes closed.I turn this into a game by blindfolding them and placing them in a room and asking them to feel their way to a designated area.


2. We practice opening and closing the windows and pushing the screens off in an emergency.


3. We practice getting down low and go go go from a fire in different rooms. That way the boys have to decide which exit to leave by.


4. Consider teaching a fire escape song to reinforce the need to get out of a burning house. This one can be sung to Fr ere Jacques: There's a fire! There's a fire! Must get out! Must get out! Stay away from fire! Stay away from fire! It is hot. It is hot.


5. I teach the boys about smoke detectors, why they are installed, how they work, and the sound that they make. It is important that they be able to associate the sound going off with a fire as part of fire safety.


6. We talk about the fact that once they are out of a burning house or building, they must go to our designated place and never, ever venture back in. If someone or a family pet is missing, they should inform a fire fighter or adult.


7. We practice what to do in the event that their clothes catch fire. Make sure they understand “stop, drop and roll.” Many a fire-related injury could have been avoided or greatly minimized if a child heeded this advice instead of the natural instinct of running.


8. Practice your escape plan at least twice a year with your children.


9. We talk about how we never play with matches or lighters they may find: Tell your child to tell you if she finds matches or lighters, or to bring them to you.


10. Teach your child how to dial 000 and ask for help for emergency services. Teach them his/her full name, address, phone number. Role-play these situations.

Stop, Drop and Roll

If your clothes catch on fire

Your clothes catch on fire

Then you stop drop and roll

If your clothes catch on fire

Your clothes catch on fire

Then you stop drop and roll

Stop drop and roll

Stop drop and roll

Stop drop and roll

Get your self under control

If your clothes catch on fire

Your clothes catch on fire

Then you stop drop and roll

Stop! Drop! And Roll!

By taking precautions, you can make sure your home is as fire safe as possible.To Prevent Fires:

• Store all flammable and hazardous materials properly and out of reach of children. This includes: kerosene, cleaning materials and household products, lighters, matches, candles, pesticides, alcohol, paint. If you have gasoline, paint thinner, ammonia, or kerosene, these should be stored outside of the home.


• Keep matches, candles, and lighters out of reach of children. Child-resistant lighters are not foolproof, children can still light them.


• Use stove and cooking appliances safely or not at all when children are present. Either remove all knobs from the stove, or use safety knobs. If you're using a pot, turn the handle toward the back of the stove or use it on the back burner.


• Keep all electrical appliances and items with electrical cords out of reach of children. Young children tend to reach and pull on items that they see. Make your home safer by removing any temptations.


• Clean and empty all lint filters in dryers and have dryer vents inspected regularly. Dryer lint build-up is a major cause of home fires.


• Limit how much is on walls. Artwork should not cover more than 10 percent of your wall area. Papers or flammable materials on walls or doors can make fires burn faster.

Craft Activity

What you need:

a box, red and yellow paint, Marbles, construction paper (red,black, yellow) scissors

What to do:

1. Put blobs of yellow and red paint in the box.
2. Place about 5 marbles in and roll them back and forth to create a fire look.
3. Cut out a square, a rectangle, two circles and make a fire engine shape. Then I gave Master 4 a piece of yellow paper and some scissors to create the ladder.

Tips for Teaching Preschool Stranger Danger

Unfortunately the world is a scary place and there are people out there who prey on children.
No doubt, it is a very important issue that all parents must address – and one that requires ongoing, open communication with their children. The single most important thing to remember when teaching your children about stranger danger is to instill confidence, rather than fear. You want to equip your child with the knowledge and strategies they will need to protect themselves in dangerous situations. Also, keep your child’s age and maturity level in mind and base lessons upon that. Again, stranger danger lessons should be ongoing – adapt the conversation as your child grows as he/she is likely to encounter different types of situations.



The story Little Red Riding Hood story is an appropriate opportunity to address a safety issue that we altogether much rather not even think about or contemplate:child abduction; nonetheless it requires our attention to help our children avoid the unthinkable.

Teaching preschool stranger danger will help your child practice safety techniques if he is approached by a stranger. Child safety is more than telling your child "Don't talk to strangers." It includes practicing or role playing rules for staying safe. To begin, show your child a picture of who is a stranger and who is not a stranger.

A parent simply can't tell a child how to be safe. It takes practice. Discuss and role play these situations with your preschool-age child. Explain the consequences and dangers of talking to a stranger.

Teach your child these ten rules:

Grownups who need help should ask another grownup for help. This includes someone who asks for directions or wants to show you an animal.

You may talk to another person if I am with you or if I tell you it is ok. Otherwise, you should not tell someone you don't know your name or where you live.

Stay within my visual range when we are together in public. This is especially true if we are at the park or in a big store.

If we get separated in a store, ask a store person for help. Police officers or security guards will also help you find me.

Do not leave with someone you don't know. I will never ask a stranger to bring you to me.

If a grownup you don't know gets too close, back away or run for assistance. If this person threatens you, yell "I don't know you" so others know you do not know this person.

Do not take anything from a stranger, especially lollies, an animal, money or a ride in a car. If you feel scared, leave the area and find someone who will help you.

Know how and when to call 000. Trust the person who answers and answer the questions they ask you. They will help you. Teach your child their full name, address and telephone number.

Let your child know that there are NO SECRETS in your home only SURPRISES!

Make it a rule in your house that children never answer the door alone.

Preschool students should be taught stranger danger through role playing activities. These safety practices will teach your child how to respond if confronted with this type of situation.

Another great book for children aged from Kindergarten-Grade 2 is The familiar Berenstain Bear Family ( Learn About Strangers) may help to make a scary subject easier to bear. Brother discourages extrovert Sister from greeting every stranger she meets. Papa tells his children the rules for safe conduct among strangers. After Sister sees the headlines about missing cubs, she over-reacts, seeing every stranger as a threat. This is conveyed by a full-page spread: the top half shows reality, the bottom half shows Sister's scary version. Mama explains the concept of the bad apples in every barrel, literally. A funny looking apple is fine on the inside, but a perfect looking apple is bad on the inside. Finally, the attraction of a toy almost causes usually cautious Brother to go for a ride with a stranger. Sister isn't tattling when she tells her parents, she's just concerned for Brother's safety. The bears' rules are listed on the last page, including one about the privacy of a Bear's body, a topic not discussed in the text. A good book to start awareness in young children.