Stranger danger and road safety

[mumofone]

Does anyone have any good activities they would be happy to share on either of these topics with me please? Thank you :-) x

[FloraDora]

The best 'activity' , I think, is to do it, day in day out.
Stranger danger - talk to children about not going up to a mum or dad of another child in the park and say " hello- I am ......" Don't tell people you don't know your name or information - best done when you witness one of them doing it.
There are lots of stories out there about people inviting them to look at puppies and knowing not to go. My favourite is Just say no - we practise shouting at the top of our voices " I don't know you" and " no" giving them the vocabulary to use and role play of actually shouting for a purpose .
But of course statistics and research shows that it isn't usually strangers that harm children, it's more likely to be someone they know - so constantly reinforcing in your setting that you don't have to do something you feel uncomfortable with, reinforce it in play and they hopefully will take it into their lives. So don't insist on taking part if they feel uncomfortable, hugging and kissing friends, relations ...grandparents included. If a child is made to go with people they are not happy with, hug and kiss when they don't want to - what message are you sending?

Road safety - go out every day and give them experience as you go to places of crossing the road safely, no amount of books, pretend activities will replace actual regular experience of looking and listening for traffic, using crossings safely, staying close on busy roads, recognising that cul de sacs are roads and drive ways may have cars moving on them, keeping safe in carparks etc...
Our local community officer has pretend pelican crossings you can hire, whilst they don't replace the real thing, if you can't access them they are great fun to play with.

[natlou82]

I agree with FloraDora. I am a walking CM so road safety is practiced constantly with my mindees. I've noticed some children seem to have little or no road sense due to being in cars all the time.

[watford wizz]

I use the Kidscape stuff, they produce some brilliant books and posters for backing up your every day practice. I include their code with my safeguarding policy bit about teaching children to protect themselves.