Fire safety doesn’t have to be scary or serious for children. It is important for children to learn how to safely escape from a burning fire, and not be afraid of it. Children can learn and have fun by adapting lessons and activities to their age. There are amusing birthday scavenger hunt and fun games for children, quizzes and murder mystery games for grown-ups of all ages, and even special items for holiday celebrations such as Halloween, Christmas, Easter or Summer. Grapevine provides ready-made items that can be used for celebrations and events. We have all kinds of things from murder mysteries to pub quizzes to fantastic themed treasure hunts designed for children.
Field Trip to the Fire Station
Children can be scared of firefighters and will hide from them. Take them to a station where they can meet uniformed firefighters.
To ensure that staff are available to spend time with children, call the station in advance and make an appointment. If they are called out by a fire department, their plans may change.
Locate EXIT signs
You can take a stroll around the school or daycare, or plan an outing to your local store, community center or church, and look for EXIT signs. Keep track of all signs you find. Make it a game. Have your children create their own EXIT signs.
Top, Drop & Roll
You can have a lot of fun with “Stop, Drop, and Roll” and teach your kids valuable lessons. Create a game using “Stay Low, Go” and set up an alarm. Then have your kids practice these skills as fast and as possible.
Make sure they are clear about when they should “stay low” and when they should “drop and roll” and when they should “stop, drop, and roll.”
Plan a fire drill
Prepare a drill for fire safety evacuation. Each day, assign one child to hold a bell or another “alarm”. They can ring the bell at any time during the day and shout “Fire!” For the children to leave, shout “Fire!” You can create unexpected roadblocks for older children by taping up a imaginary fire so that kids can’t leave the building via that route.
Find the perfect meeting spot
Ask children to brainstorm places they would like to go if they had to leave a burning building or house. Have the kids form a circle, then whisper to each other. The next kid will pass it on to the next child, so that the game continues to the meeting point. The alarm should sound and the children must meet at the designated place.
Smoke Detectors
Children can touch, feel, and look at smoke alarms. Have them count the detectors in their home or building. You can make the hunt a scavenger hunt for older children, with clues that relate to fire safety.
Bubble Escape
For children to practice crawling low to ground, blow bubbles about a foot off the ground and then have them crawl underneath them. Children should aim to reach their destination before any bubbles touch them. Children should not be more than two feet from the ground when leaving a smoky area.
For assistance, call
In an emergency, teach children how to call 911. They should be able to call the fire department from outside the home (by using a cellphone or a neighbor’s cell phone). However, they shouldn’t search the house for a phone before they leave.
Every member of the family should know the emergency number, regardless of whether it’s 911 or another number specific to your area. Children should also know their home address.
Mark the map
Draw a floor plan of your school or home for the kids. Next, have everyone draw a floor plan or map of their home or school. Then, ask them to point out two escape routes (e.g., one door, another window).