1. Creative Health and Safety Experiences

2. Objectives Discuss the basic health practices in the ECE program
Discuss the appropriate way to work with young children in health and safety matters
Discuss traffic safety, fire safety, and poison safety in the ECE curriculum

3. Health and Safety in the Early Years
Good health and safety practices need to be modeled by adults as much as they are included in actual lesson plans
Your actions surely speak louder than words

4. Health Practices Simple Health Practices brushing teeth brushing hair
bathing regularly
general interest in cleanliness
getting enough sleep
getting enough good food
These tasks are first taught at home and are then reinforced in the classroom
No way should learning personal hygiene be a cause for shame or negative comments

5. Positive Approach to Health and Hygiene
Emphasis must be on the positive view of self
Large mirror at child’s level
Sink easily operated by children
Soap that children can easily use
Bar of soap in an old knee high stocking tied to the faucet of the sink?????? Good/bad

6. Continued
Daily routines serve as the basis for teaching children concept of body functions and parts
Habits of caring for themselves
Washing hands before/after using the toilet and before eating; brushing teeth after eating
Routines like these should be established and followed at all age levels

7. Early Childhood Health Concerns
Teachers can do very little to prevent illnesses in school
BUT teachers can do a great deal to prevent injuries at school
Provide simple first aid and comfort, then notify the parent according to instructions
Prevention concerning poisonous plants

8. Safety Education
Accidents are the leading cause of death for children under age 14
Accidents occur most frequently to those who have had little opportunity to explore, to find out for themselves, or to experience minor scraps and bumps – children who feel no responsibility for their own safety
Have no idea of the consequences and experience in making decisions or judging hazards

9. Safety Continued
A safe environment is one that is free from hazards and contains the presence of a diligent, observing, and supervising adult
Emergency plans should be written and posted
Teach children how to use the phone to dial emergency numbers or operator
Think ahead, practice, practice, practice
Decide about the precautions required for special needs students

10. Safety Continued Keep a first aid kit ready and refreshed periodically
Assorted adhesive bandages
Sterile gauze squares
Roll of 1” wide adhesive tape
Absorbent cotton
Antibacterial spray
Petroleum jelly
Cloth or absorbent sanitary pads
Cold packs in freezer
At least one permanent staff person trained in CPR

11. Rules for Safety

12. Traffic Safety
Real experiences are the best way to teach young children about traffic
Most common cause of traffic accidents involving children is darting out in front of cars
Goals include:
Stop before entering any street
Listen and look for traffic before crossing the street
Walk across residential streets cautiously
Be able to interpret traffic signs and signals correctly

13. Stop Before Entering Any Street
For children under age 5
First lesson should be on stopping before entering any street
For children under age 2
First lesson begins by going outside and identifying the different surfaces of the school and play yard and stopping every time the surface changes

14. Listen and Look for Traffic
2nd lesson
Children learn to look and listen for traffic before crossing the street
With adult supervision, take a field trip to learn the precautions
Practice observing traffic and identifying directions as well as speed at which cars are traveling

15. Crossing a Residential Street
Construct a pretend street with crosswalks and corners
Role-playing pedestrians and drivers
Reminded to stop at surfaces of yard changes and the street, begins to listen and look for oncoming traffic
Tabletop with toy cars and people

16. More Safety Facts…
Running to cross is another major cause of traffic deaths
Children who are less coordinated than adults will trip and fall in front of oncoming traffic
Teach children to walk with deliberate speed as they cross

17. Interpreting Traffic Signals and Signs Correctly
Children need to be taught the meaning of the lights and signals found at intersections
Red is used to symbolize danger and means “stop”
Use red on objects that may be hazardous
Play “follow-the-leader” games

18. Daily check of your center

19. Fire Safety Goals of Fire Safety include
Teaching children to approach fire with caution and respect
Involving children in practice fire drills
Teaching young children to “drop and roll” should they be involved in a fire
Teaching young children where the fire extinguisher is and how to use it, as well as how to call the fire department

20. More Fire Safety… Invite a firefighter to the classroom
Ask yourself the questions on handout
Licensing requires this to be posted and practiced on a monthly basis for Child Care Centers.

21. Poison Safety
Thousands of children each year are victims of accidental poisoning
You are responsible to teach children to take medicines only from adult family members, parents, physicians, or health personnel
You are responsible to teach children to understand that some things are to eat, while others are not
Using food for art confuses children on this point

22. Poisons Plants

23. More Poison Safety… Children under age 5 must have careful supervision
You are responsible for observing the children, freeing the environment from poisonous substances, and removing nonfood objects that do find their way into the children’s mouths
Check your room and outdoor play area for all poisonous substances, and remove the ones you find
Cleaning supplies
Food items are stored separately from nonfood items

24. Out door Safety

25. Zone Supervision

26. Suggested Activities
Demonstrate how germs are spread by dipping a tissue into flour and pretend to “sneeze.” Flour goes everywhere, just like germs!
Puppets
Cold and germs with a spray bottle