Life skills training helps our children with independence. This week, I’d like to talk about fire safety. When thinking about functional skills, knowing when to call 911 or what to do if a fire occurs can make the difference between a minor incident and a major catastrophe. As I work with children I realize that colorful and fun activities that they can sort, cut, play with, and make stories about work best to help them learn.

Many children do not know when it’s appropriate to call 911. Reviewing this information just in case will help kids to become more confident about being prepared. Here are some tips for you plus a free download of a fun activity page from my new Fire Safety Fun Pack at the end of this post.

• Play what would you do if……… Throughout your day stop to ask your children what they would do if there was a fire in the area you’re in. Use teachable moments to help kids to think about different situations in which danger could occur. I find that it’s wonderful to teach children in the actual location. This is especially true for kids who learn visually.

• Practice stop, drop and roll maneuvers with your family. Don’t forget this basic training taught across the world to protect your body in case of a fire. It can be fun to do as a family or whenever your kids have extra energy.

• Cut out a picture of a flame and randomly place it around your home. When someone notices it, they can then begin the family’s fire plan. Don’t have one? Make one immediately so you can rehearse it. The best protection for your family is planning ahead for emergency situations. Write down the plan of escape and review with your family in each room of your home.

• Have a fire drill when you change your clocks for fall back and spring forward. Change your smoke batteries as a family to show the importance of this task.

• Check out our Sound-Eaze CD. It has downloadable high-quality sounds such as fire alarm, sirens, and thunder set to rhythm and singing. We use the CDs often with children to help them understand what the sounds are. The best part is that children can control the volume of sounds which can scare them. Giving kids control can truly decrease worry.

Click HERE for your free page download from my new Fire Safety Activity Pack. In this pack, you’ll find fun activities such as:  Hot or Not; When to Call 911; cutting pages; fire letter upper and lower case matching; story and sorting fun.

Click HERE to purchase the entire activity pack.

What have you done to prepare your kids for fires?