Fire Prevention & Safety: Hands-On Learning Stations

As homeschoolers, sometimes we miss the safety training that comes from public schools. It's easy to forget that some things are not simply intuitive. Kids aren't just going to know what to do if a fire breaks out in your home. I'm continuing my 31+ Days of Hands-On Learning Stations today with a special topic station to focus on fire prevention and safety.

In recognition of Fire Prevention Week – which runs from Sunday, October 9, through Saturday, October 15 – here are some ideas of things you can do with your kids to help inform them about how to prevent fires, and have a game plan for what to do if one happens.

Introducing Fire Prevention and Safety

When you find a special topic you want to introduce as a hands-on learning station, sometimes you might need to lead out with a little bit of introduction to the topic. With fire prevention and safety, you want to be careful to not build fear in your family, but simply lay the foundation for understanding.

Start with a simple book like No Dragons For Tea: Fire Safety for Kids. It's important to start conversations about potentially scary topics in a safe and approachable way.

There are also some great videos you can watch together to bring awareness about fire prevention to your children. Check out these options:

Keep things light and fun with this game of "Firefighter Says" from Consumer Safety. This cute game helps kids practice fire safety ideas in a fun and simple way. Once you've introduced the idea, they can have fun playing the game with one another on their own.

Answer Their Burning Questions

When you introduce a topic that is more abstract, it's great to be ready to answer their burning questions. Here are some ways to quench their thirst for knowledge:

Visit a Local Fire Station

Our local fire station frequently hosts an open house to tour the fire station. They present fire safety demonstrations, and allow kids to check out the fire truck. Sometimes just getting to meet a firefighter in person quells any remaining fears they might have about their family's safety in a fire.

These types of hands-on encounters are great learning experiences. While they might take you away from your studies for a morning, they are an invaluable opportunity for kids to gain understanding. Even if your local fire station doesn't host an open house, give them a call and see if you can set up a homeschool field trip. You can gather your friends to go visit together.

Take Advantage of Great Resources

There are many great websites that provide wonderful resources for continued education in fire prevention and safety for kids. Here are some of the best:

Fire Safe Kids - This website makes learning about fire safety fun and approachable for families. They have excellent worksheets and printables, as well as online games to play. Allow kids to explore the resources here during computer time.
Fire Safety for Kids - My son loved the Rescue Heroes TV series when he was a kid. This website has hero related games for kids that focus on fire safety.
Sparky the Fire Dog - This is an adorable website that continues the fire safety education while playing with Sparky the fire dog. There are cute activities, videos, and games for kids to enjoy.

Fire prevention and safety is an important element of education no matter if kids are enrolled in public education, or if their education is centered around the home.

How do you teach your children about fire safety?

Check out more hands-on learning stations inspiration in my 31+ Days of Hands-On Learning series! Here are some more hands-on learning stations that feature science concepts.

Science Stations

Check out the rest of the series for stations featuring other subjects:

Betsy

Betsy Strauss is an unexpected homeschooler, mother of three, who is in a relationship with a sweet man for life. She loves reading books, drinking coffee, and learning anything with her kids.