Bicycle Safety Obstacle Course

 

Bicycle Safety Obstacle Course (Ages 3-7) & (Ages 6-10)

Members of the Bridgewater Police Dept will talk about staying safe, then children  will do bicycle-safety themed crafts and practice what they’ve learned in our outdoor course -- kids are welcome to bring along a bike, trike, or scooter. (Families with children of different ages are welcome to come all together to one program.)

Read: Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman

Flannel: Mrs. Armitage on Wheels by Quentin Blake

 

 

Discuss: Safety errors Mrs. Armitage makes (no helmet, lots of things unbalancing bicycle, hard to see where she is going…)

Introduce: Officers from the Bridgewater Police Department  -- 5 minute safety talk

Explain – color-coded nametags – 1st color (groups of 12) will go outside to ride around the mini-city set up by our Public Works Dept., others will do crafts & activities inside until their group is called.  They may return after being outside to continue their crafts.

Craft & Activity Stations:

(Music playing while crafting: Fred Penner’s album Happy Feet.)

• MAKE A THUMBPRINT CHARACTER

http://www.scrappincop.com/2009/08/thumbprint-characters.html

• MAKE A POLICE OFFICER

http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/PolicemanToiletpaperTubePuppet.htm

• TAKE YOUR FINGERPRINTS

To take finger prints, simply scribble a spot on your paper with a pencil making sure to color it in well. Then roll your finger in the graphite mark until it is well covered. Carefully place a piece of scotch tape over your finger then peel off slowly. Place the scotch tape onto your finger print grid to preserve. (Grid included in download) Finally compare the finger prints and discuss how they are each unique!

http://shared.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/themes/PoliceUnit.pdf

• PRACTICE 911 CALLS

If your child does not already recognize the numbers “9” and “1”, point them out on the paper telephone.  If your phone requires you to press “talk” or “on” make sure you include that step as well.

Next, disable the connection on your phone and allow him/her to practice on the actual telephone.  Pretend like you’re the 9-1-1 dispatcher and ask the sort of questions you might hear, “What’s your emergency?”.  Have fun with it, but at the same time convey the importance that it is NOT A GAME.  This would also be a great time for your child to start learning your address and phone number.  http://shared.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/themes/PoliceUnit.pdf

Plus an assortment of coloring and activity sheets from:  Bicycle Safety Activity Kit - NHTSA

6.16 BWL

SRC: Every Hero Has a Story: Local Heroes–Fire Fighters

 

Displayed picture books and non-fiction firefighter books

Set up DVD theater on the stage “Popular Mechanics: Firefighters and Other Life-Saving Heroes” was a good choice. (Lots of other possibilities as well.)

Gave color-coded tickets (12 for each)  to kids as they arrived – these were collected at the fire safety house later. (Should have sign in parking lot directing people to get free tickets inside the library)

Opened program by reading  Gingerbread Man: Loose on the Fire Truck by Laura Murray (younger) or No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons) by Pendziwol (older group).  (Both included female firefighters – nice since all our visiting firefighters were male.) 

Other possibilities: My Mother is a Firefighter by Lois Grambling, Sparky the Fire Dog by Don Hoffman (precautionary tale) , Firefighter Frank by Monica Wellington (good for very young kids) Next time: Fire Engine No. 9 by Mike Austin looks great!

Younger (piggyback song): “If you hear the fire alarm, feel the door (2x)…  (Tune: If you’re happy and you know it..)… other verses, “crawl on the floor”  “if your clothes catch fire, stop, drop, and roll”

Optional song: Stop, Drop and Roll  from “Don’t drink the bathwater & other things you need to know” by Victor Johnson.

Firefighter Phil talked to kids about fire safety, while Firefighter Ron donned fire suit, face mask and helmet (did “Darth Vadar” breathing and voice so kids wouldn’t be afraid of a real encounter.

Afterwards first group of 12 kids (and accompanying caregivers) headed to the parking lot to tour the fire truck and go through the safety/smoke house, while the rest did craft tables.  After the first group returned, the next group headed out.

Craft tables:

Make your own Firefighter’s Hat  (color, glue to B&T cardboard, cut out, punch holes, tie with string) https://www.teachervision.com/tv/printables/0876284993_FF.pdf

Toilet Paper Roll Firefighters (male & female)
http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/FiremanToiletpaperTubePuppet.htm

Fire safety mazes, Write Our Heroes “Thank You” you notes plus other pages copied from sites below. 

(Materials: photocopies, glue sticks, scissors, B&T cardboard, markers/crayons, string, hole punches, toilet paper tubes)

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-295-press.pdf (lots of pages)
http://www.firesafekids.org/activities/maze_2.pdf
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3749938