creative health and safety experiences. objectives discuss the basic health practices in the ece...
TRANSCRIPT
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
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
Health Practices
Simple Health Practicesbrushing teethbrushing hairbathing regularlygeneral interest in cleanlinessgetting enough sleepgetting 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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