With comprehensive safety training now under their belt, Goodstart Lara children are excited to introduce campfires into their regular bush kinder sessions.
Goodstart Lara Early Childhood Teacher Rachael Morrison says building campfires is such a wonderful addition to their outdoor program.
“The children love learning about how it all works, particularly exploring some of the science behind fire – for example that it requires fuel, oxygen and heat to burn,” Ms Morrison said.
“There’s something almost magical about seeing the children out amongst nature, sitting around a winter campfire, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories with their friends,” she said.
Before introducing this experience, Ms Morrison said the team wanted to ensure they were fully prepared and enlisted the help of their local Country Fire Authority (CFA).
“In our Kindergarten room we often talk about community helpers as ‘real-life superheroes’ who protect and rescue us from danger.
“When we started talking about having campfires we knew we had to make sure both our educators and children were fully up to speed on fire safety.
“We organised for local CFA volunteers to visit the centre and share important safety messages and techniques with the kindergarten children.”
The training included ‘Stop, Drop and Roll’ and ‘Get down low and go, go, go’ demonstrations as well as information on how to cool burns, and that matches and lighters were tools not toys.
Ms Morrison said the experience will provide ongoing learning opportunities for the children as well.
“Introducing the fire element to our bush kinder sessions is a great way to encourage our children to take appropriate risks in a natural setting.
“It also allows us to regularly revisit our fire safety lessons and embed these throughout the year.”
Kids Fire Safety Tips
It’s important for all children to have an awareness about the dangers of fire and what to do in an emergency situation. Here’s some simple things parents can do to help their child be ‘fire safe’:
Goodstart Lara Early Childhood Teacher Rachael Morrison says building campfires is such a wonderful addition to their outdoor program.
“The children love learning about how it all works, particularly exploring some of the science behind fire – for example that it requires fuel, oxygen and heat to burn,” Ms Morrison said.
“There’s something almost magical about seeing the children out amongst nature, sitting around a winter campfire, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories with their friends,” she said.
Before introducing this experience, Ms Morrison said the team wanted to ensure they were fully prepared and enlisted the help of their local Country Fire Authority (CFA).
“In our Kindergarten room we often talk about community helpers as ‘real-life superheroes’ who protect and rescue us from danger.
“When we started talking about having campfires we knew we had to make sure both our educators and children were fully up to speed on fire safety.
“We organised for local CFA volunteers to visit the centre and share important safety messages and techniques with the kindergarten children.”
The training included ‘Stop, Drop and Roll’ and ‘Get down low and go, go, go’ demonstrations as well as information on how to cool burns, and that matches and lighters were tools not toys.
Ms Morrison said the experience will provide ongoing learning opportunities for the children as well.
“Introducing the fire element to our bush kinder sessions is a great way to encourage our children to take appropriate risks in a natural setting.
“It also allows us to regularly revisit our fire safety lessons and embed these throughout the year.”
Kids Fire Safety Tips
It’s important for all children to have an awareness about the dangers of fire and what to do in an emergency situation. Here’s some simple things parents can do to help their child be ‘fire safe’:
- Talk to them about fire awareness in the home. Explain that ‘hot’ things in the home can be dangerous.
- Brainstorm ‘hot’ things in the home. What things are always hot and what things are only hot sometimes? How can you tell if something is hot?
- Have some home fire safety rules
- don’t play with matches or lighters
- stay away from hot stoves
- don’t sit too close to a fire or heater
- Demonstrate Stop, Drop and Roll and ask get your child to copy you
- STOP where you are
- DROP to the floor
- ROLL on the ground hands covering your face
- Teach children who to call if there is a fire (000)
- Draw a home evacuation/escape plan that includes a safe meeting place and more than one exit point. Demonstrate getting down on all fours and crawling to the nearest exit.