Hobbies And Interests
Fire Inspection Checklist
Conduct a fire inspection to help children learn about electrical safety at home. Have your kids help you check to see whether your electrical cords are in good condition and all your appliances and lights are plugged into separate outlets. Also check the clothes dryer to see if it has a clean vent and a filter free from lint. Verify that all the smoke alarms work, the furnace has been inspected recently, curtains and other items are kept away from heaters and stove tops and that extension cords are used properly. Have your children mark items on their lists that are safe with green markers and items that are unsafe with red markers. Have them use yellow markers for items they are unsure about.
Escape Plan Activity
Draw a grid or drawing of your home (or print out a grid from a fire safety website) and help your kids plan an escape route in case of a fire. Children can do this activity at home or at school with little or no help from adults. If you do this activity at home, plan escape routes from assorted rooms in the house, such as upstairs bathrooms or bedrooms, a basement rec room or the kitchen. After they have finished mapping out their escape routes, have them practice them from every feasible room.
Online Games
Several websites offer online electrical safety games. For example, the Public Service of New Hampshire Electrical Safety World site offers games such as "Find the Hidden Dangers," where kids must identify the dangers in an assortment of scenes, such as those in a typical suburban neighborhood. Another game, "Make the Safe Choice," shows children a scene, such as a jammed electrical toaster, and has them select the safest option from a list of choices. Science Kids is another site that offers electricity games and activities such as learning about electricity via conductors.
Game Shows
Use game show formats to teach kids about electrical safety in the home or at school. "Jeopardy!" is one format that can be easily converted to teach safety topics such as electrical emergencies or electrical conduit types, by naming the unsafe appliance in a picture that you show them. Utilize "Wheel of Fortune" to spell out sentences relating to electrical safety or play "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" to test kids' electrical safety knowledge.