Lesson #5 is one of the most important pictures in the book and was one of the motivators for creating Team Little Bigs.  Tragically children are killed every year because they are playing, or have wandered behind the family vehicle when the vehicle goes into motion.  Such a tragic situation, with such an easy solution and awareness of these potential dangers for both the parents and the children is how we prevent these incidents from occurring.  Covering pages 28 to 33, lesson #5 will help your child comprehend dangers that exist in and around a home’s garage and driveway area, and understand the right and safe behaviors in that critical area.  This series of pictures also stands as a reminder to parents and guardians of the same dangers so that tragedy can be avoided in this area.

Primary lessons in this picture:  Information and Understanding

• Preparing your child for dangers in and around the driveway and garage area of home. (pages 28-33)

  • Identifying dangerous things and places in and around the driveway and garage.

    • (page 30) Meow Meow behind the tire, with a sharp screw driver.

    • (page 31) Dog chasing squirrel because the house door was left unlocked.

    • (page 32) Tool box with sharp / heavy objects and sharp objects on the wall.

    • (page 33) Leaving toys out that can be stolen or ran over and flammable, poison fluids.

  • Develop an understanding of possible results of wrong actions in the driveway and garage.

    • Injury

    • Sickness

    • Death (Parental discretion on teaching this until age appropriate)

  • How to deal with curiosity.

    • Developing good communication skills between parent/guardian and child.

      • Helps children understand they should ask before touching.

      • Helps build trust between the child and adult that rules are important.

    • Encourage questions from the children when they are curious.

    • Learning not to lie to parents, and not to be scared to tell the truth when their curiosity gets the best of them (page 28, 29 Rico, Jesse, Bonnie Sue)

    • Using the pictures to help children identify what the things they should avoid are actually used for. (page 28 – 33)

      • Tools

      • Gas

      • Lawnmower

      • Bicycle pump

      • Saw

      • Broom

Plans of Action and Reaction:  Child and parent working together:

• Child should know these key’s to staying safe while playing outside.

  • Staying Alert

    • Strangers

    • Sharp objects

    • Liquids

    • Of the unknown

  • Know where parents are located.

    • Communication between parent/guardian and child.

      • Child should understand the importance of keeping contact with parent/guardian.

    • Outside will most likely mean “out of the line of sight from parent/guardian”

    • Being dressed for the weather.

      • Identify seasonal clothes, why they are seasonal.

    • Parent should understand the same plan and practice if possible utilizing the pictures of all the characters and discussing the concept of child/adult team.

    • Parent should have a plan for each area of concern

      • Strangers in neighborhood.

      • First Aid for injury.

        • Preparations for injury response.

          • What is alcohol, peroxide, antibiotic cream.

            • When they are used and why.

          • What is a Band-Aid.

Supplemental Activities:

• After going through the book several times with the child, take them outside and help them identify similar objects and areas of danger/safety.

Conclusion:

When you and your child have worked your way through this picture and then repeated it several times in a fun and communicative manner, you and your child will be fully prepared for the child’s eventual move towards outside adventure. 

As I stated before at the beginning of this lesson, it is my sincere hope that every child that goes through this book with their parent/guardian will be spared from being injured by a car or object while playing at outside at home.