Lesson #6 is a short but important lesson and one we all probably know but rarely teach until it happens in real time.  Children and dogs are drawn to bouncing balls like metal to magnets.  Like Lesson #5, serious injury and death occur every year because of these very real incidents.  Covering pages 34 to 37, lesson #6 will help your child comprehend dangers that exist in the road and places like parking lots where motorized vehicles operate.  It is easy for children to get overly focused while playing and this can have consequences, especially if the children wonder too close to road.  This series of pictures also stands as a reminder to parents and guardians of the same dangers so that proper areas of play can be chosen and tragedy can be avoided in this area.

Primary lessons in this picture:  Information and Understanding

• Preparing your child for dangers of playing in and around the curbside and roadways in and around the neighborhood, parks or anywhere that children may be in the vicinity of motor vehicles. (pages 34-37)

  • Identifying dangerous things and places in and around the sidewalk, road and parking lot.

    • (page 35) Moving car.

      • Weight and speed of moving vehicles.

        • Unable to stop quickly

      • Drivers may not see the children.

        • Will not see the children playing.

      • Develop an understanding of where safety exists close to a road and/or close parking lots.

        • Sidewalk is a safe area from road.

        • Close to parents is a safe area in parking lot.

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

    • Moving vehicles

    • Staying in safe zones even when toys or balls are dropped into the danger area.

  • 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”

  • 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.

      • Child should retreat to parent ASAP.

    • If a toy bounces or is dropped into the danger area.

      • Child should leave the toy and tell the parent/guardian.

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. 

If a situation similar to the picture occurs in real life, the child will be prepared not to go into the safe zone because the situation would have already been played out in their own minds over and over.