Summer Sun sends us seeking Water Fun!
But there’s nothing fun about a water emergency…
Take an opportunity before each time you will be in or around water, to review the safety rules. You might have a little class & quiz at the beginning of summer, that could earn a family water safety certificate or badge. You could make up a family water safety Bingo game (Choose or draw 9 or 25 little pictures that illustrate the rules–depending on the age of each child, and let each child glue them onto a Bingo board you can draw, in any order each child likes. You can use candy or coin markers, beans, nuts, or whatever as markers).
On the way to the beach/pool/lake/river . . . you can play an ABC game of water safety rules . . . riders or teams by turns come up with a water safety rule for each letter of the alphabet, in order.
Some businesses and community service organizations hand out coloring and activity books to engage children in learning about safety. Here are a couple online: http://apsp.org/Portals/47/WaterSafetyactivitypages%2015.pdf https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/recreation/fishing/fin/coloringbook.pdf (if you are feeling community minded, you can order in bulk: https://www.betterlifeline.com/coloring-book-swimming-water-safety.html ) And this site offers a little music video for kids: https://www.watersafetymagazine.com/parents-and-kids/water-safety-for-kids/
Some good sites:
- https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/water-safety.html
- http://www.colinshope.org/water-safety-resources/water-safety-games/
- https://www.safekids.org/watersafety
- https://elementarysafety.com/colouring-section/coloring-water-safety
Water Safety topics: small children (even tub time needs close supervision), pools (including kiddie pools, water toys and hoses–don’t squirt faces, run in or around the pool, don’t dunk…), signs of drowning (even dry drowning, see below), what to do, beaches (including what to do in case of tsunami), lakes, rivers (cold water even in summer can cause shock), boating (including drowning from electric shock), swimming skills by age, prevention, dehydration, sun protection, clean water . . . consider also, winter water safety (when it’s safe to go out on the ice!) . . .
Earthquake/tsunami:
- https://www.cbfire.com/what-to-do-during-an-earthquake-or-tsunami
- https://www.tsunamizone.org/downloads/Cal_OES_Tsunami_Brochure_Trifold.pdf
- https://www.ready.gov/tsunamis
- https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/101-videos/00000144-0a30-d3cb-a96c-7b3dc88c0000
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx9vPv-T51I
Scroll down–I hope some of the following (taken from the internet) will inspire you and your family:
NOTE: emergency numbers above are for Ireland!
Emergency Prep--some ideas and options 