Safe people on the move: Activities for Early Years and Foundation Stage

Explain to the children that you are taking part in Road Safety Week. You are having a special day to learn about road safety.

Road safety is really important. Sadly lots of children get hurt or killed on roads every day. No one should be hurt on a road.

Explain that cars are hard and heavy and will hurt us very badly if they hit us.

Use the following keywords when talking to children about road safety: walk, stop, wait, hold hands, car, traffic, danger, fast, road, crash.

Say that walking is fun and it is good for our bodies. It keeps us healthy and strong.

Explain that because children are little, they needs to hold hands with a grown up when they walk near roads.

Ask children to show you how they hold hands with their grown up when they go for a walk.

Questions to ask:

• Can you show me how you hold hands? [Hold hands with each other.]
• Why do we hold hands with grown ups? [To keep us safe and away from traffic. Grown ups are taller and can see traffic more easily.]
• What can you do if your grown up is pushing a buggy and does not have a hand for you to hold? [Keep holding on! Hold on to the buggy, or hold their coat, etc.]
• If a grown up has to stop and let go of your hand [e.g. to tie up their shoe lace] what should you do? Carry on walking or stop and wait? [Always stop and wait.]

You will need:

• A pile of cuddly toys
• Music

Instructions:

1. Say: “Let’s find out how to hold hands, stop and wait!”
2. Everyone hold hands with a cuddly toy [one cuddly toy between two people so they have an arm each].
3. Tell children that when the music starts, they should walk sensibly with their toys, holding their hands. When the music stops, everyone must stop walking, keep holding onto their toy's hand and wait until you say “Go!” and the music starts again.
4. If they don’t stop and wait they are out. If they let go of their toy, they are out.

Discussion:

Remind children that when they are walking near roads with grown ups they should always hold hands and stay away from traffic. If their grown up needs to stop, they should stop too, and keep holding onto their grown up’s hand all the time.

A walking song

Sing this road safety song, to practise what you have learned! [sing to the tune of ‘The wheels on the bus!’]

• The traffic on the road is big and fast, big and fast, big and fast
  The traffic on the road is big and fast, all day long. [Action: reach up tall for ‘big’; move arms like wheels going round for ‘fast’]
• When we’re walking near roads we all hold hands, all hold hands, all hold hands
  When we’re walking near roads we all hold hands, all day long. [Action: march while holding hands]
• When we have to cross a road we stop and wait, stop and wait, stop and wait
  When we have to cross a road we stop and wait, all day long. [Action: hold up hand, palm outwards to indicate stop]

You will need:

• A big piece of paper
• Poster paints and brushes

Instructions:

1. Tell children that they are going to make a giant poster to remind grown ups to hold their hand when walking near roads.
2. Let children make hand prints by dipping their hands in poster paint or painting their hands with a brush and pressing on the paper.
3. Write each child’s name next to their hand print.
4. Write ‘We hold hands when walking near roads’ in big letters across the top.
5. Display your finished poster in an area where parents and carers will see it.

Discussion:

Ask children to show the poster to their parents and carers. They can find their own hand print and explain that the poster is to remind grown ups to always hold their hand when walking near roads.

Ask children to colour in a road safety postcard or colouring sheet. Send their artwork home with a letter that asks parents to talk to children about road safety, and to display their artwork proudly – to show they understand the importance of keeping children safe near roads.