Fire Safety Activities for Kids in Canada

Design an Escape Plan

• Even if you live in a small home, it's vitally important that all members of the household know what to do in case of a fire and how best to exit the building. Design a fire escape plan and practice with your children every few months. Escape plans should include more than one exit option if at all possible and all members of the family should understand what to do in case of fire. You can get tips on designing a quality escape plan from your local fire hall.

Have a Scavenger Hunt

• Kids are often taught about fire prevention in school, but parents and caregivers can help reinforce knowledge through at-home activities. Put together a fun scavenger hunt where children need to find and identify potentially hazardous items within the home, such as the stove, the BBQ, a book of matches, an electrical outlet and the trash can. Talk to kids about the hazards.

Practice Fire Safety Basics

• Even young children can be taught to dial 911 in an emergency and parents can help them practice on a toy phone. Another simple but important activity is to teach kids to, "stop, drop and roll" if clothing should catch on fire. This is easy to remember and can help save lives. Have children recite emergency numbers and practice the "stop, drop and roll" activity when teaching escape plans.

Visit Your Local Fire Hall

• Contact your local fire station and arrange to bring your children in for a tour. Allow them see the fire trucks, meet some of the firefighters and talk about what these professionals do. This will help children to feel comfortable and safe with the process.