Preparing Young Children for Emergencies

On a daily basis, 69 million children in America are separated from their parents during the work day while in school or child care for an average of nine hours. As parents and educators, what can we do to ensure that our children are protected in case emergency strikes during the school day? Does your child know your home address and phone number? Does he know the name of his school or teacher? Does your family have emergency supplies and an evacuation plan at home? Does his school have an emergency safety plan in place?

The safety and well-being of students is a top priority at Primrose Schools®. Every school has a Safe School Plan in place in case of emergency, which includes extensive emergency preparedness training for staff, step-by-step guidelines for emergency response and teaching essential safety skills to children.

Primrose students also build a solid foundation of abilities and skills through the Primrose Life Skills Program, which is woven into Primrose’s exclusive Balanced Learning® curriculum. Every Primrose student learns to recite her name, address and phone number, as well as the name of her school and teachers. By creating a fun and engaging atmosphere for learning and reinforcing safety lessons through songs and games, children retain necessary skills and are better prepared for potential emergencies. Primrose believes children should begin learning these skills at a very early age and appropriately tailors the curriculum for each age group.

Younger Primrose students, including toddlers and early preschoolers, learn to avoid dangerous objects, including cleaning products, hot stoves and electrical outlets. Additionally, younger learners practice the “stop, look and listen” mantra, which means stop walking or running, listen to the parent, teacher or caregiver present, and look around before taking another step. Over time, this method helps children become more aware of their surroundings, which is an important step as they continue to practice safety in a variety of settings.

Primrose early preschool through kindergarten students learn the basics of first aid and emergency preparedness through the Primrose Life Skills curriculum including how to dial 911, identifying medication versus food or candy, etc. For this age group, Primrose teachers also expand on “stop, look, and listen,” teaching students traffic safety, including the meaning of traffic lights and the importance of looking both ways before crossing the street at crosswalks.

“At Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway, it is our duty to keep our students safe and prepare them as best we can for the unexpected,” said Tanisha Turner, Franchise Owner of Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway. “By teaching age-appropriate life skills, we feel our children are better prepared for emergency situations and real-world interactions with adults.”

At Primrose Schools, while children are busy playing, learning, singing, painting and growing, parents can take comfort in our commitment to provide a safe environment and equip children with essential life skills to help keep them safe no matter what the situation.

Through October, Primrose will be sharing additional information about emergency preparedness and safety on its 360 Parenting blog. Blog posts will feature resources from national partner Save the Children and its Get Ready. Get Safe. initiative to help families become better prepared for emergencies. Each week, families can complete items on the Get Ready. Get Safe. Family Plan Checklist to help plan and prepare in the event of an emergency. To view the blog and complete the checklist, visit primroseschools.com/360parenting.

To learn more about life skills and emergency preparedness activities at Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway, please visit www.PrimroseSugarloafParkway.com or call 770.513.0066 to schedule a tour.

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