First aid is a life skill that everyone can and should learn. It is important for children and young people to acquire the skills, confidence, and enthusiasm to act when someone is in need of first aid. Teaching children about safety starts from the first time we stop them from touching a burning flame, and we shouldn’t just stop at that, we should also go further by telling them the reasons such things are harmful to them.
From age four upwards, kids can be taught how to call for help and even administer basic first aid. This can be done in a way that is fascinating to children by bringing in relevant skills into ordinary adventures without either terrifying or boring them with lessons
Helping feels good and learning first aid skills early can help children develop their compassion, self-esteem, and sense of purpose.
Here are important tips to consider in teaching children about first aid:
- Describe basic first aid techniques and the importance of knowing them. Allow pupils to discuss the techniques in small groups.
- Narrate everyday examples – This starts when they are toddlers. Any scrape, nosebleed, or fall is a teaching moment, as you verbally describe every step you are taking.
- Watch videos that demonstrate first aid techniques.
- Explore the contents of a first aid kid. Describe each item and explain its purpose.
- Keep it light – Kids learn best when they feel relaxed and playful.
- Teach them about the processes and procedures of calling for help and how to describe the situation.
- Focus on emergency your family is likely to encounter.