Teaching Safety Tips to Children

Every day, almost every hour we see suggested safety tips to follow to help stop the coronavirus. These are simple and easy to follow but sometimes it’s hard for little ones to understand why everything has changed. I’m sharing some ways for teaching safety tips to children.

The first important tip is to wash your hands often. With Lia this has never been a problem because she has always been taught to wash her hands. But she doesn’t stop at her hands, she washes all the way to her elbows!

When we cough or sneeze, we have always done that in our elbow. With Lia seeing us do this, she has followed. She even “coughs” if we do and copies us by using her elbow.

Lia has not been out in public since the virus has hit our area but we are still teaching her about wearing a mask. I know it’s been said that children under 3 should be watched carefully because of suffocation but it’s obvious that she would not be wearing it without supervision. I just wanted her to learn about wearing one just in case the need was to arise.

Lia has a tiny little puppy that was her mommy’s and it has a red bandana around it’s neck. I flipped the bandana over the pups mouth for starters.

I have a package of children’s mask with disposable filters on hand for “just in case” and I put one mask on her larger bear and told her we need to keep her puppy and bear from getting sick. I showed Lia the mask and the elastic straps that go around her ears. After I put it on, she immediately took it off, which I expected. I showed her how her bear was wearing a mask and I tried again to put the mask on Lia. This time she left it on longer. I think with persistence and repetition she will realize it may be her new wardrobe style.

One of the hardest things for Lia is keeping a safe distance. Last week we made chalk hearts in the driveway and neighbors go by and beep to Lia as she waves.

Lia is a bubbly, full of love and compassion little girl and loves visiting our neighbors and bringing them cookies. We look across the street and see our 87 year old friend sitting alone on her porch. Ruth and I yell to each other from our yards but it’s hard for a 1 1/2 year old to understand why she can’t go across the road to visit with her. Or why her little friends can’t come over to play. I made a sign full of bright hearts and another saying hi to Ruth. Lia held them up as she walked back from the mailbox. It made Ruth and Lia smile!

Even though Lia can’t have her little friends visit, she had a playdate with her teddy bears in her bouncy bounce house!

By keeping her busy with baking, crafts and other projects, Lia is not only handling this stay at home and safe distance at bay but she is also learning things just like if she was in school.