Winter safety includes teaching your child what various winter weather terms mean, what causes winter storms, how to dress to stay warm, how long it is safe to stay outside, what to do if stranded during a winter storm and why to follow winter safety advice. Adjust these activities to your child's reading level, attention span and understanding, building on prior knowledge while busting any myths and misconceptions about winter weather and survival.
Brainstorm About Winter
Assess what your child already knows about winter weather and safety by asking questions. Do not correct your child while he is talking, because your purpose is to find out what your child knows and how he thinks.
Show your preschool- through elementary-aged child a picture of a snow scene, and ask him if it is warm or cold outside. Ask what clothes he should wear if it is cold, what happens to snow when it gets warm outside, how long he can play in the snow, and what he should do if he feels cold.
Ask your older child how to choose safe skating and sledding spots, recognize signs of hypothermia and what to do during a winter storm. Take notes if your child gives an answer that is incomplete or incorrect. Select activities that will help your child correct any misconceptions he has about staying safe in cold weather.
Ages 4 through 10
Have your child help you put together a car safety kit for winter weather, advises "Owlie Skywarn's Weather Book," an weather activity book put out by the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Gather items such as a first aid kit, a flashlight small shovel. Practice what you would do if your car got stuck in the snow, like tying a bright ribbon the antenna and exercising in the seats. Ask your child what she might need during a winter storm. Talk about what happens when the power goes out. Turn out the lights, and practice finding your way from the living room to your child's bedroom and the bathroom. Reassure your child that if it becomes dark, she can stay where she is until you come to her or she can turn on a flashlight. Read winter safety books together such as the "Billy and Maria Learn About Winter Weather Series" put out by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Weather Service and the National Severe Storms Laboratory.
Ages 11 through 13
Use resources such as the website Weather Wiz Kids and the guide "Winter Storms: The Deceptive Killers," put out by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service, to teach your middle school-aged children about weather terms. Talk about wind chill and how it affects their ability to stay outside and what the signs of hypothermia are and what to do if you suspect someone has hypothermia.
Ages 14 through 18
Have your teenagers do some research on winter safety. Have your high schooler demonstrate the correct procedure for rewarming someone with hypothermia to a younger child, advises Outdoor Action a website from Princeton University. Ask him to create a coloring book for younger children that illustrates the winter safety tips. Have him create a puppet show or play that he can perform with friends at a local preschool or after-school care program.
References
- "Owlie Skywarn's Weather Book"; National Weather Service, et al;
- "Billy and Maria Learn About Winter Weather Part 1"; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, et al; April 1995
- "Billy and Maria Learn About Winter Weather Part 2"; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, et al; April 1995
- "Billy and Maria Learn About Winter Weather Part 3"; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, et al; April 1995
- Weather Wiz Kids: Winter Storms
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