How to teach 911 to preschoolers: A step-by-step guide.

📚 Introduction: Understanding 911 for Preschoolers

Teaching preschoolers about 911 is crucial for their safety. This lesson plan provides a step-by-step guide to help young children understand when and how to call 911 in an emergency.

🎯 Objectives

• 🗣️ Students will be able to identify what an emergency is.
• 📞 Students will be able to state the phone number for emergencies (911).
• ✍️ Students will be able to practice role-playing a 911 call.

🍎 Materials

• 🖼️ Picture cards depicting different scenarios (emergency vs. non-emergency)
• 🧸 Toy telephone or a non-working mobile phone
• 🖍️ Crayons and paper for drawing activities
• 🚑 Optional: A visit from a local police officer or firefighter (check with school policy)

☀️ Warm-up (5 minutes)

• 👋 Greet the children and start with a familiar song or activity to create a comfortable environment.
• ❓ Ask children what they think “help” means. Discuss examples of times they needed help and who helped them.

📝 Main Instruction

1. 🚨 Defining an Emergency

   • 📢 Explain what an emergency is in simple terms: “An emergency is when someone is hurt or in danger and needs help right away.”
   • 🖼️ Use picture cards to illustrate emergency and non-emergency situations. For example:
     • ✅ Emergency: A person falling and getting hurt.
     • ❌ Not an emergency: Wanting a different toy.
   • 🗣️ Ask children to identify if the scenario is an emergency or not.

2. 📞 Introducing 911

   • 🔢 Explain that 911 is the phone number to call when there’s an emergency and someone needs help fast.
   • 📣 Emphasize, "911 is for emergencies only!"
   • 🎶 Teach a simple 911 song or rhyme to help them remember the number. For example: "9-1-1, dial with care, when there's trouble everywhere!"

3. 🎭 Role-Playing a 911 Call

   • 🧸 Use a toy telephone to practice making a 911 call.
   • 🗣️ Guide them on what to say: "Hello, my name is [child's name]. I need help! [Briefly describe the emergency and location]."
   • 👂 Emphasize speaking clearly and staying on the line until help arrives.
   • 📝 Repeat the role-play several times, varying the emergency scenario.

4. 💡 Reinforcement Activities

   • 🖍️ Have children draw pictures of emergencies and non-emergencies.
   • 📖 Read age-appropriate books about emergencies and calling for help.
   • 🧩 Play a matching game where children match emergency scenarios with the appropriate response (e.g., a fire with calling 911).

✅ Assessment

• ❓ Ask children to identify different scenarios as emergencies or non-emergencies.
• 📞 Have each child practice role-playing a 911 call, focusing on clarity and providing essential information.
• 🎨 Review their drawings to ensure they understand the concept of emergencies.