Teaching safety in the classroom is vital for social and emotional learning. Classroom safety encompasses personal safety, safe choices, consent, body safety, and more!
Why Teach Safety in the Classroom
Teaching safety in the classroom helps students be more in control of their own bodies and fosters more productive learning. When students feel safe and valued, they are able to focus easier and are likely to try more activities in the classroom. As students learn positive behaviors and how to protect themselves and others while reducing negative behaviors and accidents, there is also more time for learning.
Speak with Clarity
Clearly explaining words associated with classroom safety are important for students.
Explanations will be different depending on ages.
Personal Safety
Personal safety is recognizing potential harm and avoiding these things. Model ways to stay alert and aware of surroundings in different situations.
Examples may include teaching “stranger danger”, the importance of staying with a buddy, and using classroom tools correctly (e.g. scissors).
Safe Choices
Safe choices in the classroom can be both physical and social-emotional ones.
Physical Safe Choices
- Not throwing pencils
- Not running with scissors
- Choosing healthy foods
- Staying drug free
Social-Emotional Safe Choices
- Being honest
- Choosing kind friends
- Being mindful of others’ spaces
Consent
It’s never too early to start discussing consent in the classroom. Starting as young as preschool, teach students that they are the boss of their own body.
Talk about the importance of listening to your inner voice. Stress that it’s okay to say “NO!” when feeling uncomfortable.
Little ones, or older students, do not HAVE to give hugs, kisses, or any other form or touch to others if they do not want to. Expressing this clearly to students is necessary when highlighting safety.
Help students practice expressing their inner voice by framing this concept as a question like “do you want to hug Coach bye?”. This allows students more freedom to express their yes or no feelings while still feeling supported by you.
*Go more in depth with consent with older students by discussing drugs and sex.
Body Safety
Safe and Unsafe Touches
When teaching body safety, safe and unsafe touches are vital. Discuss body parts and be clear about who should and should not see or touch them.
Current research supports teaching children correct anatomical names for their body parts. While some families are not comfortable teaching these names to their young children, “private parts” is an appropriate alternative. Teach body safety to students by discussing private parts in relation to the parts that are covered by one’s bathing suit.
No one has a right to be near private parts. Students should know that doctors are an exception to the rule and are a safe touch as long as a parent is in the room with the child.
***IMPORTANT: Talk about these body parts by saying “private parts” or using their correct anatomical names, but NEVER call them anything else.
How to Teach Safety in the Classroom
Student Involvement
When appropriate, have students assist in creating classroom safety rules. Involving students reinforces the importance of safety while empowering them.
The more they think about and consider safety and consequences of NOT being safe, the more likely they will be to make safe choices and report danger when observing it.
Repetition
Reinforce safety rules through repetition. Remind students often about safety rules and why they are necessary for a positive classroom environment.
Reference the classroom safety rules and other safety rules throughout the day. Infusing clear safety terms in normal conversation with students throughout the day will help them understand them and recognize when they or someone else are in danger or aren’t choosing safety.
Kids thrive when repetition is provided!
Use Resources
Pre-made resources are a great way to teach safety in the classroom.
Feed the Friends
Students learn how to make healthy choices with this engaging safety lesson. You can also frame this activity as “safe choices for your body”. Students sort the choices by deciding what is healthy or safe for a person or unhealthy or unsafe. They move the healthy options to the person and unhealthy options to the trash can.
This activity takes about 30 minutes to complete. It’s perfect to use with small or large groups!
Feed the Friends is a great addition to Red Ribbon Week lessons or units on nutrition. Both printable and digital versions are included for easy use!
Use Books & Videos
Books and videos are always fun switch-ups to use to keep students of all ages engaged while reinforcing lesson topics.
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I can say NO by Jenny Simmons
The story is about a girl who learns to say NO. She learns to say no to things that she is uncomfortable with, things she is not interested in or does not have time for. She says no to her own negative thoughts, to those who invade her personal space, and to peer pressure. She can say no to hate: “I can use my words, if someone looks down on me for the color of my skin or the makeup of my family. I can say, NO! There is no room here for hate, injustice, unkindness, or fear.”
This is How We Stay Safe: For kids going to preschool by DK
This book is a great introduction to general safety for 3-5 year olds. It also speaks lightly about safe and unsafe secrets in a very age appropriate way so little minds can comprehend this concept.
What are Safe Choices? by MATFORCE AZ
This short video is about two dogs, Power Pup and Honor Pup, who choose good choices. They sort through bags of food and other objects and determine what is safe to touch, smell, and eat.
The benefits of teaching safety to your students will reach far beyond the walls of your classroom!
You might also be interested in reading:
Teaching Digital Citizenship in the Classroom
The Best Books for Elementary School Counselors
Children's Books about Digital Citizenship
You might also be interested in these products:
Character Education: Digital Citizenship
Passport to Executive Functioning Skills DIGITAL
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