Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Contents
Introductory notes.................................................................... 3
Why road safety matters...................................................... 3
Badges................................................................................. 3
Tales of the Road................................................................. 3
Involving parents.................................................................. 4
Managing sensitivities and diversity.................................... 4
Using the resource............................................................... 4
Themes................................................................................ 4
Outdoor activities and trips.................................................. 5
Kerbcraft and cycle training................................................. 5
Theme 1: Walking near traffic................................................. 6
a) Recognising traffic........................................................... 6
b) Crossing the road............................................................ 9
c) Bright is right.................................................................. 12
d) Walk safer...................................................................... 14
e) Using road crossings..................................................... 15
Theme 2: Cycling.................................................................... 19
Theme 3: In-car safety........................................................... 23
Theme 4: Signs and signals................................................... 27
Further information................................................................ 31
Introductory notes
Why road safety matters
les
Ta
The Road
code
A highway users
road
for young
Badges
Cubs and Brownies groups which include
children working towards the Road Safety
badge can reinforce learning about road safety
by using some of the activities and ideas in
this booklet alongside the badge requirements.
Using Road Safety badges as a focus for this
work will motivate children and raise their
awareness about the importance of safer
behaviour around traffic.
Introductory notes
Involving parents
Themes
The materials are grouped into four sections.
Section 1 is the largest, and this is subdivided
into five parts:
1. Walking near traffic
a) Recognising traffic (for younger children)
b) Crossing the road
c) Bright is right
d) Walk safer
e) Using road crossings
2. Cycling (aimed at older children)
3. In-car safety
4. Signs and signals (mainly for older children)
If possible, leaders should try to include at least
one activity from each section in a programme
of road safety learning and vary the types of
activity to maintain interest. Questions from
children should be encouraged throughout, and
it will be helpful to have a copy of the Tales of
the Road booklet handy as a reference and to
give official guidance.
Ages 57
1. Sound effect story: A noisy day
This short story tells the tale of a young boy
and his mum getting up, leaving the house and
walking to school, passing lots of traffic and
crossing the road. The story mentions lots of
things (underlined) which make noises such
as footsteps, cars, a fire engine, a dog barking
etc. Read it aloud and tell the children to make
the sounds of the things in the story, pausing
for each one.
After the story:
ask the children which vehicles were
mentioned in the story
ask why Joe held hands with his mother
talk about why we need to be very careful
near traffic
in the story Joe crosses the road safely by
stopping, looking and listening. Ask the
children why they need to do each of these
three things when they cross the road, even
though they are with an adult.
Activity
Story: A noisy day
Wake up, Joe! said Mum.
Its time to get up and its
school today. Joe opened
his tired eyes and sat up with
a bigyawn.
I was having a dream, said
Joe. I was a farmer and I
was driving a tractor!
Well, even six-year-old
farmers need a wash in the
morning, so come on.
Joe went to the bathroom for
a wash. He loved it when he
pulled the plug in the basin
and the water disappeared
with agurgle.
He got dressed quickly and
hurried down the stairs,
stamping his feet. He could
hear his baby sister crying in
her cot.
Can I have cornflakes for
breakfast, Mum? He saw
some bacon sizzling in the
pan.
Bus
Its very long
It has lots of windows
It carries lots of people
It sometimes has an upstairs
Car
It has four wheels
It can be small or quite big
It carries people
Lots of people own one
Lorry
It is a big vehicle
It is often quite noisy
It carries big things
It usually only has two seats
Van
It carries things
It has doors at the back
It sometimes has writing on the side
It can be big or small
Tractor
It is very noisy
It has four wheels
It is seen in the countryside a lot
It has big wheels at the back and
small ones at the front
Motorcycle
It can be very noisy
It is smaller than a car
It can carry two people
It has two wheels
Bicycle
It is very quiet
It doesnt have an engine
It has handles
It has two wheels
Activity
b) Crossing the road
Key safety messages: stop, look and listen
(ages 511); use the Green Cross Code (711).
2. Using posters
Ages 57
1. Drama: Stop, look and listen
In pairs, model crossing an imaginary road,
using a line on the floor to mark the kerb.
Children can hold hands and practise standing
in the right place, looking all around and
listening. Points to emphasise:
Children should continue to look all around
as they cross.
They should not talk, as this prevents them
from listening.
They should not run.
Children can also model using a pedestrian
crossing in this way. A green man image can
bedownloaded on the THINK! Education
website (see page 3 for details) (the green man
will need to be coloured in). The sequence is
asfollows:
Stop at the pedestrian crossing, near the
kerb, where you can see traffic.
10
Activity
3. Tales of the Road quiz
As suggested above, older children can be
given this booklet and asked to read it at home.
To add an incentive for reading the booklet and
talking about it with parents and carers, a team
quiz can be organised, based on the Walking
section of the booklet (pages 413). Prizes
can be provided and teams can be organised
1. On which side of the
road should you walk if
theres no pavement?
(The side facing traffic)
2. Fluorescent materials
can help you to be seen
by drivers. Do they
show up in daylight or
darkness? (Daylight)
3. What do we call
materials which help
you to be seen by traffic
at night? (Reflective)
4. How many parts does
the Green Cross Code
have? (5)
5. Name one of the road
crossings mentioned
in part 1 of the Green
Cross Code. (subway,
footbridge, an island or
zebra, pelican, puffin or
toucan crossing)
6. Name another of
the road crossings
mentioned in part 1 of
the Green Cross Code.
(subway, footbridge, an
island or zebra, pelican,
puffin or toucan crossing)
7. You should avoid
crossing between
parked cars, if you can,
and two other places
name one of them. (blind
bends or near the brow
ofa hill)
11
c) Bright is right
2. Dress me safer
This is suitable for younger children. It requires
a set of cut out doll / child figures and some
matching cut out clothes (boys and girls).
These can be downloaded on the THINK!
Education website (see page 3 for details).
Best results will be obtained from printing
thefigures and clothes out on card.
Children first cut out and add detail to
thedoll figure.
Next, children cut out the clothes and use
them as templates to draw around on bright
coloured paper to make clothes (magazines
can be used or bright scrap paper).
Finally the clothes can be glued to the doll.
Alternatively, the templates can be coloured
in to make bright is right clothes.
Ensure that children understand the point of
the activity: we are safer near traffic if drivers
and other road users can see us: bright
clothes help us to be seen and to be safer.
12
Activity
Ages 711
3. Poster talk
This activity uses two posters based on the
theme of Bright is right. These posters can
bedownloaded from the THINK! Education
website (see page 3 for details). The posters
show urban and rural road scenes at dusk
and include illustrations of different people
wearing various types of high-visibility and lowvisibility clothing to help children talk about and
understand the issue of being seen near traffic.
Show each poster to the group and talk about
what they show:
Who is easy to see?
Who might drivers not be able to see
verywell?
Why is it important for drivers to be able
tosee you near roads?
What could this child wear to be seen
moreeasily?
What do you wear so that you can Be
Bright, Be Seen?
13
d) Walk safer
Ages 57
1. Action game: Single file
This is based on the simple action game
Captains coming and involves teaching the
children a set of actions that they must do
when instructions are called out in random
order. Children need to spread out in a hall
/ room. Theinstructions andactions are
asfollows:
Single file! (all get in a line one behind
theother)
Hold hands! (with nearest person)
Face the traffic! (turn the other way)
Use the pavement! (go to the side of the
hallindicated)
Stop, look and listen! (stand still, quietly,
looking all around, ready to cross)
Walk across! (walk as if crossing a road,
looking all around)
Car coming! (sit and pretend to drive)
Motorbike coming! (pretend to ride)
Lorry coming! (stand and hold big
steeringwheel)
14
Activity
Ages 711
1. Role play
This activity involves a series of short scenarios
for pairs to act out based again on walking along
a country lane where there are only occasional
pavements. It will work best with children who
are used to role play, but where this isnt the
case the leader can demonstrate how it works
by performing an example, acting in role with a
confident child who is good at drama or another
adult. The scenarios are as follows:
A tries to convince B why they need to
walk in single file while B says that its not
important.
B tries to convince A that its safer to walk
on the side of the road facing traffic while A
says that it doesnt matter.
A is wearing bright clothes and argues that B
should be too, while B disagrees.
After each scenario ask for a pair to perform
theirs in front of the group and use this to
draw out important safety points, based on the
Highway Code, such as always walk facing
traffic where there is no pavement and Be
Bright, Be Seen. Ask the children why we have
these rules.
2. Rollerblade play
Extend the above idea to a town setting where
two friends are going rollerblading:
A suggests rollerblading on a quiet road; B
argues that it isnt safe, saying why.
B suggests rollerblading outside the local
shops where there are lots of pedestrians, A
argues that this isnt safe, saying why.
Ages 57
1. Traffic light biscuits
Children can learn about traffic lights by
making traffic light biscuits. To do this:
You will need a packet of round plain biscuits
and red, orange and green icing, which can
be made in advance if there isnt time to
make it with the children during the session.
Simply spread the icing on top of the
biscuits.
Make the biscuits in the order red, amber,
green and line them up so that they look like
a set of traffic lights.
Talk about traffic lights as you do the activity:
what they are for, how they work, what the
sequence of lights is and how they help keep
pedestrians safer at crossings.
Note that this activity should be carried out
alongside other Walk safer road safety
activities aimed at this age group as it has
limited learning value on its own.
15
16
Activity
2. Action game: Cross dash
17
How to play:
5. Map trip
This activity involves using a local street map
to plan a walk around nearby roads, discussing
possible hazards with the children and thinking
where to cross safely. When the walk is carried
out it is an excellent opportunity for leaders to
model applying stop, look and listen and to
help children to put the Green Cross Code into
practice. Other points to note:
Talk about the relative safety of different
crossing points along the way, for example:
between parked cars, near a bend, where
there is a police officer.
The emphasis should be on children thinking
for themselves and taking responsibility for
their own safety, not relying on the leader (for
example by looking and listening for traffic
even when the leader has said that it is ok to
cross).
This activity obviously depends on a
high level of supervision so it should only
be carried out where there is parental
permission and sufficient adult support.
It is essential to ensure that children do
not take risks when walking near traffic,
especially when crossing the road.
18
Theme 2: Cycling
This section is aimed
atages711.
2. Design a helmet
On the THINK! Education website you can
download an outline of a cycle helmet (see
page 3 for details). The sheet has a simple
helmet outline (front and side views) for
children to use as the basis for their design.
They can use any colour / medium for the
artwork, including magazine collage.
During the activity or when the children have
finished, talk with them about the following
important safety points:
Cycle helmets save lives.
They should be worn for even short journeys.
Your helmet must be the correct size and
must be securely fastened.
19
Theme 2: Cycling
3. Beetle bike
How to play
Number
rolled
20
Item to draw
Seat
Pedals
(two needed)
Handlebars / brakes
Activity
4. Role play drama
How to play:
The children are divided into two teams and
each is given half of the hall to work in.
Each team needs a set of game cards
which consist of 10 cycling rules or safety
statements and 10 matching illustrations.
Each rule is split in two so there are 30 cards
per set in total.
Each teams 30 cards are spread around
their half of the hall, facing upwards and
jumbled up in order; the teams sit in a line
against opposite walls.
In order, on go, each child must find and
collect a card, starting with number 1.
The second child must find the next card
to match number one (the second half of
that rule) and the third child must find the
matching picture. If they come back with the
wrong one then they must take it back.
The game is a race but both teams carry on
until they have all 10 rules in order.
21
Theme 2: Cycling
The rules are as follows:
1. You must obey
X
4. Dont wear
5. Always wear
8. Road signs
at zebra crossings.
must be obeyed.
X
10. On busy or narrow roads
ride single file.
22
Ages 57
1. Drama: Well done, Jack
This activity consists of children miming a story,
printed below, which is read aloud. The story
involves a young child going on a car journey
with his mother and practising safer behaviours
such as using a car seat / booster and getting
out on the pavement side. This is a simple but
effective way to communicate important learning
points. Children will need space to move around
and act out the movements in thestory.
23
3. Stories
24
Activity
Ages 711
1. Role play
Children in groups of three or four can develop
scenarios around the idea of a family going on
a car journey, using four chairs to represent the
seats. This activity is most suitable for older
groups that have experience of drama and role
play. Ideas that could be developed include:
One or two individuals could play adults
in the front of the car while the other two
play children in the back complaining about
having to use boosters.
Another scene could involve children in
theback wanting to open the window and
lean out.
Other themes: distracting the driver (or
blocking the drivers rear view), getting out of
the car on the pavement side only, keeping
hands away from door handles when the car
is moving.
The Tales of the Road booklet gives details
of how to be safer on car journeys (page 20).
Children who produce good role play scenes
should be given the chance to perform for the
rest of the group and the opportunity used
to discuss the key safety points mentioned
in the Tales of the Road and the possible
consequences of not following them.
25
26
27
28
Activity
4. Sign story
This simple story is a good way for younger
children to learn about traffic signs. The leader
reads the story below which is about a bike
journey across a town. The children use the
same road sign flashcards as used in the
previous two activities. The label cards can
also be used, depending on the number of
children in the group. The children must hold
up their card when it features in the story, e.g.
as the rider gives way, stops at the roundabout
or goes down a one-way street.
Sign story
Meera and her dad were
off to see Meeras friend
Kim across town. She was
excited because they were
going by bike. And this is
the way they went
They set off down their
road and turned into Oak
Lane. Meera liked Oak
Lane because it went down
a hill so they didnt have
to pedal. She saw the sign
that warned it was downhill
so she put on her brakes.
Weeeee it was fun.
At the bottom they came
up to a mini-roundabout.
Meeras dad said, Be
careful, we have to give
way to traffic from the
right. A car came so they
waited and then carried on.
Next they came to the busy
main road. Here there was
a triangular sign saying
GIVE WAY. Meeras dad
explained that they had
to stop here and wait for
29
30
Further information
The following websites are useful sources
ofhelp and information:
THINK! Education www.dft.gov.uk/think/
education
Here youll find all sorts of useful resources
and advice. There are games and stories in the
pupils area plus videos, ideas for activities and
a parents section.
THINK! Road Safety www.dft.gov.uk/think
The governments official road safety website.
This contains guidance for all road users
and has detailed information about the law
regarding car seats.
Tales of the Road http://talesoftheroad.
direct.gov.uk/
Fun games and advice on road safety for 711
year olds and their parents.
31