In consultation with the children we decided that we were ready to introduce tools to the woodwork bench.  We had a thorough chat about potential risks and dangers and together came up with a few simple rules to keep ourselves and each other safe whilst using them. The children are now demonstrating an awareness of these safety rules and can often be heard reminding each other of them.  

By exploring their local environment, the children have been talking about how to be safe when crossing the road. On a recent visit to the Co op, the children had to use their eyes and ears to look and listen, making judgements on whether or not it was safe to cross the road. This was also a great opportunity for discussion about people who help us to cross the road such as mums, dads and the local lollipop lady. The children also had the chance to use the pedestrian crossing waiting for the red man to turn green and the cars to stop., before safely crossing the road.

Children have been thinking about safety around their home environment and recreating this within the role play area while using a range of equipment and resources including knives, tin openers and graters etc.  They have participated in lots of discussions about risks present to them in their everyday lives and demonstrated this during their play.  A number of children have chosen some hands on experience within the real kitchen while making porridge, pasta and sandwiches. 

Within the outdoor learning environment the children have had many opportunites to manage and access risk, from using the climbing frame and resources appropriately to preparing themselves to use the balance and pedal bikes. Children are becoming more aware of the importance of keeping themselves and their friends safe. The outdoor café, mud kitchen and water zone have been very popular with children experimenting with more natural resources to count, compare sizes and measure their ingredient’s, using stones, water, mud , mint leafs and flowers. Some very delicious foods were created !!