24-7
ACCIDENTS
THE IDEA
In some villages or neighborhoods, several
children die each year because of accidents, and
many more are injured. Many of these accidents
could be prevented.
This activity is to help children prevent as many
accidents as possible. Different sorts of accidents
happen in towns and in rural areas. This activity
sheet gives advice about only the most common
accidents.
In order to do something about accidents,
children need to know...
• what the most common dangers are
• how those dangers can be avoided
• what to do if an accident does happen
THE ACTIVITY
What accidents happen to children?
To get children interested, have them tell about
accidents that have happened in their homes or their
village. Have them list these on the blackboard.
To prevent burns, they can . . .
• take care to
see that their
younger
brothers and
sisters do
not go too
close to the
cooking fire
• keep matches out of the
reach of small small children
(they can even make a small
basket or shelf for matches
to be stored high on the
wall
• be sure that
handles of
pans are
turned so that
they do not
get knocked
over
To make play safer, they can . . .
• warn others about the dangers of climbing dead
trees, throwing stones, swimming in swift-flowing
rivers, running when chewing sticks, etc.
• pick up broken glass, sharp stones, and garbage
from streets and play areas
Ask why the accidents happened. If children can find
out why, they will be better able to prevent them.
Preventing accidents
Together, children can decide what they might
do to help prevent accidents. For example:
To prevent accidents in the road, they can . . .
• teach young children to stop, listen, and look
both ways before crossing
• build bumps across the road at the edge of
town and in front of the school so that fast
drivers stow down
• write letters to newspapers and authorities
about the worst accident spots
Children in Mexico cleaning up broken
glass and garbage from the street.