play safe! be safe!® workshops are designed to give fire safety educators, preschool teachers, daycare providers and other community agencies concerned about child safety the tools they need to effectively teach fire safety to preschool children. The workshop typically qualifies for continuing education credits(CEU). We will be glad to supply you with supporting information that can help with the CEU approval process necessary in your area.

Workshops are divided into six segments covering the following topics.

The frequency of children's fireplay and firesetting
Using national statistics gathered by the National Fire Protection Agency, the workshop explores the extent of children's fireplay. Participants develop an understanding of the number of fires started by children each year, and the deaths, injuries and property loss resulting from these fires. They also come to understand the particular vulnerability of preschool children; a vulnerability resulting both from their unexpectedly high rate of fire play and their inappropriate response to high risk fire situations.

The preschool child's understanding of fire
The workshop describes the intrinsic aspects of fire that children and adults find fascinating. It also investigates how children's experiences with and observations of fire lead to a profound misunderstanding of the potential danger. A review of preschool children's cognitive skills, based primarily on the work of Jean Piaget, a child psychologist, describes the limits of what children of this age can be expected to learn, even with optimal fire safety education.

Teaching preschool children safety skills
The workshop reviews the most common, yet inevitably ineffective techniques most adults use to teach children safety. Research from adult behavior change programs is used to document the inherent flaws in these traditional approaches. The workshop presents an alternative approach based on teaching specific skills and behaviors and then rewarding those behaviors. Techniques to enhance the children's acquisition of the relevant skills, primarily modeling, are also reviewed.

Fire prevention for preschool children
Four specific fire safety and fire prevention skills appropriate for preschool children are identified and reviewed. Materials designed to teach and reinforce those skills are provided and reviewed.

Involving families in fire safety
The critical role of the family in providing a safe environment and in reinforcing the lessons being taught to the children is also reviewed. Specific parental responsibilities are identified as are strategies designed to encourage parents to actively participate in fire safety.

The evaluation of the play safe! be safe! program
A strategy for evaluating preschool safety programs is described and the results of the evaluation of the play safe! be safe! program are presented.