4 Fun Steps to Fire Safety: Help Your Child Stay Calm, Confident & Ready
Oct 09, 2025
Teaching your preschooler about fire safety can feel overwhelming—you want them to be prepared, not scared. Between work, dinner, and bedtime, finding the right words and time isn’t always easy.
The good news? Fire safety doesn’t have to be stressful. With a few playful, age-appropriate activities, you can help your child feel safe, confident and ready!
A little practice goes a long way—and helping your child feel prepared is one of the best gifts you can give.
1. Start with a story.
Kick things off with a short picture book or a fire-safety video. A friendly character explaining what firefighters do takes the fear out and sparks curiosity.
Examples:
• Read No Dragons for Tea or Firefighters A to Z at bedtime, then talk about how the characters stay safe.
• Use the free My Fire Safety Book - Have your child color the pages and complete the simple activities together. It turns learning into a hands-on mini project while reinforcing key safety tips.
2. Explore the gear.
Show your child photos or a short clip of firefighters in full gear, or visit your local fire station if possible. Let them see that behind the big coat and mask is a helper, not someone to be afraid of.
Examples:
• Look up pictures of firefighters in gear and talk about each piece (“This mask helps them breathe clean air”).
• Play dress-up at home with a toy firefighter hat and let your child pretend to “rescue” stuffed animals.
3. Practice your family escape plan—make it a game.
Pick two exits from each room and a safe meeting spot outside. Then turn it into a playful “fire drill tag” where everyone practices calmly moving to the meeting place. Repeat until it feels second nature.
Examples:
• Use painter’s tape to mark two exits in each room and have your child choose which one to “escape” from during a pretend drill.
• Set a gentle timer and challenge the family to reach the meeting spot before the bell rings.
4. Build everyday habits.
Invite your child to help you check smoke detectors once a month, and teach simple rules like “don’t touch matches or lighters” in a matter-of-fact way. These little rituals turn safety into a normal part of home life.
Examples:
• Let your child push the test button on the smoke detector while you hold them or guide their hand.
• Make a “safety scavenger hunt” to find matches, lighters, or candles and talk about why only grown-ups handle them.
