A Guide to Safety City s1

Kiwanis

A partnership between Kiwanis of Gainesville and the City of Gainesville Activity Title: Tools, NOT Toys

Level: Adult (Instructor)

Time Frame: 5 minutes

Materials: Matches, lighters, candles, cigarettes, fake gasoline and kerosene containers, drills, hammers, wrenches and other tools (maybe a chain saw, or hand saw), games, puzzles and other toys.

Video(s): None

Description: The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate to children that fire starting materials such as matches and lighters are tools for adults, not for children. To emphasize the difference, regular tools like hammers and wrenches are used for comparison between toys that children normally play with. Each set of items will be separated with a large sign displaying what items are being shown.

Activity: This activity is designed to teach children the difference between tools and toys. For many children, fire-starting materials are used for play, without the knowledge of how dangerous these items can be. Toys, tools and fire-starting implements are displayed to clearly show the difference, and the danger.

A) Toy display - Show various kinds of toys meant for children to play safely with. Confirm with questions that these are safe and OK for play. B) Tool Display - Show various kinds of tools, including those found around the house, such as hammers, wrenches and saws. C) Dangerous Display - Items shown are not for play, and to be used only by an adult. These items would include matches, lighters, candles, oil lamps, as well as (empty, clean) containers labeled for dangerous, flammable materials like gasoline, kerosene and propane or LNG.

A large colorful sign should accompany each display, to help focus attention and prompt questions.

Discussion: Primary discussion during this activity should focus on:

1) Toy Display - Why are toys and games OK for children to play with? 2) Tool Display - Why do we call these things tools? How are tools different than toys? 3) Dangerous Display - Are these things toys, or tools? How do you know? Why should children never touch or play with these kinds of things? What might happen if you did?

Summarize with the key concept that tools are useful to adults, and are to be used by adults, and never by children for play.

Summary: The purpose of this activity is teach children the difference between tools and toys, particularly when it comes to matches, lighters and other potentially dangerous items that will start dangerous fires. This activity is designed to show children that toys are safe to play with, and tools are not, emphasizing the potential for serious harm or even death if fire-starting materials are used for play.

1 "Tools, NOT Toys"