Safety first

Consider the following images of Daniel from TVO Kids News.

Create a list of the things that he is doing that are not safe.

Explore the following video entitled “What is Daniel Doing Wrong?” and check if you were able to find all of Daniel’s safety errors.

Designing a children’s play area

Consider the following questions:

• What are some ways that injuries can happen?
• What could happen if someone ignores safety rules?

When you are ready, record your answers in a method of your choice.

Preventing injuries

Participating in physical activity can be tons of fun but getting hurt and playing hurt are not. There are many steps that you can take to avoid and prevent injuries from happening during physical activity. Explore the following steps to learn more about preventing injuries.

Always warm-up!

Before beginning any physical activity, complete a warm-up.

A warm-up can include very light movement activity followed by some stretching to loosen up your muscles and joints before a physical activity.

Wear special protective gear/equipment

Protective gear is anything you wear that helps keep you from getting hurt while participating in physical activity or a sport. The gear depends on the sport you play.

Helmets are the most popular and common type of protective gear. They protect a person’s head and brain from injury while playing football, hockey, or baseball, or while doing a different type of physical activity like bike riding or skateboarding.

Some other activities and sports require eye protection, mouthguards, pads, wrist, elbow, and knee guards. Also, proper footwear is very important. Cleats are worn in football, baseball, softball, and soccer.

Know or ask about the rules

If you are playing a sport, always know the rules of the game. When players know the rules of the game, fewer injuries usually happen. Sometimes accidents will happen, but by playing fair and playing by the rules you can help keep yourself and other people safe.

For example, when going on a bike ride, ride on the appropriate side of the road, and follow the rules of the road. If you are not certain of the rules, you can always ask a trusted adult!

Don’t play when you feel unwell or are injured

Avoid playing a sport or switch up the activity if you are feeling unwell or injured. Be patient, as this will only be until you recover.

If you love sports, exercising, or physical activity, it is very tempting to keep being active even after an injury. But playing when you are hurt, or before an injury has had a chance to fully heal, is not a good idea. In fact, it can make the injury worse!

When people get injured or hurt from an activity, they often see a doctor or another type of medical professional to get help for their injuries. A medical professional can inspect the injury and provide advice on how and when to return to physical activity safely. They may suggest some lighter activities to help make sure the injured person remains active, or more rest if the person still needs to fully recover.

How can you plan for safety?

Imagine you are an activity instructor at a community centre, and you must explain a fun sport to a group of young learners. Remember that part of your explanation should include the safety suggestions you explored in the Action section.

Use the following chart to help you organize your thoughts and ideas.

In your explanation, include the following:

Complete the How to Safely Play chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.

Reflection

As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.