Keeping Your Child Safe On A School Adventure Or Whilst Out And About

Children can be little balls of excitement especially when encountering new environments or experiencing new things, so for many parents the prospect of not knowing what to expect in terms of behaviour can be confusing and quite scary. For parents and guardians alike safety whilst out and about, whether you are accompanying your child on an adventure or taking a trip down to the local shops, is about striking the right balance between protection and independence.

After all children need challenges, experiences and independence to really get to grips with everyday life, and the skills and qualities they learn and adopt on these trips into the big, bad but ultimately captivating world will ensure that they turn into a well-rounded adult later down the line. For parents and guardians looking to protect the children in their care without obstructing independence, it is important to know the situations and risks that are commonly encountered by children of all ages.

There are a plethora of risks and dangers that children will face outside of the comfort of their own home, one of the most obvious is traffic. For children under 8 years of age, traffic can be extremely difficult to judge especially when deciphering the distances and speed of vehicles on our roads. In today's gadget obsessed world traffic can be difficult to judge for older children, who may become distracted on the walk back from school by friends and gadgets such as smartphones and iPods.

It's not just our busy roads that present danger, crowded places can be a real minefield for younger children who may get lost and experience distress as a result. Unsupervised play may also leave younger and older children vulnerable to breaking the law or trespassing in areas that may be deemed unsafe by adult eyes.

As well as encountering traffic and other potentially dangerous situations, a certain level of risk can be presented by other adults or children through bullying or strained community relationships due to the unsurprisingly boisterous nature of children. These risks can be particularly troubling for everyone involved but there are a number of routes you can take as a parent to ensure that physical and emotional threats are relieved or avoided completely.

Talk about the importance of good behaviour as well as the behaviour of other children and adults, discussing instances where your children may become intimidated or upset. Talking openly about bullying is highly recommended and your open attitude towards the subject will only make your children want to discuss their experiences even more throughout their childhood.

As with emotional risk, preparation is the key to dealing with physical threats such as traffic or the dangers of crowded places. Teach your child the green cross code that can be used on school adventure trips and more importantly put it into practice, discuss no go areas in your local vicinity and talk you child through what to do if they do get lost.