We live in a complex, which means are yard is quite small, well, for my boisterous toddler at least. This means that we often put on our shoes and head out for walks, to stretch our legs and to get some good fresh air into our lungs. I am now at the point however where my toddler no longer wants to hold my hand. He wants to walk along the roads independently, which more often than not tends to turn into a skip and a run.

This means that my nerves are on end, since you never know when a car will come speeding around the corner. So, it is at this stage that I realize it is time to teach my kid some very important road safety rules. This is easier said than done, but I do believe it is important to start making our kids aware of these rules from a very young age. 

On doing some research, I found some handy hints and tips, which I will now share with you:

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3 Important Road Safety Rules To Teach Children

1. Stop, look left and right, and then cross. I am starting with this rule because I think it is one of the most important. Children need to know that before they step on the road they need to stop, gather their thoughts, look left and right, and if there is no traffic, they can cross (at a pedestrian or safety crossing of course).
2. Pay attention and listen. While running free is the toddler's dream. they need to be taught that when it comes to walking along roads, the games need to stop. Teach your child to listen for sounds of car engines, horns, whistles and other alerting noises. They can identify dangers not only through looking, but by listening too.
3. Be seen and stay safe. Moms, dads and caregivers, help set the example here. When walking along roads, no matter the time of day, bright colors need to be warn. Colors that are darker in shade are not as visible to drivers, whereas bright colors are spotted much easier.

Road Safety Game Idea:

Have a discussion – give your child a scenario and ask them what they should do. For example, ask “You are playing, and your ball rolls into the middle of the road. What would you do?” Or, you can ask “You are getting late to school, so you should run to the school bus bay, correct?” and see what they say. - http://www.momjunction.com/articles/important-road-safety-rulestips-to-teach-your-children_0077932/#gref

These are simply a few of the most important, or first, safety rules that you can introduce to your toddler before attempting walks along more trickier parts of your suburb. Very young children should always be accompanied on walks by an adult and as adults, we need to set the correct example, since this is how our kids learn!

Much love - @sweetpea

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