Genre: Childrens educational/Safety
Age Range: 2-5 years
Runtime: Approx. 38 minutes
Trouble and Kids: Toddler Home Safety - Overview
After surveying parents about common safety problems involving toddlers, Trouble and Kids DVD creators incorporated the safety situations into an educational and entertaining film for kids ages 2-5.
In the movie, two kids encounter a mysterious blue person who does not understand safety rules. As they watch over their new friend, they have to help him understand the safety rules and make sure that he doesn't get into trouble. A an animated monkey in the blue guy's backpack reinforces each lesson to viewing children.
The DVD employs the following four strategies in teaching kids about safety:
- A Visual Scene depicting each potential hazard, followed by the actors describing the correct approach.
- An animated “Safety Monkey” which summarizes the safety lesson with a funny limerick.
- A catchy Sing-a-long Song that comprises all these lessons.
- A multiple choice quiz which covers all the issues again and rewards viewers for correct answers.
Trouble and Kids: Toddler Home Safety - Guide Review
The blue character, named Trouble, in The Trouble With Kids is a bit strange looking, but the DVD does a fairly good job, overall, at teaching kids about common safety situations.
Each different safety scenario - including hazardous situations such as running into the street or placing a plastic bag on one's head - is played out as Trouble makes a safety mistake, and the kids stop him and warn him of the danger. Sometimes Trouble comes so close to danger, that viewing children could become briefly frightened.
The lessons are generally clear (with the exception of the bag on the head scenario, the dangers of which will need to be reiterated to children), and they are good reminders to parents of common safety issues.
As the DVD states in the introduction, though, it is highly important that parents watch the DVD with their children. Kids are likely to mimic behavior they see on TV, even if the behavior is presented as undesirable or dangerous. Some of the scenes are funny, and kids may get carried away and try something they shouldn't. Parents will need to reinforce the danger of the safety situations and the reality of the consequences.
In addition, one scene in the movie will probably just plain gross parents out. The blue character gets into the fridge and, in a very unmannerly but hilarious to little kids kind of way, pigs out.
Trouble and Kids: Toddler Home Safety - Expand Upon the Curriculm
- Give your kids the responsibility of being the safety patrol. Have them teach each other the safety rules, and let them know that as a safety patrol member, they are to be on the look out for anyone breaking the safety rules so they can let an adult know immediately. Don't forget to remind them that safety is not a game and that they should never put themselves in a dangerous situation even when just pretending.
- Check out the Child Safety Guide from the About.com guide to pediatrics. Dr. Iannelli has articles on a wide range of child safety subjects including a child safety quiz to help evaluate your current safety practices.
