Safety on field trips from 3 to 12 years old

In schools it is common for excursions to take place throughout the year, it is a fun way for children to have a good time while reinforce the learning they are giving at school. For parents, the first few times that children go on a field trip is not an easy thing, because it involves "letting" the children leave the safety of the school grounds to other places without parental protection or supervision.

When children are young (3 to 6 years old) it can be more difficult for parents to feel confident to let their children go on excursions, and when they are somewhat older (6 to 12 years old), it can be easier because they know That their children will explain the things they have done and they will be able to assess whether or not the excursion has been a good idea for their little ones.

But in all ages and school stages, educational centers must follow a well-regarded security protocol so that children are always protected and well cared for. Parents, in this way, will be able to feel more confident to be able to let their children go on excursions and know that they will be safe and cared for by responsible adults at all times.

In the National Association for Child Safety We can find a non-profit organization, where many experts from different parts of the world and related to childhood, safety, health or prevention, join their knowledge to create a space for all families where They will be able to find information of interest on any topic related to child safety. Thus, parents can learn tools to avoid injuries and risks in childhood and that children grow up healthy and happy.

From this Association they also indicate some tips to keep in mind for field trip safety so that schools can assess it and include it in their protocols for outings with their students. They are very appropriate measures and that also, it does not hurt that parents also know to be able to use when they go out with their children on excursions.

School outings and excursions

School outings and excursions are necessary and appropriate for children as they can be in direct contact with learning without the need to be in the classroom. The excursions are also suitable for children to learn to prevent risks and that they understand important aspects in order to guarantee their physical and emotional safety whenever they have to go on an excursion.

Learning in an unfamiliar environment

With school and without the presence of parents, children will learn to function in an environment that is not known to them and that without understanding what risk is, They will learn this by watching teachers take preventative measures throughout the field trip. Adults should take into account anticipation and foresight and also have a good educational model in their behavior so that children can imitate it and thus have appropriate behavior all the time.

Depending on the age of the children, more or less strict security measures should be used, but they should always be used. As the cognitive and motor development of children progress (and the experiences lived as well as the culture in which they are) will help the child to internalize the norms and understand the importance of preventing risksSome concepts may be substituted for others, but they must always be under adult supervision at all times.

Safety on field trips

When you are going to go out with a group you should not only think about the duration of the excursion, for the security measures to be adequate it is essential to have clear measures before, during and after the departure.

Before departure

Before departure you must take into account:

• The tour. It is important to know the way to use, if you will go on foot or if you need a specialized transport service such as a bus. In addition, it is necessary to know that there are optimal access routes that meet the safety requirements for the age of the children, taking into account the evolutionary stage in which they are and their personal characteristics.
• Assess the risks of the environment. It is necessary to identify the spaces to know if they are suitable for a scheduled school activity. It is necessary to evaluate the possible risks of the place and the materials that can be used, in order to find solutions or assess whether it may be a feasible activity or not.
• Establish an emergency protocol. If the place of the excursion is a closed space (such as a theater), it will be essential to identify the evacuation and emergency exits and to know the security protocol of the place. In open spaces it will be very important to identify safe areas in case you need to use them.
• Establish enough adults per child ratio. Depending on the route or the number of children, it is necessary to establish a minimum of adults for the ratio of children that is in accordance with the education department. Adult control in children should not have setbacks at any time.
• Inform families. Families must be informed of everything at all times.
• Weather and meteorological changes. It is essential to take into account possible weather changes to cancel the start if necessary. As long as the weather may entail any risk (even if implicit), the excursion must be canceled or postponed.

During departure

If the route is on public roads, there must be well-established security and control measures:

• Reflective vests for all adults and children.
• Physical control: ropes for young children, children holding hands following a row controlled by several adults, etc.
• Identification systems. All students must wear a tag or bracelet with the corresponding identification.
• Values. It is important to take advantage of the exit to be able to instill in the students rules of vibismo, behavior and prevention (always taking into account the maturity level of the group).

After departure

After the start, what happened should be evaluated to be able to assess whether everything has been correct or if there have been unforeseen events that must be taken into account for the future. Thus, necessary corrections will be used to improve future outings and excursions.

Via- National Association for Child Safety