How to Teach Children What to Do in an Emergency

Every parent worries about their child’s safety, but teaching children how to protect themselves is the real foundation of keeping them safe. Education experts recommend the following 10 questions as a simple way for parents to test their children’s understanding of everyday safety situations.

Ask your child: “What should you do if a stranger asks you for directions and then asks you to show them the way?”

Parents can tell their children that if someone asks for directions, it is fine to politely point them in the right direction. However, if the person asks the child to personally lead them somewhere, the child should become cautious. Even if the place is very familiar and not far away, the child should not go with the stranger.

The child can politely say, “My parents don’t let me go anywhere with strangers. You can go to the intersection and ask a police officer to help you.” If the stranger continues to bother or follow the child, the child should shout loudly to attract the attention of people nearby.

Ask your child: “If you are home alone and suddenly hear someone knocking on the door, and you look through the peephole and do not recognize the person, what should you do?”

Parents can tell their children that when they are home alone, they can turn on the television or audio equipment so that someone outside may think there are other people at home and be discouraged from doing anything wrong.

Children should never open the door to a stranger. They should make sure the door is locked and act as though their parents are at home by calling out, “Mom and Dad, someone I don’t know is knocking on the door.” This may discourage a stranger from attempting anything.

If the stranger claims to be a repair worker for the water, electricity, gas, or another service, or says they have come to collect a payment, the child should still not open the door.

If the person claims to be one of the child’s parents’ colleagues and even knows the child’s name, the child should remain cautious and should not open the door. The child can ask what the person needs and remember the information so that it can be passed on to their parents.

If the stranger refuses to leave, the child should call a neighbor or contact the police.

Ask your child: “What should you do if older students surround you at school, demand your pocket money, and threaten to hit you if you refuse to give it to them?”

Parents can tell their children not to panic or become overly frightened. They should try to speak calmly and explain that they do not have any money with them in order to avoid an immediate confrontation.

If this does not work, the child can tell them that they will go back to the classroom to get the money, then use the opportunity to run away and report the situation to a teacher. The child should describe the older students’ characteristics, including their appearance, clothing color, height, and build, so that they can be identified and dealt with appropriately.

If the child cannot get away, they should try to delay the situation and shout “Help!” when another adult or teacher passes by. Giving the students money may encourage them to demand money again in the future.

If the location is isolated and there are several people preventing the child from escaping, the child can give them the money if necessary to get out of the immediate danger. However, the incident must be reported to a teacher afterward, and the child should avoid going to isolated places alone in the future.

After returning home from school, the child should tell their parents what happened at school and ask them to help resolve the situation.

Ask your child: “If you are playing alone in a garden on a Sunday and a stranger tells you that your father has been hit by a car and is being treated in the hospital, then asks you to go with them to see your father, what should you do?”

Parents can tell their children not to believe the stranger too quickly because the person may be trying to trick them.

The child should remember the person’s facial features. If the person has a vehicle, the child should also try to remember the license plate number.

The child should continue on their way. If the stranger keeps following them, the child should shout for help while looking for a police officer and report what is happening.

If there is no police officer nearby, the child should move toward an area where there are many people.

The child should also call home or contact their father’s workplace to confirm whether their father has actually been involved in an accident.

Ask your child: “What should you do if you receive a phone call from a stranger while you are home alone?”

If the caller asks to speak with the child’s mother or father, the child should say that their parent is not available to come to the phone.

The child should accurately write down the time of the call, the caller’s name, phone number, and any message they leave.

The child should never let the caller know that they are home alone.

If the stranger is not calling for the child’s parents and instead uses vulgar or inappropriate language, the child should not respond. They should immediately hang up.

The date and time of any harassing calls should be recorded and reported to the parents.

If the same person calls again while the child is home alone, the child should immediately contact the police.

Ask your child: “If you are happily walking to school and a frightening-looking stranger suddenly tries to force you into their car, what should you do?”

Parents can tell their children not to panic. They should shout “Help!” loudly and try their best to break free.

The child should run toward a crowded or busy place, such as a shopping mall or supermarket, and ask a security guard or other security personnel for help.

The child can also ask a nearby store, business, or adult for help and have them contact the child’s family, school, or the police.

If the child is forced into the vehicle, they may be extremely frightened, but they should try to remain calm and avoid unnecessary shouting or struggling that could anger the person and increase the risk of injury.

The child should try to remember the person’s appearance, distinctive features, clothing, age, and license plate number. They should also pay attention to the roads the vehicle travels on and any distinctive buildings or landmarks along the way.

If the person asks for the family’s phone number or the parents’ names, the child should try to cooperate with the requests as much as possible in order to reduce the chance of being harmed.

Ask your child: “What should you do if you are walking alone and notice a suspicious stranger following you?”

If a child realizes they are being followed, they should move toward an area with many people. If there is a police station nearby or they see a traffic police officer directing traffic, they should immediately ask the officer for help.

If there is no police officer nearby, the child can go into a department store or shop and ask an employee to let them use the phone to contact their family and arrange for someone to pick them up.

Children should be especially careful not to allow a stranger to chase them into a narrow alley or dead end. If this happens, they should not feel embarrassed about asking for help. They should quickly ring the doorbell of a nearby home or shout “Help!” as loudly as possible.

Children can also carry a whistle with them. If they encounter someone who poses a threat, they can blow the whistle loudly to attract the attention of people nearby and discourage the person from approaching.

Children should remain alert when they are outside and pay attention to what is happening around them. Whenever possible, they should avoid walking alone along dark or isolated roads, where they may be more vulnerable to criminals.

On the way to and from school, children should travel with classmates whenever possible, or parents can accompany them for a period of time if necessary.

Ask your child: “If you take a taxi to school and notice that the driver is taking a road you do not recognize, what should you do?”

The child should calmly ask the driver whether they have taken the wrong route and clearly repeat the destination they are supposed to reach. There is no need to panic immediately.

If the situation seems wrong, the child can say that they urgently need to use the bathroom or take care of something important and ask the driver to pull over. Once the vehicle stops, the child should get out quickly and move toward an area with other people. They should then find a traffic police officer, explain the situation, and ask for help getting home or back to school.

If the driver continues driving, the child can quietly lower the car window. When the vehicle stops at a red light, the child can shout “Help!” toward nearby pedestrians and other vehicles.

When riding in a taxi alone, it is safer for a child to sit in the back seat because it is more difficult for the driver to control the child in the event of an emergency.

Ask your child: “What should you do if a stranger offers you something to eat?”

Parents should teach children to politely refuse food offered by strangers. Some people who intend to harm children may appear friendly, but they may take advantage of a child’s lack of experience and desire for treats to lure them into a dangerous situation. They may even put drugs or other substances into food, causing the child to fall asleep and giving the person an opportunity to abduct them.

If the child has already firmly refused but the stranger continues to pressure them, the child should shout loudly to attract the attention of people nearby.

Ask your child: “What should you do if you come home from school and discover that someone has broken into your home?”

If a child comes home and finds that the door lock has been damaged, or discovers that the door is open even though they know nobody should be inside, they should consider the possibility that a burglar may still be in the house.

The child should never enter the home and should not shout or make unnecessary noise. The burglar could still be inside, and entering the home could put the child in serious danger.

The child should quickly go to a neighbor and ask an adult to call 110, or seek help from a familiar local shop.

The child should also call their parents, explain what happened, and ask them to return home as soon as possible.

If the child notices a suspicious or unfamiliar vehicle near the building or entrance, they should remember or record its license plate number, color, and type of vehicle and provide that information to the police or another trusted adult.

In an emergency like this, leaving the house quickly and protecting oneself is the most important thing.