We live in a world of electricity. Children grow up surrounded by electric wonders, from the glowing lights above to their own battery-powered toys. Children develop an early understanding of the difference between a toy that is powered or unpowered, but electrical safety is something that must be taught.
In order to keep your children safe surrounded by outlets and appliances, it’s important to teach them electrical safety as early as possible. At Astley Electrical, we care about safe homes and families. To this end, we have a few useful tips to share on teaching your children to be safe around outlets, switches, and electronic appliances.
The first step is to help children understand what electricity is and how it powers our homes. You can start with the atom or the idea of a circuit. Explain how electricity flows through wires the same way water flows through pipes. Outline how electricity powers our homes and how current allows for all sorts of appliances to work when plugged into the outlets.
From there, teach your children to identify outlets, switches, and appliances where electricity could be flowing through the house. Make a game of identifying where electricity comes from and where it goes.
Once your children understand how electricity moves through the house, emphasise its dangers. Discuss that when electricity goes where it isn’t supposed to, bad things can happen. People function by sending electrical signals from the brain. Explain that a bad shock is when a person’s wires are fried by too much electricity, and that a shock can also cause burns.
Then, explain that electricity can even cause fires, just like starting a campfire with a tiny spark. When something goes wrong with an electric circuit, plug, or appliance, that spark can cause dangerous house fires. Be ready to answer questions from curious children or assure nervous children that their battery-powered toys or plug-in nightlights are not very likely to start a fire.
Lastly, lay down the rules for safety now that your children understand how electricity can be dangerous and where to spot it. By explaining the function and dangers of electricity first, you don’t have to resort to “because I said so” when establishing safety rules. Instead, your children will know that the rules are there to protect them, and are also a way they can protect others.
There are two layers of electrical safety rules for children: What not to do and When to call an adult. Children should know that it’s deathly dangerous to stick anything into the outlet sockets. But they should also know to avoid touching the prongs of a device when it’s close to an outlet and to avoid using items that are hot to the touch, as they could be showing a dangerous electrical issue.
Children should also know when to call an adult for a safety-check. If they detect damage like exposed wires or the smell of burning, this is an adult-emergency to address. The same should also be true if children spot any scorching around outlets, even if the last thing plugged in was taken away.
When it comes to household electricity, it’s important to keep the entire family safe. Teaching children electrical safety starts at the basics, informs them of the dangers, and provides guidelines to avoid potentially harmful behaviours. You can count on Astley Electrical for safe and complete electric installations or repairs in your family home.
Keep your children and your family safe with expert electrical installations, armed with the knowledge of electrical safety. For more information, contact us today.
footer logos and their links
social links and their images
social links and their images
social links and their images