Component 1: Health and Safety Practices
Learning Goal 1.b: Children become increasingly able to identify unsafe situations and gradually learn strategies for responding to them.
By 9 months, most children:
- Express discomfort or anxiety in stressful situations
- Demonstrates a recognition of the difference between their primary caregiver and a stranger
By 18 months, most children:
- Sometime respond appropriately to redirection given by an adult caregiver
By 24 months, most children:
- Respond appropriately to redirection by adults unless too caught up in a game or emotion
- Demonstrate a beginning understanding when adults say “stop” or “danger” by stopping or listening to adults
- Hold hands briefly with adults when walking but often break contact when distracted by another person or object
By 36 months, most children:
- Recognize or identify some harmful or unsafe objects and situations
- Stop a behavior in response to direction by an adult
- Understand and participate in the routine of holding hands with an adult when walking in public places
- Seek an adult’s help in some unsafe or dangerous situations
By 48 months, most children:
- Recognize unsafe situations and tell an adult; alert adult when another child is in a dangerous situation
- Understand the difference between “safe touch” and “unsafe touch,” especially if previously instructed
- Tell what the consequences are of unsafe behaviors
- With adult assistance, look both ways before crossing the street
By 60 months, most children:
- Follow safety rules with adult assistance
- Recognize symbols or signs for danger (e.g., poison labels) and avoid those objects or areas
- Follow emergency routines after adult instruction
- Understand the consequences of not following rules related to safety
