Electricity is an important part of every household. At the same time, it is a very dangerous commodity to handle. You must observe safety every time you handle an electric device, electric cable or anything related to electricity. It is extremely important that you impart the same knowledge to your kids so that they learn how to be careful around electricity as it is all around them since they work on computers, encounter cords, appliances, power lines and outlets, etc. Here’s how you can start educating your kids on electrical safety.

Start with the Basics

  • Relation Between a Human Body and Electricity

    Explain to your children that water and metals are the best conductors of electricity. It is essential that you tell them that up to 60% of the human body is water and because of that, it makes great conductors of electricity.

    Teach them that if they touch the ground or live wire, exposed electrical outlets, cable wires, electric material or electric circuit, they will become the carriers of electricity and that it can easily flow through them which might hurt or kill them. Go a step further and encourage the gentleman spirit in educating other children and you can rest assured the young one will mirror your teaching and pass it to friends.

    At the same time, they should know that touching electrical appliances with wet hands or while standing in water is an absolute no-no as electricity travels rapidly through water. Doing this will cause an electric shock which can be quite painful.

    Human Body

  • Importance of Insulation on Appliances

    Almost all electrical appliances have an insulated covering and cords that help in preventing electric shocks. Tell your kids about the importance of these insulated coverings and that they must ensure that these coverings and cords are always in position. If they find that the insulation of any appliance has come loose or is not intact, they should not touch the appliance until it is fixed.

    electrical appliances

Tips to Teach Electrical Safety Lessons

Children must be taught about electrical safety early on. As soon as your kids can understand, communicate and comprehend what is being spoken to them, teach them about electrical safety. However, children might resist the idea of learning something or they might get impatient and lose focus quickly. Let us look at some ways you can ensure that they are absorbing what is being taught to them.

teaching kids

  • Use Visual Aids

    Kids love anything that is visual. Instead of telling your kids about how electricity works, how you can get an electric shock or what the different components of an electric system or appliance are, show them visually. Use pictures, diagrams, cartoons or animated videos. This will literally show them what they need to know and they will be less likely to explore electrical appliances, outlets, wiring, etc., on their own.

  • Repeat What You Say

    Do not assume that your kids will retain what you tell them once. Use repetition and teach different lessons multiple times. Little children may pay attention but that does not mean that they will remember it or that they understood everything the first time around. So, don’t make the mistake of keeping your safety lessons a one-time affair, instead keep them ongoing to ensure that they retain the information.

  • Keep it Interesting

    You do know that kids have the attention span of a goldfish. Until and unless you keep the lessons interesting, you can be sure that nothing you say is being registered by them. Use technology to engage them and keep the lessons interesting. Take the advantage of the unlimited resources and tools that are available online.

  • Let the Lessons Evolve

    The initial lessons must focus on how the kids are not allowed to touch electrical appliances without adult supervision and other similar lessons. But as they grow up and start using electrical devices on their own, make sure your lessons evolve to cover the electricity safety that is required for that stage as well.

Make sure that you openly communicate with your kids about electrical safety. Encourage them to ask questions. Don’t forget to cover the importance of staying safe and about the outdoor electrical dangers too.

If you are looking for different types of cables, power cable types and circuit breakers for keeping your home safe for your kids, contact us at D&F Liquidators.