Kids Safety Village re-opens in Whitby to teach road safety to students

A Kids Safety model village is now open for in-class lessons to teach Durham students about pedestrian safety in person.

The Village is open to classes throughout the region for kids to learn safety lessons specific to their age group. Lessons include a pedestrian safety course and a new electrical safety course for grades one to four.

The pedestrian safety course teaches kids what a pedestrian is, where they can walk and cross the road, and how to avoid distractions. The new electric safety course is presented by an Elexicon Energy representative. Kids will learn to identify electric infrastructure so they can avoid touching them.

Both in-person classes will be conducted with a classroom section followed by a practical experience out in the model village.

The Kids Safety Village, designed to be kid-sized, is a 1.2-acre model village at Sir William Stephenson Public School in Whitby. It was first opened in 1995. Since then 125,000 students a year have learned safety measures in a variety of subjects from introductory first aid and CPR to bike, internet, bus and rail safety.

The Village has also offered virtual classes over the pandemic, which will continue. Kindergarten children and first-graders learn about community helpers and 911, while grades two to four learn pedestrian safety. Older kids in grade five and six have lessons in internet safety, cyberbullying and mental health.

Due to COVID-19 protocols and the need for students to stay in their cohorts, one class per day can attend the Village’s lessons, which they hold from 10:30 to 1 p.m.

Interested parents can contact the Kids Safety Village for more information. Teachers can book virtual lessons or field-trips on the Village website by grade.