Sunday is International Children’s Book Day! In celebration, we have decided to focus on Children’s books that teach safety!
As a parent, you have the privilege of teaching your child all about the wonderful world we live in. Sadly, we know that the world can sometimes be a scary place. This too is a lesson that must be taught. There are many great books available that can sneak in important safety lessons into stories they will cherish. Here are 10 of the highest-rated and most loved kid’s books that teach a variety of safety lessons.
“I Can Be Safe” – Pat Thomas
This lighthearted book acknowledges kids’ fears and gives them tips so they can feel safe and confident. It teaches essential lessons, including looking both ways before crossing a road, emergency numbers, and remembering their parents’ names and phone number.
“Oscar and the Bird” – Geoff Waring
Perhaps like your child, Oscar the kitten has a lot of questions about how things work. Luckily, Bird knows the answers! This story, complete with charming illustrations, teaches kids that electricity can be dangerous and that we must be careful around wires, batteries, and sockets. These tales of caution will inspire a healthy curiosity about science.
“Not Everyone Is Nice” – Frederick Alimonti
“Not Everyone Is Nice” explains that there are many people in this world who are nice, but there are also some who are not. It gives parents an opportunity to discuss stranger safety with young children.
“No Dragons At Tea” – Jean E. Pendziwol
This story is a favorite among fire fighters for teaching fire safety to kids 3-7. When a friendly dragon joins a tea party, he accidentally sneezes and sets the table ablaze. Luckily, a clever little girl knows what to do. She teaches fire safety rules to the dragon while keeping young readers engaged and informed about what to do in case of a fire in the home.
“Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept” – Jaynee Sanders
This beautifully illustrated picture book that carefully introduces the subject of keeping our children safe from inappropriate touch, teaching ‘body safety’ to young children in a way that is neither frightening nor confronting.
“Be Careful and Stay Safe” – Cheri J. Meiners
This book is a great introduction to safety for any child starting school. It does the job of teaching how to avoid potentially dangerous situations, use things properly, ask for help, and follow directions – without scaring your little one.
“The Recess Queen” – Alexis O’Neill
Vivid illustrations and fun rhyming are sure to keep a child interested in this book about bullies. It weaves in powerful insights into playground bullying, violence, and self-esteem, with lessons of conflict resolution. It is perfect for children joining kindergarten and learning to navigate their social world.
“Look Left, Look Right, Look Left Again” – Ginger Pate
A colorful board book for pre-school age children, “Look Left, Look Right, Look Left Again” has won awards for teaching road safety. Young children will remember lessons Wally Waddlewater learned when adventuring across town to mail his grandmother a birthday card.
“Officer Buckle and Gloria” – Peggy Rathmann
Great for young readers aged 4-8, this story follows Officer Buckle and his mischievous police dog Gloria as they teach students about general safety. These two loveable characters will leave your kids a little wiser – and probably rolling on the floor with laughter!
Once Upon A Dragon – Jean E. Pendziwol
This fairytale adventure book presents the best of the “bad guys” from classic tales, including the hungry wolf from “Little Red Riding Hood” and Snow White’s evil stepmother, to help show the difference between good strangers and bad strangers.
If your child’s safety is your top priority, make sure they are protected with a McGruff Safe Kit. Request your kit today!
REQUEST A KIT