Tips for Teaching Fire Safety for Kids
I earn a commission from products purchased through links in this post.
Teaching fire safety for kids is incredibly important. It can mean the difference between life and death. As parents, we need to model safety around fire, but I think kids also need direct instruction about how to act in case of a fire emergency. Teaching fire safety for kids is absolutely vital.
Fire safety can be a scary concept for some kids. It is important to only give children as much info as they can stomach at a time.
If they seem frightened when you are talking about how to prevent fires or what to do if they or the house is on fire, stop there. Come back to the subject when they are ready for it. Try to keep the tone light and not frightening. Knowing what to do in a scary situation can be empowering!
Tips for Teaching Fire Safety for Kids
I like to teach fire safety for kids in three ways:
- Read kid-friendly books about fire safety. A kid-friendly book will always end with everyone okay. This is reassuring while still providing helpful information.
- Play games. Games make a scary subject a little less frightening. Kids are also more likely to remember something they have actually done.
- Practice often. Even older kids need a fire safety refresher once in a while.
Teaching Fire Safety for Kids with Books
My favorite kid-friendly fire safety books are:
Contain the Flame: Outdoor Fire Safety by Jill Urban Donahue. This is a great story to read before roasting marshmallows outside.
- Used Book in Good Condition
Last update on 2026-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Going to the Firehouse by Mercer Mayer. This book pairs well with a field trip to a fire station. Many fire stations will give free tours to groups if they are scheduled in advance. I highly recommend getting a few friends together and going on a field trip.
- This Certified Refurbished product is tested and certified to look and work like new. The refurbishing process includes functionality testing, basic…
Last update on 2026-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Related: 30 Homeschool Field Trip Ideas
No Dragons For Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons) by Jean E. Pendziwol and Martine Gourbault. This book uses rhyming to describe what to do if you are home when a fire starts.
Last update on 2026-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Fire Drill by Paul DuBois Jacobs and Jennifer Swender. This easy reader depicts what to do in a fire drill. Fires can happen anywhere, so I recommend teaching your kids what to do if the fire alarm goes off. We once had to evacuate Target due to a fire in a back room.
- Hardcover Book
Last update on 2026-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Stop, Drop, and Roll! Game
These 4 words are easy to remember, even for young kids, but they also make a fun, useful game. A lot of kids seem to think this skill is fun to practice.
Watch kids in an open field or on a small grassy hill.
What do they do for fun? They roll!
To turn this skill into a game, you will need felt flames. I like to use red, orange, and yellow to simulate fire. Felt generally has enough static to stick to clothing. Put the felt flames on your kids. The felt won’t stick for long, so you will need to work quickly. If you can’t get the felt to adhere to the clothing, try rubbing the felt on carpet to increase static.
Now have the kids stop, drop, and roll! Remind them to cover their faces. The flames will roll off. If your kids are competitive like mine, you can make it into a contest. Who can extinguish their flames first?
If you want to play virtual fire safety games, head to www.sparky.org!
Practice Your Fire Plan
A fire plan is important. Every member of your family needs to know what to do, even the little ones. If they are old enough to be out of a crib at night, they are old enough to start learning about fire safety. Practicing your fire plan is an important part of fire safety for kids.
You don’t want them to be frightened by the smoke alarm and hide.
TIP: A fire alarm with a voice warning is a great idea for children’s bedrooms.
A hybrid voice-tone alarm frequency is statistically a better way to wake children in a fire. I added voice alarms to my children’s bedrooms hoping that at least one of the alarms will wake them if I can’t get to them (one of my worst fears).
Toddlers won’t be able to follow an escape route, but they can understand the basic idea of don’t hide from firefighters. Try reading some of the above stories and acting them out.
This is the perfect time for a little firefighter dress-up.
When you set up your fire plan, be sure to include:
Multiple ways to exit the house
This part of the plan needs lots of practice. There are so many variables – location of the fire, where you are in the home, time of day, etc. If you have a two-story house, you might want to consider purchasing a fire safety ladder in case you need to exit through a window. If your children are old enough to use it independently, store it somewhere they can reach. It won’t do them any good if it is stored high on a shelf they can’t reach.
Make sure your kids know not to hide from the firefighters. They can look pretty scary in their full uniform!
A meeting place
Once you are out of the house, go to your meeting place. This should be away from the house, so somewhere like a mailbox, light post, or sidewalk work well. Consider pointing the spot out as the family meeting place while on walks.
Having a set meeting place lets you know exactly how many people are still in the house. The firefighters will want to know this as soon as they arrive.
Talk about calling 9-1-1
You can call 9-1-1 after you are out of the house using either your cell phone or by running to a neighbor’s house. Kids can practice this step on an old disconnected landline phone.
Teach the phone number as 9-1-1 (nine-one-one) NOT 9-11 (nine-eleven). There is no 11 on a phone, and that can trip some kids up. Knowing how (and when) to call for help is an important part of fire safety for kids.
If your kids are old enough to be left home alone, even for short periods of time, they need to know how to use a fire extinguisher. Hopefully, they will never need it, but better safe than sorry.
We keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and another in the garage. I can’t imagine my kids will need it because they are not allowed to cook or have candles lit when an adult isn’t present, but better safe than sorry.
Teaching Fire Prevention
Another important aspect of teaching fire safety is teaching fire prevention. Ideally, we will prevent all fires and never need to extinguish or escape flames.
Remind children never to use matches or lighters without your permission and supervision. Your child’s maturity level will help you gauge when they are ready to light fires (although I recommend supervising).
If your 8-year-old is prone to quick impulsive behavior, he probably isn’t ready. If your 8-year-old is generally careful and thinks things through, he might be ready, as long as there is supervision.
Teach kids not to play in the kitchen when the gas stove is on. “No flying paper airplanes when the stove is on” is a strict rule in our house. It only takes a second for a gas flame to catch on paper or fabric.
I hope these tips for teaching fire safety were helpful.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Keep reading . . .