If you didn’t already know, this week is Child Safety Week in the UK (6-12th June 2016), which is an annual campaign run by the Child Accident Prevention Trust, focused on preventing children and young people from having serious and fatal accidents. Ashamedly I hadn’t heard of this campaign before, so when one of this year’s sponsors got in touch, I couldn’t have been happier to find out about all the great work that they are doing. As a parent, the safety of my child is the most important thing in the world to me, and anything that can help me to keep Dexter safe from harm means I’m all ears.

This year they have teamed up with the ultimate hero next door, Fireman Sam, in order to highlight the importance of keeping safe this summer, and the fire-fighting fella is offering up some top tips to parents and children on how to keep safe during this wonderful but potentially hazardous time of year.

Dexter is still a baby in my eyes, but whether I like to admit it or not, he is fast growing up and beginning to explore the world for himself. Lots of Fireman Sam’s tips are important for myself and Mr B to take heed of, but it won’t be long (sob) until I will be sharing them with Dex and constantly reminding him of how important it is to follow proper safety guidelines.

We are so looking forward to having lots of BBQs this summer, and have already got in on the action over the weekend! Dexter is in love with water too, and as the temperature has risen over the last few days, he’s been cooling off in the paddling pool. Fireman Sam focuses on these two main hazards (fire and water) in his campaign, and there are lots of fun but informative videos for the kids to watch in the Fireman Sam Essential Safety Collection. So sit ’em down and pretend you’re giving them extra telly time, when really you’re secretly brainwashing them in to being perfectly safe little sausages.

You can also download a free action pack which includes lots more tips, as well as activities and quizzes for the wee ones…and who doesn’t love an activity and quiz, eh?

Fireman Sam’s Top Ten Summer Safety Tips

• Always walk when you are near a swimming pool, never run.
• Never push anyone into a swimming pool.
• If you are swimming in the sea, never turn your back to the sea – this will prevent you from seeing big waves coming towards you.
• Take care when paddling and swimming in the sea as the water can get deep very quickly.
• Always ensure you have a responsible adult with you when paddling and swimming in the sea.
• Always leave lighting a barbeque to a responsible adult.
• Ensure you keep your barbeque a safe distance from trees, bushes and anything else that may catch fire before lighting it.
• Make sure that your barbeque is placed on a flat surface so it stays in place once it’s lit.
• Always stand back from a barbeque and keep a safe distance whilst it is in use.
• Stand back from the edge of the platform at the railway station and never push anyone whilst on the platform.

The wider theme for Child Safety Week this year is something close to my heart too. “Turn off technology!” is the tagline, which I bet already resonates with most of you reading this. We can all be guilty of spending a little too much time on our smart phones when we could be playing with our tots, so it’s a gentle reminder to put down our phones and get involved! Technology = distraction (who hasn’t been busy liking away on Instagram whilst their child quietly brings your house and the world to its knees) and serious accidents often happen when we are distracted.

If we can all promise ourselves to turn off our technology at crucial times during the day, we can give our children more focus, which has the added benefit of feeling more present and enjoying the little moments that we can easily miss otherwise. I’ve been trying it out recently as I don’t want the technology thing to rub off on Dexter too soon; though it is pretty hard to avoid in today’s world. Dens and tree-climbing are the things my boy will be forced  love doing when the time comes.

There are lots of ways you can get involved with this fab campaign, and you can also donate to the charity here.

Enjoy your summer safely kids!

A.x