Firefighters

AREA SETUP

(Open thematic poster-Firefighters) Print, laminate, and display all kinds of posters.

Educa-theme-Firefighters
(Open educa-theme-Firefighters) Print and laminate the items that represent the theme. Use them to present your theme to your group (and parents) while decorating a corner of your daycare.

Educa-decorate-Firefighters
(Open educa-decorate-Firefighters) Print, laminate, and cut out the various items. Use them to decorate your daycare and set the mood for the theme.

Educa-decorate-Fire prevention
(Open educa-decorate-Fire prevention) Print, laminate, and cut out the various items. Use them to decorate your daycare and set the mood for the theme.

Garland-Fire
(Open garland-Fire) Print the illustrations. Let children decorate them. Cut them out and hang them within your daycare or near your daycare entrance to create a garland.

Educa-decorate-Fire prevention
(Open educa-decorate-Fire prevention) Print, laminate, and cut out the various items. Use them to decorate your daycare and set the mood for the theme.

Garland-Fire prevention
(Open garland-Fire prevention) Print the illustrations. Let children decorate them. Cut them out and hang them within your daycare or near your daycare entrance to create a garland.

Fire prevention
(Open poster-Fire prevention) Print, laminate, and display on a wall. With your group, identify the different dangers and discuss how accidents can be prevented. Inform children of an upcoming fire drill. (Open perpetual calendar-Fire drill)

SPECIAL TOOL

This special tool was created in response to a special request received. (Open poster-Fire drill) Print, laminate, and display.

CIRCLE TIME

(Open picture game-Firefighters) Print and laminate the pictures in the format you prefer. Use them to spark a conversation with your group. Ask children questions about firefighters.

Suggestions:

• What color is a fire truck?
• What type of dog do firefighters have as a mascot?
• Name a piece of equipment used by firefighters.
• Which number must we dial in case of a fire?
• Have you ever visited a fire station?

Educ-chat-Fire
(Open educ-chat-Fire) Educ-chat is a game which is made up of several different illustrations which represent subjects, verbs, and objects. They can be used to help children make complete sentences and enrich their vocabulary. Print, cut out, and laminate the cards. Make three different piles (subjects, verbs, and objects). Ask children to pick three cards, one from each pile. Have them "read" the sentence. The sentences will sometimes be quite silly, but you are sure to have fun. You may also choose to place the cards yourself and have children "read" the sentences.

During circle time, show children a smoke detector. Press the test button so children can hear the alarm. Ask them what they should do if they hear the smoke detector. Giving children the chance to hear the smoke detector alarm may help reduce fear and anxiety surrounding fire drills. Sound the alarm before a fire drill. Select a meeting place that children can go to if the daycare needs to be evacuated. A neighbour's house or an isolated area in your yard may be good choices. Teach children to crawl to the nearest exit whenever they hear the smoke detector alarm, to slither like a snake if there is a lot of smoke, and roll around on the floor if their clothing items catch fire. Use this illustrated procedure. (Open poster-fire drill)

AREA SETUP

Reward stickers
(Open stickers-Firefighters) Print on adhesive paper and use the illustrations to create original stickers that can be used as rewards.

PICTURE GAME

(Open picture game-Fire) (Open picture game-Firefighters) Use the pictures to decorate your daycare or to spark a conversation with your group. Print, laminate, and store the pictures in a Ziploc bag or in your thematic bin.

ACTIVITY SHEETS

(Open activity sheets-Fire) (Open activity sheets-Firefighters) Print and follow instructions.

WRITING ACTIVITIES

(Open writing activities-F like fire) (Open writing activities-F like firefighter) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Stationery
(Open stationery-Fire) (Open stationery-Fire prevention) Print. Use the stationery to communicate with parents, in your writing corner, or to identify your thematic bins.

Educa-nuudles

(Open educa-nuudles-Fire) (Open educa-nuudles-Firefighters) (Open educa-nuudles-Fire prevention) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet. Once they are done, they may use Magic Nuudles to turn the coloring pages into three dimensional works of art. Variation: If you do not have Magic Nuudles, ask children to fill the spaces designed for the Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers. To order Magic Nuudles.

VARIOUS WORKSHOPS-Firefighters

Construction/Building blocks:

• All emergency figurines and vehicles (fire truck, ambulance, police, tow truck, etc.).
• Use an old hose to create roads that can be changed over and over again.
• Use blocks to build houses. Add figurines and pretend to save them from the flames.

Arts & crafts:

• Red paper and firefighter helmet model that can be traced.
• Coloring pages related to the theme.
• Use 2-litre soft drink bottles to make oxygen bottles for your little firefighters.
• Make your own fire extinguishers.
• Use paint or construction paper to represent fire.

Role play:

• Firefighter helmets and uniforms.
• Old garden hoses or swimming pool noodles for extinguishing pretend fires.
• Plastic axes (Halloween accessories).
• Oxygen bottles (2-litre soft drink bottles).

Manipulation: 

• Fire safety puzzles.
• Red, yellow, and orange modeling dough.
• Laminated fire prevention theme picture game.
• Laminated hot and cold theme picture game.
• Sequential story illustrating the steps to follow for an evacuation, a fire drill, or if clothing items are on fire.

Reading/relaxation:

• Books about firefighters and related professions (policeman, EMT, etc.).
• CD of different siren sounds and headphones.
• Stories about firefighters.
• Volcano picture books.

Early science/kitchen:

• Volcano experiment (baking soda and vinegar).
• All experiments involving fire.
• A candlelit lunch.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Word flashcards

Use the flashcards to spark a conversation with your group, in your reading and writing corner, or to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Fire) (Open giant word flashcards-Fire) (Open word flashcards-Fire prevention) (Open giant word flashcards-Fire prevention) (Open word flashcards-Firefighters) (Open giant word flashcards-Firefighters) Print. firefighter, ladder, truck, boot, helmet, hose, axe, water, fire, siren, smoke detector, fire hydrant

Associating words and pictures
(Open giant word flashcards-Firefighters) Print, laminate, and display the word flashcards on a wall in your circle time area or on a large piece of cardboard that can be moved around. Name a word and invite children to identify the corresponding word flashcard.

Fire scene
(Open scene-Fire) Print, laminate, and cut out the items. Encourage children to use them to decorate the scene.

Point to (or name) the pictures
(Open giant word flashcards-Fire) (Open giant word flashcards-Fire prevention) (Open giant word flashcards-Firefighters) Print, laminate, and display the word flashcards on a wall next to your circle time area or on a piece of cardboard that can easily be moved around. Name a word and encourage children to take turns pointing to the correct word flashcard.

SPECIAL ACTIVITY

Make firefighter helmets using strips of red paper. Staple each strip to create a headband that fits around a child's head. (Open craft-Fireman helmet) Children can color and glue the firefighter logo on the front of their headband/helmet. Use a large cardboard box to represent a house and paint or glue large flames all over it. Set a small slide next to it and arrange stuffed animals inside to represent occupants. Provide swimming pool noodles that can be used as hoses. Children will love taking turns using the hoses to put out the fire, saving a stuffed animal and going down the slide with it. At the end of the day, give each child a "Firefighter in training" diploma. (Open diplomas-Firefighter in training)

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

Game-This is my spot-Fire
(Open game-This is my spot-Fire) Print two copies of each illustration. Use adhesive paper to stick one copy of each illustration on the table. Place the second copy in a bag. Children take turns picking an illustration to determine where they must sit at the table. You may also use the illustrations to determine children's naptime spots or their place in the task train.

My fire path
(Open my fire path) Print, laminate, and secure the illustrations on the floor of your daycare to create a path leading to the areas frequently visited by children throughout the day. The path can lead to the bathroom, the cloakroom, etc. If you prefer, use the illustrations to delimit various areas.

Game-This is my spot-Fire prevention
(Open game-This is my spot-Fire prevention) Print two copies of each illustration. Use adhesive paper to stick one copy of each illustration on the table. Place the second copy in a bag. Children take turns picking an illustration to determine where they must sit at the table. You may also use the illustrations to determine children's naptime spots or their place in the task train.

My flame path
(Open my flame path) Print, laminate, and secure the illustrations on the floor of your daycare to create a path leading to the areas frequently visited by children throughout the day. The path can lead to the bathroom, the cloakroom, etc. If you prefer, use the illustrations to delimit various areas.

Clean hands bin
Fill a large container with a variety of small games and activities in connection with your theme to keep children busy once they have washed their hands. The only rule: their hands must be clean before they can play with the bin's contents.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Fire truck lacing
(Open lacing-Fire trucks) Print, trace the shapes on heavy cardboard, and cut them out. Punch holes all the way around each model using a hole-punch. Children will enjoy lacing the shapes with a shoelace or a piece of string.

Firefighter training
Firefighters must be in great shape. Set exercise mats on the floor and encourage children to practice somersaults, rolls, jumps, etc.

Educa-move-Firefighters
(Open educa-move-Firefighters) Print and laminate the various actions. Children can take turns picking a card and miming the illustrated action. The other children must guess what he/she is doing. The child who successfully identifies the action will be the next one to act out an action.

Stop, drop, roll
(Open steps clothes on fire) Have children pretend their clothes are on fire. Teach them to stop, drop, and roll to put the fire out.

The firefighters have arrived!
Create an obstacle course with the children in your group. You will need a start and finish line. Hang a blanket from the ceiling to represent smoke. Children will have to crawl under it. Arrange exercise mats and swimming pool noodles to create a "ladder" that children must "climb" by jumping over the noodles. Set two buckets of water on the floor. Children will have to transport them to the finish line without spilling water on the floor. Children can complete the obstacle course two at a time. The first firefighter to successfully complete the obstacle course can play again with another child.

Evacuation procedure
(Open evacuation procedure) Print and laminate. Explain to your group exactly what they must do in case of a fire. Invite children to exit your daycare, crawling on their hands and knees with their head held high, pretending they are moving under smoke. You may hang a bed sheet at knee level to represent smoke. Children will want to repeat this exercise over and over again.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

The firefighter says
Instead of "Simon says...", play "The firefighter says...". Children must follow your instructions only if you say "The firefighter says..." first. Examples of actions: roll around on the floor, climb the ladder, etc.

I am a firefighter
Let children take turns using your hose to extinguish a pretend fire. You can also fill several buckets with water and have them pass them down the chain to encourage teamwork.

Extinguishing a fire
Use sidewalk chalk to draw flames on asphalt. Provide spray bottles children can use to put out the fire.

The firefighter's ladder
Set a ladder on the ground in your yard and invite children to walk on either side of the ladder, using it as a balance beam. Ask them to hop between the ladder's steps too. If you don't have a ladder, use colourful electrical tape to draw a ladder on the ground. Deposit a doll or stuffed animal at one end of the ladder and encourage children to "save" it from the fire.

Let's stop the fire!
Fill several buckets with water. Have children transport them from one end of the yard to the other to help stop the fire. There must be water left in their bucket when they reach the other end of the yard!

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Color by number-Firefighters
(Open color by number-Firefighters) Print for each child. Children must use the color code to complete the drawing.

Educa-symmetry-Firefighters
(Open educa-symmetry-Firefighters) Print. Children must color the picture on the right to make it look exactly like the picture on the left.

Educ-colors-Firefighters
(Open educ-colors-Firefighters) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. If you prefer, you may print the document for each child. Children must associate each item to the corresponding color by drawing a line between the two with a crayon of the same color.

Educ-pairs-Fire
(Open educ-pairs-Fire) Print. Children must color identical illustrations using the same color or draw a line between them. For durable, eco-friendly use, laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Educ-trace-Fire prevention
(Open educ-trace-Fire prevention) Print for each child. Children must trace the dotted lines using a crayon of the corresponding color and then color each object using the same color.

Educ-differences-Fire prevention
(Open educ-differences-Fire prevention) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must find the differences between the two pictures and identify them using a dry-erase marker.

Educ-math-Fire prevention
(Open educ-math-Fire prevention) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must count the items in each rectangle and circle the corresponding number.

Educ-shadows-Fire prevention
(Open educ-shadows-Fire prevention) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must draw a line to the shadow which corresponds to each illustration using a dry-erase marker.

Color by number-Fire prevention
(Open color by number-Fire prevention) Print for each child. Children must follow the color code to complete the picture.

Educ-same and different-Fire
(Open educ-same and different-Fire) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must circle the illustration that is different in each row.

Bingo-Fire
(Open bingo-Fire) Print, laminate, and store in a pretty box. Play bingo with your group.

Educ-intruder-Fire
(Open educ-intruder-Fire) Print and laminate. Children must identify the six (6) intruders.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Fire station tour
Ask the firefighters at your local fire station if you can visit the station with your group. Children love visiting the firefighters' "home". If you are unable to take your group to the fire station, local firefighters may be willing to visit your daycare and speak to your group. They can even help you with a fire drill or an evacuation exercise.

911
Use a toy version of a telephone to practice calling 911 with the children in your group. Describe various emergency situations.

Fire! Fire!
Fill a large container with the following items: fire extinguisher, smoke detector, hose, cardboard flames (laminated if possible), firefighter clothing, etc. Set the cardboard flames in one corner of your daycare to represent a fire. Encourage children to use the other items to stop the fire. This activity can be used to introduce a fire drill or evacuation exercise.

Firefighter of the day
(Open poster-Firefighter of the day) Print and laminate the poster. Throughout the theme, pick one child each day who will get to be the group's firefighter. Let him/her wear a firefighter helmet all day long and give him/her several different privileges.

Dress-up dolls-Firefighter
(Open dress-up dolls-Firefighter) Print and laminate. Arrange the pieces on a table and let children dress the paper doll as they wish.

Safe and dangerous
(Open illustrations-Fire prevention) Print. You will need two pieces of construction paper, a green one and a red one. The green paper will represent things that are safe while the red one will represent things that are dangerous. Show the illustrations to your group and encourage them to associate them to the correct color.

MUSICAL AND RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES

Musical clothing
Have children sit in a circle and deposit firefighter clothing items in the centre. Play music. As the music plays, children pass a firefighter helmet around the circle. When the music stops, the child holding the helmet must put one piece of clothing on. If you do not have a firefighter uniform, use a raincoat, rubber boots, and a pair of nylon pants.

EARLY SCIENCE/MANIPULATION/EXPLORATION

Red and yellow make...
Ask children which colors can be seen in fire: red, yellow, and orange. Tell children that you are going to paint flames, but that you no longer have orange paint. Give each child a small quantity of red paint and a small quantity of yellow paint and encourage them to mix the colors together. They will be happy to see orange paint appear. Let children try to create orange using markers, coloring pencils, waxed crayons, etc.

Fire is beautiful...but very hot!
Invite children to sit in a circle. Deposit a lit candle in the centre of the circle. Be sure to set you candleholder in an aluminum plate. Watch and admire the flame. Discuss why touching fire is dangerous with your group. After a while, deposit a glass jar over the candle to extinguish it.

The candle
Collect several different candles and show children how the heat from the flames melts the wax. Show them how the wax becomes liquid and then hardens again as it cools by letting the wax drip onto a piece of waxed paper. Of course, all manipulations must be done by the early childhood educator to avoid burns.

Hot and cold
Wet several facecloths. Set them in the freezer (or outside if it's cold enough). Wet a few more facecloths with warm water. Give each child a cold facecloth and a warm facecloth. Let them manipulate them to discover hot and cold.

A fire extinguisher
Show children a fire extinguisher and explain how it can be used to stop a fire.

Smoke detector
Have children listen to your smoke detector alarm and make sure they know what to do if they ever hear it.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

Fun snack
Deposit a platter filled with colourful fruit cut into different shapes. Children pick the pieces they prefer and use them to build firefighter helmets, a fire truck, a hose, etc. Take pictures of their creations before they are gobbled up. Print and display the pictures for everyone to see.

Campfire
Prepare red and orange Jell-O with your group. Cut it into cubes and let children arrange them on a plate to represent a campfire. Children will enjoy extinguishing the fire with a can of whipped cream.

My fire truck sandwich
Cut a square slice of bread in two. Cut one of the halves in two. You will have one rectangle and two squares. The rectangle will become the body of your fire truck. Arrange one square at the front of your truck to represent the motor and the other square on top to represent the cabin. Combine cream cheese with red food coloring and use this mixture to completely coat the fire truck. Add two Ritz crackers that will act as wheels and use pretzels to create a ladder. Finally, add a red jellybean on top (flashing light).

Fire salad
Use grated carrots (cabbage or celery root work fine too) to represent fire. Add raisins and mayonnaise and serve as a snack.

Firefighter hoses
Preparation: Approximately 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 package of crescent roll dough
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1 cup of 35% cream

Preparation:

1. Slice the dough without unrolling it. Deposit the pieces in a 9 inch x 13 inch oven-safe glass baking dish.
   
2. Mix the cream and brown sugar together.
   
3. Pour mixture over the dough rounds.
   
4. Bake in a 350°F oven for approximately 30 minutes.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Models-Firefighters
(Open models-Firefighters) Print as many copies as you need. Use the models for various collages, cutting activities, and projects throughout the theme.

Fire truck
You will need a large cardboard box (appliance) so that all the children can fit inside. As a group, find a way to transform the box to make it look like a fire truck. Find several red objects and set them inside the fire truck. This project can last several days.

Firefighter costume
(Open firefighter costume) Print, cut out the pieces required for the helmet, and assemble them.

Fire prevention mobile
(Open educa-decorate-Fire prevention) Print, cut out, and laminate the items. Hang them over your changing table with different lengths of ribbon or thread attached to a clothing hanger.

Fire hydrant
Paint an empty toilet paper roll with red paint. Paint one egg carton section with gray paint. If you wish, you can add silver glitter to the paint. Use the gray paint to coat a wine cork too. Once the paint is dry, cut the wine cork in two. Glue the wine cork pieces on either side of the toilet paper roll. Glue the egg carton section on the top of the toilet paper roll.

Puppets-Fire
(Open puppets-Fire) Print the puppet models on heavy cardboard. Invite children to cut them out and decorate them with various materials. Attach a Popsicle stick to the back of each model to create a puppet.

Puppets-Firefighter
(Open puppets-Firefighter) Print the puppet models on heavy cardboard. Invite children to cut them out and decorate them with various materials. Attach a Popsicle stick to the back of each model to create a puppet.

Stencils-Fire
(Open stencils-Fire) Print and cut out the various shapes. Children can use them to trace or paint a variety of items related to the theme.

My miniature firefighter
(Open my miniature firefighter) Print, color, and cut out the pieces. Glue them on empty toilet paper rolls to create figurines. Hang them from the ceiling if you wish.

Fire is hot
Pour a few drops of yellow and red poster paint on a sheet of paper and encourage children to blow through a drinking straw to spread the paint and create pretty flames.

Fire truck
You will need the top of an egg carton for each child. Have them paint it red. Cut circles out of black construction paper to represent wheels and glue them on either side of the egg carton lid. Cut a ladder out of the black construction paper. Apply glue all over and sprinkle silver glitter on it. Stick the ladder on the fire truck.

My smoke detector
Give each child two medium-sized paper plates. Invite children to decorate them as they wish. When they are done, help them staple or stick their plates together using adhesive tape. Ask children to add a red button to complete their smoke detector. Take advantage of this activity to identify the different smoke detectors present within your daycare.

My emergency vehicle
Give each child a large cardboard box or divide your group into two teams and give each team one box. Encourage them to create their very own emergency vehicle using poster paint, paper, cardboard, and a variety of recycled materials.

Fire, fire, pretty fire
Set a piece of paper in the bottom of an empty shoebox. Add three large drops of poster paint (red, yellow, and orange). Deposit a few marbles in the box. Children manipulate the box to paint flames on the paper. At the end of the activity, remove the paper and display your unique painting on a wall.

Shape transformation
Cut several colourful shapes (squares, circles, rectangles, etc.) out of construction paper and have children use them to create an emergency vehicle.

My Dalmatian
(Open model-Dalmatian) Print for each child. Explain to your group that Dalmatians often play the role of a mascot for firefighters. Cut the model out and stick it on red construction paper. Encourage children to use a stamp or their finger dipped in black paint to add the Dalmatian's spots. Count the spots on each Dalmatian with children's help.

COLORING PAGES

Creative coloring-Firefighters
(Open creative coloring-Firefighters) Print for each child. Ask children to complete the drawing.

Coloring pages
(Open coloring pages theme-Firefighters) Print for each child.

SONGS & RHYMES

(Open songs & rhymes-Firefighters)

Firefighters

By: Patricia Morrison Sung to: Hot cross buns

Firefighters
Firefighters
Up the ladder
Down the ladder
Firefighters

If there is a fire
If you dial 911
Up the ladder
Down the ladder
Firefighters

They will use their hoses
To stop the fire fast
Up the ladder
Down the ladder
Firefighters