Attending events such as the Out of the Box Festival, the iconic Ekka, or the awe-inspiring Christmas parades in the Queen Street Mall each year are a rite of passage that Brisbane Kids should experience at least once. But, unfortunately, with the excitement comes HUGE crowds and safety concerns for parents, especially those attending with younger children.
So, how do you keep your kids safe in a crowd? If the worst happens and your child does get separated from you, do you have an action plan? Would your Brisbane Kids know what to do if they got lost in a big crowd?
We’ve come up with what we believe are some really useful tips for keeping kids safe at any big family-friendly event. These tips may also come in handy for shopping centres and other venues that you may attend regularly.
Go Over the Action Plan with your Brisbane Kids
Without scaring them, discuss with your children the steps they should take if they do happen to get separated from you. Depending on their age, this may include finding the closest Police Station or Lost Persons Centre, approaching the nearest uniformed official, or even asking another mother with children for help.
Take a Photo
Ensure your Brisbane Kids have your contact details
Grab yourself some of these Infobands from Name My Stuff to put your child’s name and your contact number on. These wristbands can be used again and again and are great to keep in your bag for when you go out with kids. You can also add important info like allergies to these bands in case of a medical emergency. Pop one on your youngster’s arm before hitting the crowds and be safe in the knowledge that you can be contacted quickly if your child gets separated from you.
If you’re heading to the Ekka this year, be sure to stop by the Queensland Police stand as soon as you arrive and collect a free armband that you can add your contact details to.
Get the App
Download the Australian Police Child ID Safety App for Android or Apple smartphones. This app lets you store photos and other important information about your child directly to your phone. This information can then immediately be passed on to authorities should the worst happen and you are unable to locate your child.
Teach Your Children About Safety
A visit to www.kids.triplezero.gov.au with your Brisbane Kids is another important way to keep kids safe – both at home and out. The site features lots of information aimed at kids to teach them about our emergency services and what they do for our community. On top of this, a downloadable app is also available for Apple and Android smartphones. This free app will help to teach children how to identify if there’s an emergency and which service they need. It even can simulate making a 000 call, with a keypad to dial from, a real ringing tone and a recorded voice ‘answering’ the call.
Armed with these tips and techniques, both you and your Brisbane Kids will know not to panic and you can be safe in the knowledge that your child will found quickly if the unthinkable happens and they become separated from you.
Now that you know that attending crowded events with kids can be made a little safer, check out our huge Event Calendar for every family friendly event happening in Brisbane this year!
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