Top 5 First Aid Skills Every Child Should Learn

Two children playfully engage in a pretend doctor check-up, using a toy medical kit on the table.

Accidents happen. It's an unavoidable part of life, especially when you have children.

While we can't prevent every bump, bruise, or scrape, we can equip our children with the knowledge and skills to handle minor injuries and know when to seek help. Teaching basic first aid isn't just about treating physical wounds; it's about fostering confidence, responsibility, and a sense of care for others. Here are 5 first aid skills you should teach your children:

1. Knowing When to Call for Help (and How):

This is arguably the most important skill you can teach your child. Children need to understand the difference between a minor boo-boo and a situation requiring professional medical attention. Teach them:

• Emergency Numbers:  Make sure they know your local emergency number (999 in the UK, 911 in the US) and how to dial it. Practice role-playing scenarios where they need to call for help.

• What to Say:  Teach them to clearly and calmly state their name, location, and the nature of the emergency. Emphasise the importance of staying on the line until told otherwise.

• When to Call:  Explain situations that warrant an immediate call for help, such as unconsciousness, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, or suspected poisoning. Use age-appropriate examples and avoid overly frightening details.

2. Treating Minor Cuts and Scrapes:

These are everyday occurrences, and your child should know how to handle them effectively:

• Washing Hands:  Stress the importance of clean hands before treating any wound.

• Cleaning the Wound:  Teach them to gently wash the affected area with clean water.

• Applying Pressure:  Show them how to apply direct pressure to stop bleeding using a clean cloth or gauze.

• Bandaging:  Explain how to apply a clean bandage to protect the wound from dirt and germs.

  
  

3. Dealing with Burns:

Burns are common household injuries, and knowing how to respond quickly can minimise the damage:

• Cool Water:  Teach them to immediately run cool (not cold) water over the burn for several minutes.

• No Ice:  Explain why ice can further damage the tissue and should be avoided.

• Loose Bandage:  Show them how to loosely cover the burn with a sterile dressing or clean cloth (as long as there are no open sores that it will stick to).

• When to Seek Medical Attention:  Emphasise the importance of seeking professional help for severe burns, burns on the face, hands, or genitals, or burns that blister.

  
  

4. Recognising and Responding to Choking:

Knowing what to do if someone is choking can be life-saving:

• Cough it Out:  Encourage them to cough forcefully if they are choking.

• Back Blows:  Teach them how to give back blows (for older children and adults). Demonstrate the proper technique.

• Abdominal Thrusts:  This technique is more complex and should be taught by a certified instructor. Consider taking a first aid course together as a family (RECAP offer bespoke first aid sessions for families - comment below for more details or see our First Aid pages here.)

  
  

5. How and when to use the recovery position:

It is important to teach children when they can use the recovery position and how to do it. Sometimes, as a child, as long as the person is breathing with no immediate threat to life like heavy bleeding, all they can do is wait for professional help to arrive. In these moments it is important to know how to safely monitor an individual.

Here are some bullet point tips to share with your child about the recovery position:

• Check if they're okay: Before moving the person, make sure it's safe and ask them if they're okay. If they don't answer, check if they're breathing. If they're not breathing or only gasping, you need to start CPR right away.

• Roll them gently: If the person is not answering but breathing normally, carefully roll them onto their side. Be careful not to twist their neck or back.

• Make sure they can breathe: Tilt their head back a little bit and lift their chin up so that air can get in.

• Put their arm in front: Put their top arm in front of them like they're waving. This will help them stay on their side.

• Bend their leg: Bend their top leg at the knee so they don't roll back onto their back.

• Keep watching them: Keep watching their breathing until someone comes to help. If they stop breathing or their breathing changes, you need to start CPR.

• Call for help: If you're alone, call for help right away after you put the person in the recovery position.

• Don't leave them alone: Stay with the person until help arrives.

  
  

Making it Fun and Engaging:

Learning first aid doesn't have to be boring! Use games, role-playing, and age-appropriate resources to make it fun and engaging. Consider investing in a children's first aid kit and practicing together. The goal is to empower your children with the knowledge and confidence to act quickly and responsibly in case of an emergency. By teaching these 5 first aid skills, you're not just preparing them for accidents, you're preparing them for life.

You can contact us for more information about our child friendly, family first aid sessions here or by commenting below.

A young girl is playing doctor with her stuffed toy, using a red medical kit to examine a plush animal in a cozy, play-filled room.