Electrical Safety Rules for Kids

Water and Electricity Don't Mix

• An electrical appliance or toy in the presence of water can spell instant disaster. Teach your kids never to submerge anything electrical in water, or get it wet, whether they are playing outside or trying to wash up something on their own. Unless it's a toy specifically made for use in water, such as some battery-operated bath toys, anything that uses electricity must be kept dry and away from water. This also goes for touching electrical items when the child is wet. Instruct your children to dry off completely before touching a light switch or plugging in an item. Even a damp counter and electrical appliance can spell disaster.

Stay Out of Outlets

• Open outlets may invite little fingers to explore. Outlet covers should be used over every open outlet in the house if you have small children, but even older kids need to understand the basic rules. Teach the child not to stick a finger or other item in an open outlet, and to avoid yanking on cords that are plugged into an outlet. Arranging cords so they don't cross pathways further helps minimize both tripping and electrical hazards. Unplug items when they aren't in use, and place an outlet cover into the empty outlet.

Danger Signs Explained

• It can be tempting to quickly unplug an appliance or toy that isn't behaving as expected. Buzzing, sparks or even smoke indicate an electrical hazard in the making. Teaching children to stay hands-off with malfunctioning items and to quickly get an adult can prevent a jarring electrical shock or worse. The adult can turn off the electricity at the circuit breaker to stop the hazard. Explain that electrical fires aren't like other fires, and that throwing water on these fires can cause electrocution. Instead, show older children how to use a fire extinguisher and teach younger children to get help at the first sign of danger.

Proceed With Caution

• Caution and danger signs often go unheeded if the child doesn't grasp their importance. Teaching your child to recognize the common ̶0;danger̶1; and ̶0;high voltage̶1; signs found both outdoors and in the home can prevent tragedy later. Keep the instructions simple and to the point ̵1; a danger sign means stay away. Also teach your child to stay away from power lines, especially if a line ends up on the ground after an accident or storm. It's important to never approach a downed line, especially if the ground is wet. Instead, instruct your child to stay away and to tell an adult about the hazard immediately.

Nature's Electrical Threat

• Electricity can also pose a danger from off-grid sources. Kids should know that a thunderstorm is no time to play outside. Lightning can travel for miles so it's best to come in the moment a storm is noticed. Teach kids to come inside at the first flash of lightning or sound of thunder.