Forget singalong out of tune hedgehogs, "Lost Soles" and "Say it with a dead carnation"....Salford has come up with a decent intiaitive - and it's a bit like that toy roadway system, Playmobil and Lego my own kids play with ...
"Manchester Evening News" - - page 30 reported by Lesley Wilkinson:
Salford has come up with a six metre square board game which has a seven foot tree and real lollylady. The game features a trraffic island, lamp posts,traffic lights and real names of local roads and local landamarks such as the Lowry Theatre - and was devised by artists at the Ordsall Community Arts and its aim is to teach road safety to 10-14 year olds.
Artist Gail Skelly said: "As kids reach secondary school age they become more independent and statistics appear to show they are at more risk because of poor road sense. Aim of the game is to make them aware of traffic and rules of the road."
Apparently - during the game the kids work in teams and wear high -viz bibs as they work their way around the game board - answering questions on road safety and hazards to look out for as they progressed - and they also received prizes such as stickers, reflective strips and cool discs to place on bicycles, skate boards and school bags...
They all went home with a goody bag of road safety booklets and the Highway Code ... video and cassette (ARGGH! Was of those blinkin' hedgehogs songs ...
Cruelty to the ears there! Hate those hedgehogs...)
The game is located in Ordsall Park and has been very successful since its launch in the holidays. It is hoped that all Salford Schools will make use of this facililty.
Ms Skelly wrote:
We cannot afford not to teach children about the hazards on our roads and the arts is an exciting way to get themessage across. The children so far have all been totally absorbed in the game and it is a fun way to leanr road safety"
I think this idea has distinct possibilities and is a step inthe right direction. Way to go Ms Skelly....
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but demonstrated the point rather well I thought. Makes you wonder since virtually all kids are going to end up driving at some point, and even the tiny number who don't will still be road users, why these sort of lessons aren't on the national curriculum. It's not like they'd need to be a weekly lesson or anything like that often. Once or twice a term should be plenty, could be done during games instead of whatever they'd normally do. Hopefully some more schools will follow Salford's lead.