Tots learning traffic rules
Over the years, miniature traffic setups have been put into schools to teach children the rules of the road and the importance of obeying them.
The Rotary Club of Knysna has now gone one step further and recently launched Tots in Traffic, which will be rolled out into several preschools run by the Knysna Education Trust.
These comprise of a rubber play mat displaying pictures of roads, buildings and places of interest. The fire station has a picture of a fire engine, the hospital, an ambulance, the supermarket, a few parking bays and a shopping trolley. These are all examples of what will be found in these buildings. There are also other places of interest such as a church and a dam.
The Hands and Hearts organisation in Knysna have made numerous small wooden cars that the children can push on the mat.
However, this programme is not only to teach the children about the rules of the road. It is also used for language and various life skills. The children must identify the places and items on the mat. They need to work out routes to different venues, colours of buildings and other places. In plotting their routes, they discuss problem-solving issues such as the shortest or longest route, who is at each venue and why they should be going there. Overall the Tots in Traffic becomes a whole learning experience.
The teachers involved in this programme were given a workshop at the Knysna Education Trust where they were each handed a mat and some cars and were taught how to use them for different lessons. This is now creating a whole new learning experience for the children, acquiring a host of different skills while still having fun! –