Six things every primary child should know — recovery position, calling 999, what to do for a burn. None of it takes more than 15 minutes a week, and one day it might be the most useful thing you ever taught them.
Six things you can practise with your child this term. None of these need a clipboard, a chart, a printout — just a moment when you’re both there.
"If I fell asleep on the floor and couldn’t wake up, what would you do?" Then practise: roll me onto my side, tilt my head, mouth open.
Why it works: the recovery position keeps an unconscious person’s airway open. It’s the single most useful skill a child can have.
"What’s our address? With the postcode?" Practise it walking to school. Sing it to a tune they know. Don’t stop until they can say it without thinking.
Why it works: the first thing 999 asks is "where are you?". A child who knows their address by 5 is far more likely to give it correctly under stress.
When you bump into something hot in the kitchen, ask: "What do you do for a burn?" The answer: cold running water for 20 minutes. Nothing else. No creams. No butter. No ice.
Why it works: 20 minutes of cool water dramatically reduces scarring and pain. It works at any age. Your child could one day do this for a younger sibling.
"If a friend was choking, what would you do?" Then practise on a teddy: 5 firm pats between the shoulder blades, then 5 abdominal thrusts. Always shout for help first.
Why it works: grapes, sausages and small toys cause most child choking incidents in the UK. Older siblings can save younger ones — and have.
When the song comes on, ask: "Did you know this is the right speed for chest compressions?" Practise pumping a cushion to the beat.
Why it works: children’s hands can do real chest compressions. The biggest barrier is fear. Practising on a cushion strips that away.
When someone scrapes a knee or cuts a finger, ask: "What stops bleeding?" Show them: press hard with a clean cloth, raise the limb, don’t peek to check.
Why it works: children often panic at blood. Knowing exactly what to do replaces panic with confidence in seconds.
If your child ever has to call 999, this is what to say. Five things, in this order. Practise it as a family. Worth more than any homework you’ll do this year.
When 999 answers, the operator will ask "Emergency, which service?" — just say Ambulance. They’ll connect you. Then give these five things, calmly:
Most childhood injuries happen at home, in summer. Most are preventable. A 5-minute conversation now can change a 5-minute panic later.
Your child is about to spend six weeks at home, in parks, by pools, on holiday, on bikes. Most of it will be wonderful. For the rare moments it isn’t — here’s what to talk about now.
Schools have a statutory duty to teach first aid as part of the Health Education curriculum (since Sep 2020). If you're a parent who wants to push for more first aid teaching at your child's school, share our primary school first aid workshops guide — it explains the statutory framework and what good provision looks like, with pricing for the Head and PSHE lead.
If your child’s teacher is looking for a First Aid resource for the rest of the term, the Spark2 classroom pack is free for any UK primary school to use — with six drills (each scaled EYFS to Y6), a 999 walkthrough, and an interactive whole-school assembly.
Hi all — found a brilliant free First Aid pack for school: Spark2 has six drills (recovery position, choking, 999, CPR, burns, bleeding) each with EYFS-Y2 and Y3-Y6 versions, plus an interactive whole-school assembly. Free, no signup, PSHE H39 mapped. spark2.org/teacher-packs/first-aid-2026/classroom-kit.html
First Aid is one of twelve skills on the Spark2 Future Skills Passport. We’re building a free at-home pack for every one of them — mental wellbeing, money, problem solving, the lot. Get the next one as soon as it’s ready.
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