Nonprofit Sparky the Fire Dog Site Educates Kids About Fires w/ New "Put Out the Fire" Online Game

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As a parent I've always believed educating kids, even toddlers, about what to do in case of a fire is essential. So when I heard today the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) just announced major enhancements to their free educational interactive Sparky the Fire Dog website for children, I wanted to share this valuable and free resource with my blog's readers right away.

My daughter & Daddy try on Real Fireman's Gear at a Museum

When my own four teens were toddlers -- triplets plus one more all born within a year --  there weren't really any online sources available to teach lifesaving lessons like this. Instead, back then my hubbie, the kids' preschool teachers and I each did our part to educate them as soon as they could talk about fire prevention as well as how to react in case of a real fire. 

Learning for our family included visiting several children's museums and going to an actual firehouse to climb on to a real firetruck. We also took them to public, library and school educational programs, watched VHS videos (the predecessor to today's DVDs) and read many books on fire safety together. 

My other daughter in a Real Firetruck at a Library Program

Today you can still do many of the old-fashioned hands-on things we did to learn about this important subject. Thankfully, to supplement real-life experiences, there are also modern resources that are just as engaging like the NFPA's site Sparky.org which is best viewed with Flash Player because there are sounds and animation.

I checked out the enhanced fire truck section which includes a brand new online game called Put Out the Fire that requires kids to think critically.  There's also an All About Fire Trucks section providing virtual tours inside different types of firetrucks and Follow the Sounds, a sound pattern game for preschoolers and school-age kids that develops listening and sequencing skills. I wouldn't want MBE readers to miss the fun and important information that comes across in the site's arcade or down loadable coloring pages, either.

My 4 kids at a Fire Truck Museum on a Family Roadtrip

Sparky the Fire Dog's site is definitely worth checking out for those of you parents with young children. You may also want to consider sharing this with your child's teachers at school as well as other parents you may know.

About Sparky the Fire Dog
Since 1951 Sparky has been the official mascot and spokesdog of nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Since then multiple generations have learned about fire safety through educational materials featuring his image. In addition to visiting kids for school programs and public events, Sparky the Fire Dog is featured in public service announcements and in the Fire Prevention Week campaign each October. In addition to Sparky.org children can interact with the famous fire dog on Facebook.

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