To reduce children's risk of unintentional injury in a group setting, teachers should do all the following except

• A. Eliminate all situations where a child could potentially be injured
• B. Provide adequate supervision
• C. Identify and remove hazards
• D. Teach safe behaviors

Answer: (A)

Minimizing injury risk in a group of children comes from proactive risk management, not trying to remove every possible hazard. Children will explore, move, and learn, and some risk is inherent in those activities. The strongest approach blends three practical strategies: provide adequate supervision so adults can intervene promptly; identify and remove hazards in the environment and on equipment; and teach safe behaviors so children know how to handle themselves and respond to risky situations. Eliminating all situations where an injury could occur isn’t realistic and would limit learning and development. Instead, use supervision, hazard control, and safety education to reduce risk as much as possible while allowing appropriate exploration.