Hebburn nursery children get real-life lesson from police after staff notice reaction during activities

Staff at Nurserytime Hebburn, based in Victoria Road West in the town, noticed children’s reaction to the sound of police sirens, and decided the little ones could benefit from learning more about the role of police officers.

Elena Wood, manager of Nurserytime Hebburn, said: “When the children have been on various outings they are always aware of the sirens they hear.

"The staff have noticed the children are very quick to express that the police are ‘catching the bad guys’.

"At Nurserytime we are continuing to encourage the children to understand that is just one aspect of the polices' job and they have a role in the community to help people.”

The nursery worked with Northumbria Police to arrange a visit so the children could get a greater understanding of the role officers play in the community.

The little ones got to learn more about life as a police officer, and try out some of their kit.

The officers also joined in some activities with the children so they could see them in a wider context.

Elena said: “I think with the police carrying out an activity with the children of planting flowers it enabled the children to be able to have more of a discussion with the police about the different roles they do.

"The children were also able to discuss all the different roles they have within the community and how they help at the cemetery and they need to keep it clean.

"The children also discussed their behaviour and what it takes to be a good role model.

"The children then had the opportunity to try the police officers hat on and sit in the car.”

The visit even inspired some of the little ones at the nursery to think about become police officers themselves when they become adults.

"When back at nursery the children spoke about what they would like to do when they get older and some of the children decided they would now like to be police officers,” she said.