There are so many interesting and great ways to help your children learn new stuff, and that is also the case when it comes to learning about natural disasters such as earthquakes. Here we will present to you some ways, hoping that you will find at least some inspiration in them.
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Watching documentaries
There are many documentaries out there that can give you a great overview of everything you need to know about earthquakes. If you want to know how they happen or what goes hand in hand with them, you will most likely be able to find the answers to some of them. What is great about watching documentaries is that they present different aspects of earthquakes that cannot be seen by the human eye. These long videos are usually very interesting, and you will learn more from them than by going to lectures at school or somewhere else. Typically, they are carried out by scientists who are experts in their field and have excellent products to provide the best results. Because they are focused on one field, they usually portray an in-depth analysis of it, which is great for those that want to know more.
Educational videos
Another option to pique your children’s interest in this matter is to have them watch instructional videos on platforms like YouTube and other social media platforms. This will make the process of learning about earthquakes rather intriguing, and the information that they acquire will undoubtedly be simpler for young people to retain and use in their later lives. Your children, for instance, will be able to understand that natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes are caused by natural processes by watching only one instructional film. On the surface of the Earth, quakes and volcanoes occur in predictable patterns, and they are most often located near the dividing lines between seas and continents. In the end, kids will understand that humans are unable to completely eradicate these dangers, but we can take measures to lessen the damage they have done.
Talking about them when they happen
Earthquakes are unfortunately happening every year, and many of them have taken many lives, which causes there to be a lot of media coverage. This is without a doubt something tragic, but what we at least can do is learn something about them while the topic is still hot. Since the media is covering these disasters nonstop, there is much information that you can get from them that you can further investigate and present to your children. If your children ask you a question about them and you do not know the answer, you should immediately look it up and give them an answer. Also, there are many safety measures you should know if an earthquake happens where you live, so those should be known to your children. We would advise you to spare them some gruesome scenes because you want to spare their mental health.
Go on a trip where they occurred
There is nothing better for people who want to learn than to go and see something in person, so this could also be something you should try. Of course, you should not get your children into harm’s way but rather take them somewhere where some time ago an earthquake happened. Before you go on this trip, you should first inform yourself of what exactly happened and what damage has been done. You should find something noteworthy to bring up. Once you are there, you should consider carefully what you want your children to see and what they should not. You should also be cautious not to put them in dangerous situations; carefully follow what the government has stated about what can and cannot be done.
Also read: How To Ensure Your Kids Have A Great Vacation Learning
What if it happens?
Instruct your child in the following fundamental method:
Climb down onto your hands’ palms and knees. You won’t be able to fall from this position, but you’ll still have the ability to move if you need to.
Hide behind a stable table or desk to protect your head and neck, and the rest of your body if you can. Provide an explanation such as “this will assist safeguard you in the event that items are crashing down.”
Crawl away from windows and other items that may fall on you if there is no nearby shelter, and protect your head and neck with your hands as you do so.
Hang tight to the refuge you’ve found (or keep your head and neck covered) until the shaking stops. Be ready to relocate with your shelter in the event that the shaking causes it to shift around.
What not to do?
Teach your children not to stand at entrances. With today’s construction, the entrances are just as vulnerable as the rest of the home in terms of strength. You are safer behind a table.
It is strongly recommended that you DO NOT attempt to flee either outside or inside the building. Even though it is preferable to stay away from windows and closer to an inner wall during an earthquake, this advantage is not significant enough to warrant taking the risk of moving to another room. It is best to descend to the ground, crawl a few feet to the most secure location, cover yourself, and hang on.
The Earth Science Week
The Earth Science Week (ESW) Toolkits are intended to make the process of teaching earth science to both you and your children simple, entertaining, and informative. The provided resources are suitable for users of varying skill levels, ranging from elementary school pupils to members of the general public. You may easily go online and download a variety of intriguing and engaging materials related to the issue, which will cause your children to get rather captivated with the subject matter.
Also read: How to Help Your Kids to Bring An Optimistic Attitude?
The Seismic Monitor
The Seismic Monitor is a map that displays earthquakes as close to real-time as possible. It covers the whole planet. If you would like additional information about a particular earthquake, all you need to do is click on the event in question. The USGS National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado, is one of the official sources that contributes to the compilation of earthquake data.
There is a wealth of information accessible online that may assist students, parents, and educators in gaining a better understanding of the causes of earthquakes as well as the consequences that earthquakes have on both natural and constructed settings. Kids will have a much easier time grasping some of the fundamental principles that underlie these natural occurrences if they are exposed to these ideas.