Guest blog written by Lil’ Philly Safety Village Educator, Shelby Kim
Can you remember a time before you could make sense of the seemingly random collection of colors, shapes, and symbols that make up our roads and intersections? Lines, dashes, arrows, changing lights, letters, numbers, oh my! Paintings on the ground, octagons and triangles on poles, flashing things hanging in the air… Life in the fast lane can be confusing for a tiny tot! Our goal is to make “street smarts” feel like an exciting secret language for young kids to decode, something that builds their everyday confidence as they navigate their neighborhood and city. With the guidance of caregivers, even toddlers can start feeling empowered by recognizing traffic patterns around them, in tandem with their growing mobility, awareness of their surroundings, and independence.
Of course, there’s a huge roadblock to practicing this independence as they get older – traffic danger. With safety being our number one concern, we know that if we want the world to be our kids’ playground, we have to prepare them for it first! So what better way than starting with an actual playground? The Lil’ Safety Village is not your ordinary playground though – it is a colorful “traffic garden”, a pint-sized replica of several intersections, meant to be navigated by kids on bikes. Many use balance bikes, which don’t have pedals – the rider pushes off with their feet and glides along. There are crosswalks, a roundabout, bike lanes, stop signs, a yield sign, and a one-way street. There is even a hill to add excitement! It is free, open to the public, and located in Hunting Park.
Come check it out. I really hope you’ll join us this season as we activate the Lil’ Safety Village and get more kids learning and riding. We’ll be giving away free bikes, too! I recently got to be a part of the pop-up traffic garden at the Bike Expo, cheering kids on as they stopped at stop signs, whirled around roundabouts, and used hand signals to show which direction they were about to turn. Being predictable and being able to predict what others are doing on the road is the name of the game. We’ll be playing plenty of mini games to teach these skills. “Red light, Green light” is only the tip of the iceberg…
Join us at the Lil’ Philly Safety Village on May 30th!
4 bike and play sessions for kids aged 4-12. Borrow a bike to play by registering at the link below, and come home with a helmet, bike light.
Sessions Include:
– How to Ride a Bike
– How to Ride in a Group
– Hand Signals
– Friendly Rules of the Road
PLUS! 8 free kids’ bikes will be raffled off!
Register for May 30th and be entered into the raffle! >>
We have programming all summer long! See dates >>
About Shelby Kim
I grew up in Los Angeles, riding hand-me-down bikes from my cousin, biking to the library and the Santa Monica Pier with my mom. She would ride in the road, and I’d be next to her on the sidewalk, handlebar tassels flowing in the wind, ringing my little bell. When I was older, I rode in front of her on the road so she could keep an eye on me as I practiced my hand signals. In good time, we both felt safe enough with my skills for me to ride to my friends’ houses by myself. Being able to get around independently (and car-free) was very impactful for me as I developed my sense of place and self-confidence in a big city. When I moved to Philly as a young adult, it was exploring the city on my bike that helped me feel at home here. In my time in Philly, I’ve worn many helmets – I’ve been an after-school biking instructor, a bike ride leader, an elementary school math teacher, a nature camp counselor, a compost educator, and even had a short stint being a food delivery bike rider. I can usually be found on my porch in West Philly or biking on the river trail with my puppy in my bike basket! I am excited to hit the ground running as the Lil’ Safety Village Coordinator, so I can share “street smarts” with the young bikers and pedestrians of today, who will also be the bikers, pedestrians, and drivers of tomorrow!
Shelby and kids practice hand signals at traffic safety garden
Lil’ Philly Safety Village is located in Hunting Park
900 W Hunting Park Ave Philadelphia PA, 19140