First Aid Course Activities

All first aid courses provide instruction in basic treatment skills like bandaging, rescue breathing and the Heimlich maneuver. Activities for first aid courses are designed to supplement and reinforce basic training skills through hands-on lessons that build on course content. First aid activities and games can be adapted to suit age-appropriate levels of development and skill.

First Aid Flash Cards

• An important part of providing care is identifying the uses of essential first aid tools. Provide participants with several index cards. Participants can use magazines or reference booklets to cut out images of essential first aid tools like gauze, CPR masks, scissors and tape. Glue one image to each card; alternatively, participants can simply draw the tools onto the card. On the other side of the card, write the name of the tool and its various uses in emergency situations. Divide the group into pairs and use the cards to practice identifying first aid supplies and their uses.

Emergency Role Play

• Use role playing scenarios to practice basic first aid skills and procedures. Select two volunteers. One volunteer leaves the room. The other plays the role of the victim. The group or the group leader gives the victim an injury or scenario to act out. Sample scenarios include unconsciousness due to poisoning or a severe burn. The second volunteer is called back into the room and must immediately begin providing care based on the victim's performance. The rest of the group watches and takes notes on the responder's performance. At the end of the role play, the group provides feedback about what was done well and what should be done differently in the future.

Trivia March

• Use "Trivia March" to review basic concepts and knowledge. The leader stands at one end of the room; the rest of the group lines up at the other end of the room. The leader reads a true or false statement about first aid out loud. A sample statement is "Only call 911 if a person is not breathing." If players believe the statement is true, they take two steps forward. If players believe the statement is false, they remain where they are. Reveal the correct answer. If a player is incorrect, she must return to the start line. The first player to reach the leader at the other end of the room wins. Provide a first aid-related prize like a badge or first aid kit.

First Aid Island

• Group activities help stimulate idea building and communication skills while reinforcing content. Divide the group into teams of four. Instruct the group that they are to pretend that they have been cast onto a deserted tropical island. They have a first aid kit, but the aid kit only contains five items. Each team must decide which five first aid items would be most useful. Teams can use poster board and markers to draw their items which are them presented to the group. After all teams have presenting, the whole group votes on the most useful items. Vary this exercise by changing the scenario; instead of a deserted island, place groups in a cold climate, or at the scene of a car crash. Discuss the ways that items may be useful in one situation but not in another.