Safe Kids Kansas and the Topeka Zoo are partnering to host a fun family safety day on Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Safe Kids Day at the Zoo is an annual event that helps teach children and their grown-ups how to be safe and healthy throughout the year.
Each year, one out of every four children in the U.S. needs medical attention due to preventable injuries. Luckily, there are things we can all do to ensure everyday bumps and bruises don’t turn into more serious and disabling injuries or deaths. Safe Kids Kansas and their partners work to improve child safety through awareness, education, programs and smart policies. The Topeka Zoo is the perfect place to engage with families and share safety tips.
“We believe that safety is a superpower, so this year, our Safe Kids Day theme is all about superheroes,” said Cherie Sage, state coordinator for Safe Kids Kansas. “The Topeka Zoo is the perfect place to meet families and share important safety information in a fun and memorable way.”
Safe Kids Day at the Zoo is an entire day of games and entertainment, interactive education and resources for parents, and a day to explore the amazing Topeka Zoo. Regular zoo admission rates apply. Superhero capes will be given to the first 500 children at the event. Safe Kids Kansas encourages visitors to get into the spirit and wear their favorite superhero shirts or costume. In addition, free bicycle helmets will be available to be fitted to children by trained volunteers from 9 a.m. until noon. A child must be present to receive a helmet. Helmets are available while supplies and sizes last.
In addition to the 30+ partners hosting booths at the zoo, there will be a safety scavenger hunt, selfie photo station, temporary tattoo booth, ballet performances by Kansas Ballet Academy and entertainment and games courtesy of Happy Faces Entertainment. More information is available on the Safe Kids Kansas website, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
This important work isn’t possible without the support of sponsors. Safe Kids Kansas thanks Children’s Mercy Hospital of Kansas City, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, the Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Sunflower Health Plan, Aetna, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Department, the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Topeka Judo. They also thank the individual supporters, including former Board member Donna Pashman, who generously donated toward the superhero capes this year. Thank you to the Topeka Zoo for hosting our event.
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Safe Kids Kansas is a nonprofit coalition that includes organizations, agencies and businesses, all dedicated to preventing unintentional childhood injury. Safe Kids Kansas is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide. Safe Kids Kansas was founded in 1991 and is led by the Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment. For more information, visit safekids.org or safekidskansas.org.