Activity
Community Helpers
Learning about how communities work helps children understand more about the world around them.
This activity has been revised and was originally created by Charlotte Cushman and published in the Perkins Activity and Resource Guide (1st edition, 1992). The second edition is available for purchase.
This activity helps students develop community awareness by learning about the roles of helpers in the community. Lessons include English Language Arts, Social Skills, and Independent Living Skills.
Props and costumes of community helpers (fire fighter’s hat, doctor’s equipment)
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Begin by discussing the “helpers” in the immediate community of the school:
- School nurse
- Janitor
- Cook or cafeteria personnel
- Secretary
- Visit these people in their work settings (e.g. office, dining room). Invite them to talk about what they do.
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After students are familiar with the immediate school community, ask them to name as many service providers as possible from the community at large. Discuss the ways in which these people help us. Include some of the following:
- Police officer
- Fire fighter
- Doctor
- Mail carrier
- Librarian
- Crossing guard
- Ambulance driver
- Storekeeper
- Bus driver
- Taxi driver
- Discuss which ones help us in emergencies, and which ones provide routine services.
- Have one person name a community helper and another person describe the helper’s job.
- Act out the role of a community helper and have others guess who you are.
- Interview or visit as many community helpers as possible. Invite them to come to the classroom to discuss their jobs if it is not feasible to visit them where they work.
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Describe a situation and ask the students which community service worker they would seek out for help. For example, who will you need if:
- You are lost.
- Your house is on fire.
- You are sick.
Hint: Encourage students to interact with community helpers in the natural setting, as appropriate.
