Road sign safari

Before you begin

• Plan a route for a walk that will pass plenty of road signs.
• Cut out the sign snap cards.
• Download a road signs app (or get a copy of the Highway Code) so you’re ready to identify signs during the walk.

Play sign snap

1. Everyone should split into small teams of between two and four people. Give each team a set of sign snap cards and descriptions.
2. Each team should sit in a circle. One player is the dealer. They should shuffle the set of cards and deal out an equal number to each player. They should put any spare cards face up in the middle of the circle to start a group pile.
3. Everyone should put their own cards face down in front of them. No one is allowed to look at their cards (or let anyone else see them).
4. Everyone takes it in turns to take a card from the top of their pile, quickly flip it over (so it’s face up), and put it on top of the group pile. Everyone should be able to see what the card is.
5. A card is a matching card when the image matches the description and the cards are one on top of the other.
6. Whenever someone plays a matching card, anyone can shout ‘snap’. The first person to correctly shout ‘snap’ picks up the group pile and adds it to their cards.
7. The winner is the person who has collected the most cards by the end of the game.

The significance of signs

1. Once the teams have finished playing sign snap, everyone should come back together to talk about what each sign means. Did they notice anything about the types of messages the signs were giving? What about their physical appearance?
2. The person leading the activity should explain that the shape of a sign helps people to know what it is going to tell them:

• Circles – an order that tells drivers what they must do.
• Triangles – a warning that indicates potential danger.
• Rectangles – gives information.

3. The colour of a sign tells people the kind of message it is giving:

• Red – tells people what they must or must not do.
• Blue – gives instructions or information.
• Green and white – mainly used to give directions.
• Brown – used for tourist information.

4. Everyone should think about why it’s important that signs are simple and easy to understand.

The Green Cross Code

1. Everyone should discuss some examples of good behaviour when you are crossing a road. Why is it important to be safe around roads and traffic?
2. An easy way to remember how to safely cross the road is to use the steps of the Green Cross Code:

• think
• stop
• look and listen
• wait
• look and listen again
• arrive alive.

3. Everyone should try to remember the steps of the Green Cross Code, and talk about how they’ll follow it on their walk.
4. Everyone should think about the other things they’ll do to stay safe while walking by the road. For example, people may wear high visibility clothing (including reflective or bright colours), walk in pairs, not talk to strangers, not leave the group, listen, and walk instead of running.

Go on a road sign safari

1. Everyone should split into small teams. Each team needs extra paper for drawing, and some pens and pencils.
2. Everyone should go out for a walk along the route and search for road signs along the way. When they come across a road sign, they should take a picture or draw it.
3. Everyone should work together to decide what it means. To complete the safari, teams need to find, draw or photograph, and explain at least ten different road signs.
4. Each team should check the meaning of the signs is correct by using an app or a copy of the Highway Code.