Teaching safe touch through play: Protecting children with activity-based learning

With increasing risks from both strangers and familiar individuals, teaching children about safe and unsafe touch has never been more urgent. Verbal instructions alone often fail, as preschoolers struggle to translate abstract warnings into real-world action. Activity-based learning—using role play, puppets, and interactive games—has proven far more effective in building recall and response skills. The recent case of a five-year-old reportedly abused in a private play school highlights this critical need. Schools and parents must collaborate, using structured, engaging methods and regular assessments, to ensure children not only understand safe-touch boundaries but also feel empowered to say “no” and seek help

Children today face risks never imagined before—strangers online, familiar abusers, or even trusted adults. It’s important in today’s scenario that young children emstand the difference between safe and unsafe touch at the early age. Rather than relying solely on verbal instruction, activity based learning—through role play, puppets, games—can help children understand the concepts deeply. A recent childmolestation case in Ranchi emphasizes this urgency: a five year old was reportedly abused within a private play school premises. This tragedy has shaken parents across India and prompted educators to begin mock drills and interactive sessions in schools.

Before it’s too late, parents and teachers must embrace structured, proactive methods. This is not about instilling fear—it’s about empowerment. Through guided activities, children learn not just about unsafe touch, but when and how to say“no”and seek help.

Why Simple Talk Isn’t Enough

Verbal explanations like “don’t let anyone touch you inappropriately” are essential—but severely limited. Cognitive developmental studies show that preschoolers struggle to translate abstract verbal rules into concrete responses. In contrast, hands onactivities make concepts real: when a child practices saying “stop” during staged role plays, their fear response becomes internalised.

A systematic review of (Child Sexual Abuse ) CSA education interventions in developing nations highlights that younger children showed significantly more recall and refusal skills after play based sessions than after verbal lessons alone.

Building a Safe-Touch Curriculum: From Puppets to Role-Play

A well-structured safe-touch curriculum uses interactive teaching methods such as puppet storytelling, pretend games, and everyday examplesto teach the difference between safe and unsafe touch. Children are more likely to retain lessons when they actively participate in these exercises. For example, through role-playing, a child may practice saying “stop” or “no” in response to a touch that makes them uncomfortable, ensuring the lesson remains with them. The hands-on approach helps children adopt boundaries and empowers them to speak up in real-world situations.

Engaging Parents and Caregivers

Children learn best when there is strong collaboration between schools and homes. Workshops for parents and guardians can help adults role-play with kids at home, emphasizing the lessons learned in school. These sessions provide parents with the tools to guide their children in identifying unsafe situations.

Parents are encouraged to ask open-ended questions, such as, “Who would you tell if someone touches you and it doesn’t feel right?” This approach creates a home environment where children feel safe discussing their concerns, ensuring they are more likely to report any discomfort or confusion instead of keeping it hidden.

Monitoring & Measuring Impact

To ensure methods truly work, schools must assess outcomes over time. Safe touch programmes should include periodic assessments:

• Pre and post session quizzes asking children to identify safe vs unsafe touches

• Scenario-based assessments, where children demonstrate what they’d do in mock risky situations

• Follow up surveys with parents to report behavioural shifts—like increased willingness to speak up when uncomfortable

Research strongly supports these checks. A study in developing countries found that schools using structured activities with follow up assessments saw a 40% increase in children’s ability to distinguish safe and unsafe touch.

Empowering children to protect themselves is not optional—it’s essential. Schools and families must shift from passive conversation to active practice, embedding safety through play and rehearsal.

With real life cases like in Ranchi reminding us of the high stakes, the structured rollout of activity based education, reinforced by parents and backed by measurable evaluation, is our best defence. Let us act now, before it’s too late—ensuring every child grows up informed, confident, and safe.

Research Snapshot: Why Activities Matter

• Verbal-only teaching often leaves preschoolers unable to apply concepts—they can parrot advice but freeze in real situations.

• Interactive learning, like mock drills and role play, boosts retention and empowers action. Children who role-play unsafe touching reply assertively in 70% of trials, compared to only 30 % with verbal teaching alone.

• Parental reinforcement doubles effectiveness. When children practice safety drills both at school and home, refusal and reporting behaviours increase by nearly 50 %.

In short: combining verbal instruction with structured, engaging activities and parental follow up doesn’t just teach children about safe touch—it ensures they habituate protective instincts that could one day save them.

(The author is Founder Director& CEO of Target Learning Venturer)