Lainie Goodman’s kindergarten class at Idle Hour Elementary School recently welcomed Stony Brook Children’s Hospital Trauma Center RN Kristi Ladowski back to the school for a Teddy Bear Clinic. The clinic taught the children the importance of being safety conscious and how to prevent injuries.

With their stuffed animals on hand, the students listened as Ms. Ladowski talked about safety tips to remember at home, at play, in school and while traveling in a car. The safety-conscious kindergarteners became more familiar with seat belt safety and the importance of using helmets to protect themselves while riding bicycles or skateboards.

The students also enjoyed watching an experiment that showcased two eggs dropped at the same time in an effort to show the protective benefits of wearing a helmet. 

Before Ms. Ladowski left for the day, the students sat at their desks and played ‘doctor’ using bandages, gauze and tongue depressors to treat their stuffed animals.