Children begin learning about the world long before they sit at a classroom desk. They learn while running through the house, climbing at the park, reaching for toys, crossing pavements and following the people they trust. Every small moment becomes a lesson. That is why safety education should not wait until school begins. It should start early, gently and naturally.

This is the heart of Marcus Monkey’s Safety Smarts by Mark Leeming, a soon-to-be-released children’s book that turns safety learning into a fun and memorable story. Through Marcus Monkey and his cheerful Safety Squad, young readers are introduced to one simple rule that can guide them through many everyday situations: Stop. Look. Choose.

Safety Starts With Everyday Moments

Young children are curious by nature. They want to run, jump, climb, explore and touch everything around them. That curiosity is wonderful, but it also means they need simple tools to help them pause before acting.

Safety education works best when it feels like part of daily life. A child does not need a lecture to understand safety. They need repeated, loving reminders. They need examples they can picture. They need words they can remember when excitement takes over.

In Marcus Monkey’s Safety Smarts, Marcus learns this through familiar situations, such as moving too fast, playing near roads and helping a new friend make a safer choice. These scenes make safety feel practical rather than frightening.

Teaching Without Fear

One of the strongest parts of early safety education is balance. Children should not be made afraid of the world. They should be taught how to move through it with awareness.

Mark Leeming’s story supports this beautifully. Marcus is not told to stop being active. He still climbs. He still runs. He still jumps. The difference is that he learns to think first. That message matters because it respects a child’s energy while guiding it in a safer direction.

The phrase “Stop. Look. Choose.” is simple enough for young children to repeat, but meaningful enough to become a real habit. It gives children a clear process they can use at home, at school, at the playground and beyond.

A Helpful Resource for Parents and Educators

Parents, carers and teachers often repeat the same safety reminders every day. Walk inside. Wait your turn. Look where you are going. Stay away from the road. Hold the rail. These reminders are important, but children absorb them more easily when they are connected to a story.

That is where Marcus Monkey’s Safety Smarts becomes especially useful. It gives adults a friendly way to talk about safety without sounding strict or alarming. After reading, families and classrooms can ask children, “What would Marcus do?” That simple question can turn a safety reminder into a playful moment of learning.

Building Confidence Through Safe Choices

Safety education is not only about avoiding danger. It is also about building confidence. When children learn to notice their surroundings and make thoughtful choices, they begin to feel more capable.

Marcus’s journey shows children that learning safety is not about getting everything right the first time. It is about practising, remembering and trying again. By the end, Marcus is not only learning the rules. He is helping others learn them too.

Marcus Monkey’s Safety Smarts by Mark Leeming will soon be available for readers, offering families and educators a bright, reassuring and practical story for helping children become safety smart from the very beginning.