Wired world
You’ll need
- Scissors
- Pens or pencils
- A4 paper
- Whiteboard or flipchart
Before you begin
- Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There's more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.
- Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
- Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help.
Planning and setting up this activity
- Print and cut out enough copies of the Components cards sheet for your group, so that everyone can have one card each. Each card shows a component’s name, image, symbol, description, or example use. The aim is for people to match cards to complete a set of five for each component.
- Keep a complete copy of the sheet available to check answers at the end.
- Make sure there is enough space for the group to move around safely.
- For more information on keeping children safe around electricity, you can read the Electrical Safety First advice page.
Things young people could do to help prevent electrical hazards:
- Use official chargers and appliances – avoid cheap or counterfeit chargers that can overheat or cause electric shock
- Do not use devices if cables are damaged – frayed wires, exposed wiring, or damaged plugs can cause sparks or electric shock.
- Avoid overloading sockets – don’t plug too many devices into one socket or extension lead.
- Keep devices away from water – never use electrical items near sinks, baths, or puddles.
- Keep devices away from flammable materials – paper, curtains, clothes, or rugs can catch fire if too close to heat sources.
- Turn off appliances when leaving the room or house and unplug devices that are not in use. This reduces fire risk, prevents overheating and saves energy.
- Store electrical items safely – don’t let cords get pinched under doors or furniture.
- Keep electrical outlets dust-free by locating and positioning extension leads appropriately – dust can build up and become a fire risk.
- Do not use damaged or wet appliances – never use a toaster or hair dryer with water nearby.
- Follow manufacturer instructions – using devices incorrectly can create hazards.
- Report hazards to an adult – frayed wires, sparks, or strange smells should never be ignored.
Match the cards
- Gather everyone together and explain that today’s activity is all about electrical safety.
- Ask the group to think about electrical items they use every day. List their ideas on a whiteboard or flipchart, grouping them into:
- Things that are always plugged in (like a fridge or TV)
- Things they plug in to charge (like a tablet or games console)
- Things that use batteries (like a torch or remote control)
- Next, ask the group if they know what electrical components are. Explain that electrical components are the small parts inside devices that make them work. You could give a few examples such as:
- A battery stores energy
- A switch turns something on and off
- A motor makes things move
- A bulb or LED (light-emitting diode) makes light
- Ask the group to pick one electrical item and think about which components might be inside it. Discuss if any components appear in other items. - Most devices share batteries, switches, or LEDs.
- Explain that today’s activity involves matching cards to find which ones belong together. Each electrical component has five cards showing different information - name, image, symbol, description, and an example use.
- Give each person one card.
- Ask everyone to move around safely and show their card to someone else. If two people think their cards match, they form a small group.
- The aim is to form a group of five people, collecting all five cards for a component to complete the set.
- While waiting for others to form groups, ask them to list other items that use their component.
- Once all groups are formed, check the matches against the complete Components card sheet. Encourage people to work together to correct any mismatched cards.
Electrical safety
- Gather everyone back together.
- Ask each group to share the component they matched, and as a whole group, create a list of as many electrical items as they can think of that use that component. For example:
- Battery – torch, remote control, tablet, toy car
- Switch – lamp, kettle, games console
- LED/light – TV, bike lights, digital clock
- Ask if they notice any patterns, such as devices that share the same component, and whether some types of devices are more likely to use batteries while others are more likely to be mains-powered.
- Guide the conversation towards safety by asking:
- What could make these devices unsafe?
- What might cause a fire?
- What might cause an electric shock?
- Once everyone has answered, ask what could be done to reduce these risks.
- Emphasise that understanding electrical components and how to look after devices safely helps us stay safe at home, at Scouts, and in everyday life.
Reflection
This activity helped us understand the different electrical components inside everyday devices. How many of you had thought about what’s happening inside your gadgets before now? Were any components – like switches, LEDs, batteries or resistors – new or surprising?
Every device depends on these parts working correctly and safely. Damaged wires, loose connections, overheating components, or leaking batteries can all create fire risks or electrical shock. Why do you think these faults are so dangerous?
Think back to the item you chose from your daily routine. Which components did it rely on, and how might things go wrong if those parts became damaged or worn? Has learning about these components changed how you think about the devices you use at home or bring to Scouts?
When your team thought about your component, you identified devices that use it and the risks they might pose. What simple actions can help prevent these hazards - like checking for frayed cables, replacing damaged parts, keeping devices dry, or unplugging items when they’re not in use?
Understanding how electrical components work helps us use our devices more safely. What will you do differently to help keep yourself, your family, and your Scout group safe around electricity?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.
- Scissors
Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.
- Active games
The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.
- Ensure the space is set up in a way that is accessible for everyone to move around safely.
- Encourage everyone to move around the space in a way that is appropriate for all.
- If needed, let people work in pairs to make sure everyone’s supported in taking part in the activity. A young leader could join a group to help people to take part, too.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
After learning about components and electrical safety, take a closer look around your meeting place, classroom or home to spot potential hazards. You could use our activity Ignition inspection.
See if anyone knows an electronics expert who could visit one week, free of charge. An electrical engineer or a local electronics retailer will have spark-tacular knowledge of these components. Ask around your group – you might be surprised how many “wiring wizards” you can find.