Run, Hide and Tell at home: what your 4-to-6-year-old can do

If you have heard about the SGSecure Police Pal storybook launched on 5 October 2026 and are now wondering what to actually say at home, the answer is to use the Singapore Police Force's own Run, Hide and Tell wording as your family script, and let your child own only a small part of it. For a four-to-six-year-old that means noticing something unfamiliar, moving away from it, staying quiet and finding a named trusted adult. The phone numbers stay with you. ^{[1] [2]}

The storybook, Run, Hide And Tell: An SGSecure Story, was launched by Second Minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann at an SGSecure Carnival at MOE Kindergarten @ West Spring. She said the book aims to show children how to respond when they see something or someone suspicious, that even at a young age children can learn steps such as Run, Hide, Tell, and that parents can reinforce these lessons at home. ^[1]

What SPF actually asks a person to do

SPF's emergency preparedness material sets out three steps. Run: move away from danger, and do not surrender or attempt to negotiate. The supporting points include considering the safest route, staying out of the view of the attackers, insisting others leave with you, and leaving belongings behind. Hide: find cover and stay out of sight, be very quiet, switch your phone to silent mode, and move away from the door. Tell: when it is safe to do so, call 999 or SMS 71999 if it is not safe to talk, and provide details. ^[2]

The reporting side has its own distinctions worth knowing as a parent. SPF advises calling the 999 Police Emergency Line when there is an urgent need for Police assistance, such as a crime still in progress, someone suspected of committing a crime close by, or suspicious parcels left at public areas, and notes that non-emergency calls can hamper Police's ability to deal with genuine emergencies. SMS 71999 is for requesting emergency assistance by text when calling 999 is unsafe or not possible, with the message stating the nature of the emergency and its location. For non-urgent information, i-Witness lets the public submit details on suspicious activity, anonymously if they choose, with images or video. ^[3]

What a four-to-six-year-old can actually hold

SPF's own child-facing material points young children towards an adult rather than towards a phone. Its guidance for students aged 12 and under says that if a child is not sure what to do, they should talk to a trusted adult like their parents or teachers. Police Pal, SPF's programme for preschool and primary school children, uses fun, hands-on activities and shows children that they can trust police officers and how to approach them for help when needed. ^{[4] [5]}

Here is an editorial split of the official guidance, not a finding about what children of any age can or cannot do. In this script, the phone numbers, the details listed in SPF's T.E.L.L. reporting format and the choice between calling and texting are an adult's part to carry. The child-sized part is smaller: something unfamiliar is worth walking away from, quiet helps, and a specific named adult is who your child goes to. The Police Pal series was rolled out in 2024 for children aged four to six, and the October 2026 storybook is its final instalment. ^{[2] [1]}

A short, low-drill rehearsal at home

Here is a hypothetical rehearsal you could adapt, offered as an editorial suggestion rather than a tested routine. Keep it to a few minutes and end it on something ordinary. Ask your child to show you where they would walk to if a stranger at the playground did something that felt odd, and let them lead you there. Then agree one rule for noise: if a grown-up says quiet, hands stop and voices stop, which mirrors SPF's instruction to be very quiet. ^{[2] [5]}

The second half is naming the adult. Write three or four names on a card by the door, and let your child point to who they would find in three settings: home, the void deck, and the mall. Then add your own part out loud, with the condition attached: if it is urgent, I will call 999 myself, and if I cannot speak safely, I will send a text to 71999 instead. SPF reserves 999 for an urgent need for Police assistance and warns that non-emergency calls can slow genuine emergency response, so say the condition, not just the number. Your child hears the responsibility pass to you, which is calmer than a list of rules. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Official resources to point your child to

For the official wording itself, SPF publishes its emergency preparedness material and a public guide to contacting the Police, which sets out the 999 line, the SMS 71999 service, i-Witness, and the SGSecure app and website for reporting activity that could suggest a terrorist threat to Singapore. SPF's advisory for students and parents also includes knowing your children's whereabouts and who they are with, and reporting suspicious activity to the authorities immediately. ^{[3] [6]}

For a child to hear these lessons from officers rather than only from you, Police Pal @ Libraries storytelling sessions carry a recommended age of four to six, and SPF notes that scheduled dates, times and locations can change at short notice, so check the page before you travel. Police Pal is SPF's flagship programme for preschool and primary school children on crime prevention, developed from the 2019 Young Police Buddy initiative by Bedok Police Division. So: the official three words are Run, Hide, Tell; the rehearsable version for a four-to-six-year-old is move away, be quiet, find your named adult; and 999, 71999 and i-Witness belong to you. ^{[5] [7]}

Sources

EduNanny Editorial · AI-assisted research and writing, reviewed by our automated editorial team. Sources checked 2026-10-08. Featured image: AI-generated editorial illustration.