The colourful signage has been taken up by 10 Central West NSW Councils. There will be 20 signs installed at playgrounds around Forbes.

Forbes Shire Council's Mayor, Phyllis Miller, said that Council was pleased to be working with the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation to help keep children safe.

"Children can be very excitable and unpredictable,” Mayor Miller said. 

“They are small, they’re brains aren’t fully developed so they are unable to make safe choices around roadways and traffic.  

“These signs are a great reminder for parents and carers to hold a child's hand as they leave our playgrounds.  

“We must hold their hands right up until age 10, and supervise them closely until they are 12.”

The Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation was established in memory of four year old Tom McLaughlin, who tragically passed away in a pedestrian road crash while on a Central Coast family vacation in 2014.

Foundation Founder and CEO Michelle McLaughlin said she was delighted Forbes Shire Council would be erecting the signs around the many playgrounds and parks in the area.

“Many of our children’s parks are near roadways, and I commend the many councils who are now fencing their playgrounds and installing signage to keep children safe,” Mrs McLaughlin said.

“We now have 39 councils in four states of Australia working with us to spread our child pedestrian safety messages.

“We lost our precious son, Tom in the blink of an eye.  

“We don’t want this to happen to anyone else.

“The cost – emotional and financial – is just too high.

“That’s why the 'Hold My Hand' message is so important.”

This week is also a timely reminder that school is back and reduced speed limits around schools are back in force.

Slow down, and be aware that large numbers of children will be around.