Key Facts:
- Research commissioned by Schindler found that nearly one in ten Australian children fears escalators, with a similar proportion afraid of lifts, despite these being unavoidable parts of daily life for many families.
- A child psychologist explains that children’s anxiety around escalators and lifts often stems from a fear of separation from parents rather than the machines themselves, and that adults should remain calm, as children take their behavioural cues from the adults around them.
- Parents are advised to prepare children in advance with simple, age-appropriate safety rules, expose them gradually to the source of fear, avoid rushing them, and praise small achievements rather than pushing for immediate results.
- Thirteen per cent of parents reported their child had been injured using an escalator or lift; following a frightening experience, children should be supported through gradual exposure and emotional validation rather than being forced to confront their fear.
- The research also found that two in thirds of Australian parents have had to quickly intervene to stop unsafe behaviour near escalators or lifts, highlighting the importance of teaching specific safety habits to unafraid children as well; Schindler has produced free educational resources, called Ellie & Esky, to help families start these conversations.
By Breanna Sada, Child Psychologist and Mum
If you ask a parent what their child is afraid of, you’ll hear the classics such as the fear of the dark or what is termed Nyctophobia, or Dentophobia the fear of the dentist, they may even say there child is afraid of dogs (Cynophobia) or insects (Entomophobia). You’re less likely to hear parents say their child is afraid of the shopping centre escalator or the lift. Yet new national research commissioned by Schindler found that nearly one in ten Aussie kids fears escalators, and almost as many are scared of lifts. For some using a lift or escalator is an everyday activity and convenience most parents never think twice about, but for some children it can be fear inducing.
The survey asked 1,000 Australian parents what their child is most afraid of (they could choose up to two answers). Being separated from a parent or caregiver came out on top at 43%, followed by the dark (31%) and going to the doctor or dentist (24.2%). Dogs and other animals were named by 13.7% of parents.
Interestingly 9% of parents said using an escalator is one of their child’s biggest fears, and a further 9% say the same about getting in or out of a lift. Unlike the dentist or animal encounters using lifts and escalators for many families is unavoidable and even daily.
Why an escalator can feel so big to a small person
For most adults, an escalator or a lift is a piece of technology we are grateful for. I have lived on the upper floor of an apartment block when the lift was out and was incredibly grateful when it was back up and running the next day and I’ve tried to push a heavy trolley or pram up a hill, what a relief when a lift or escalator is around so this can be avoided. But imagine for a moment you are a four-year-old still figuring out how the world works, an escalator isn’t a convenience its a staircase that moves on its own, with an edge that appears from nowhere and you’ve got about a minute to figure out how to use it right. A lift is a room that moves and magically transports you to another place with lights and buttons and sometimes a voice. For some children this is exciting and for others the experience can be overwhelming and frightening.
It’s no surprise that the most popular fear on the list, identified by parents that their children hold, is being separated from a parent. In my experience, a child’s wariness of an escalator or lift often isn’t really about the machine alone. It’s about the fear of getting in or on these devices and not having mum or dad there with them, or of being swept away from the person who keeps them safe. When we understand that connection we can work at addressing the cause of the fear.
If your child is nervous, here’s what can help
It’s important as the parents and adults in the situation that we stay calm. Children are social learners which means they are reading us constantly and looking to us to understand what is and isn’t safe and for cues about how they should act themselves. If we tense up, hurry them or dwell on all the worst-case scenarios, they learn quickly that this is something to be worried about.
Prepare ahead of time. Talking, age appropriately, about safety before you even arrive at the location, not dwelling on what could go wrong instead discussing what will keep them safe. For example, “when we get to the escalator we will hold hands, watch our feet as we step on and off and stand between the yellow lines”. Repetition helps make these safety rules become second nature.
If they are scared gradually expose them to what is making them nervous. You might let them watch first. Stand to the side and let your child watch other people step on and off. Watching it happen again and again, can help ease their worry. Let them get closer and ask questions.
Don’t hurry them. Rushing can make your central nervous system think it is under threat and will reinforce the idea that something is wrong or that they should be scared. So go at their pace. Praise the small wins, like standing at the edge or stepping on once, rather than pushing for the full ride. Pressure tends to make the fear louder
Say out loud what’s going to happen. “We’ll hold hands, I’ll step on first, you’ll step on right after me, and I’ll be right beside you the whole time.” Predictability settles a worried mind. If you’ve spoken about this before it will be much easier for them to understand what’s going to happen. It’s harder to learn something new when you are scared.
Make the habits automatic. Calm, repeatable rules give children a sense of control. Hold hands, face forward, stand in the middle of the step and keep feet away from the sides. These habits matter whether your child is anxious or fearless.
When something scary has happened
For some families, this isn’t a hypothetical fear. The research found that 13% of parents say their own child has been injured using an escalator or lift. Even when the injury is minor, or there wasn’t an injury at all and it was just a close call, a frightening experience can leave a lasting mark on a young child.
A sudden shock, like a shoe getting caught, a door closing or a stop mid-ride, can leave a small child feeling that the world is less safe than they thought. Afterward something like this, it’s common to see avoidance, clinginess, trouble sleeping, or a flat refusal to go near an escalator or lift again. In most cases that’s a normal response to a fright, not a sign that something is wrong, and most children recover with patient, consistent support. How the adults around them respond makes a real difference.
- Name it to tame it (the feeling that is): Avoid accidently dismissing how they are feeling “there’s nothing to be scared of” or “forget about it” or “calm down”. Try “that was really scary, wasn’t it? I’m glad you told me.”, “I can see your feeling a bit nervous about using the escalator again, what would help you right now?” Children settle when they feel understood, and can dig in when they feel dismissed.
- Don’t force it: Pushing a frightened child onto an escalator to “get it over with” usually deepens the fear. Let them set the pace.
- Rebuild in small steps: Start by watching other people ride from a distance. Then stand near the entrance together. Then try a lift with the doors held open, or one ride with you holding their hand, and stop on a good note. Each small success rebuilds confidence. It’s fine to use the stairs or a lift in the meantime, as a short-term step rather than a permanent solution.
- Stay calm yourself: Children take their cues from us. If you’re tense, they’ll feel it.
- Know when to ask for help: If the fear is still strong after a few weeks, if it’s affecting sleep, mood or daily routines, or if your child seems very distressed whenever it’s mentioned, it’s worth speaking to your GP or a child psychologist. If there was a physical injury, make sure it has been checked by a doctor first.
The flip side: most kids aren’t scared, and that’s the catch
Most children aren’t afraid of escalators and lifts at all, and that brings its own challenge. The same research found that two in three Australian parents (68%) have had to quickly grab, stop or pull their child away from something they were doing near an escalator or lift. A child with no fear needs the adults around them to teach the safe behaviour, because they won’t work it out on their own.
Lifts and escalators can make children feel excited and get a bit silly again because they are wonderous and seem magical. The same principles apply, an excited child cannot learn safety rules in that moment. These rules need to have been discussed beforehand and reinforced by repetition if they are going to be able to follow them in the moment. “Be careful” is not enough of an instruction for a child to follow. What does careful look like? This is what we need to teach them. If you aren’t sure what exactly they should be doing don’t worry you aren’t alone as this same research identified that many parents don’t know what safety rules to teach for using lifts and escalators.
If you’d like a fun way to start this safety conversation with your own children, Schindler has created free Ellie & Esky resources for families, they help children learn how to use lifts and escalators safely including videos, colouring-in sheets, a school holiday activity book and a safety pledge certificate.
About us:
About Schindler Schindler is a leading global provider of elevators, escalators and moving walkways, helping to move more than two billion people around the world every day. In Australia, Schindler is committed to supporting communities through practical safety education, including its Ellie & Esky child safety program, designed to help families build safe, confident habits around escalators and lifts.
