Little is known on the evacuation characteristics of children. Current literature on evacuation is mostly based on studies on adults. The aim of this study is to investigate the movement of children during evacuation, focusing on flow, densities and walking speeds. Ten Danish daycare centers participated in full scale evacuation experiments where two age groups 0 to 2 years and 3 to 6 years were analyzed separately. It was found that flow through doors, walking speeds and densities were age-dependent and differed strongly from the data in existing literature. The results showed higher walking speeds in spiral stairs when the children were familiar with the evacuation path. Higher person densities and faster flow through doors were obtained among the children than found in the current literature on adults. Children in the younger age group were generally slower than the older children. The children walked slower in horizontal plane than adults, however they were keen to run during the evacuations, in the latter case their travel speed increased and exceeded the adults'. Since the evacuation characteristics of children differ in many ways from those of adults, nowadays models badly comprehend the evacuation behavior of children.

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An important part the world's population is neglected in today's fire safety design -children. The vast amounts of data as well as the empirical models applied describe adults. This paper embraces the fact that there is a difference between children and adults, regarding evacuation and that children's movement parameters are age dependent. On the basis of 16 full-scale evacuation experiments made in 10 Danish daycare centers the present paper gives input data applicable in fire safety design on flow through doors, walking speed in horizontal plane and spiral stairs. Parameters distinguish small children in the age of 0-2 years from older ones in the age 3-6 years. An empirical model of children´s flow through doors is introduced. The effect of using alarm/warning system on pre-evacuation time is briefly discussed. Behavioral aspects are also considered where possible. It is found that there is a higher need of physical assistance during evacuation for children in the age of 0-2 years, than for children aged 3-6. Children aged 3-6 years are keen to run during evacuations. Furthermore it was observed that children are used to following rules and routines which they continue doing during the evacuation. At last the effect of affiliation during the evacuation was seen among the children.