In fact modern boards aren't any good for improving safety on the road. Icons work because they evocate the real well-known thing. If not, the sign is worthless. Chances are that a driver passing this warning sign will not see the link with children and the need to slow down, but instead will hurry-up because remembering to get some extra wood and matches for the hearth-fire.

Find similar signs in Kyrgyzstan and Russia.
Poland shows that a modern sign is not dull by default.

I wonder why authorities world-wide choose to go with the floating-parts-icon type of roadsigns. It clearly isn't the right approach to standardise or automate manufacture. The industry's sales managers must be highly eloquent to talk them in without any proof.