How to Make Sure a Daycare Playground is Safe
The best way to ensure a daycare playground is safe is to follow National Association for the Education of Young Children accreditation standards. The NAEYC provides a standard for a safe, educational daycare experience for children from birth through kindergarten, using 10 standards. Ideally, a certified playground safety inspector should certify the playground. CPSIs are trained by the National Playground Safety Institute.
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Instructions
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Build all areas to standards established by the Americans with Disabilities Act, including accessible drinking fountains, with a fence to protect children from traffic and other dangers and appropriate exits for emergencies.
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Provide appropriate lighting and pathways, as well as a first aid kit. The areas should be large enough for a third of all enrolled children to play at one time.
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Supervise children in any areas with access to water. Staff should watch for and correct unsafe conditions such as splinters, rusty nails, sharp or missing parts. Keep out all trash and hazardous items and plant grass or otherwise cover areas of dirt.
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Provide play equipment appropriate for the ages, such as swings, slides and areas for small children, with at least six inches of loose fill such as wood chips or a rubber surface in the fall zone. Provide space for children to play in small groups or singly. Provide play equipment that supports gross motor skills, sensory play, curricular goals, dramatic play and interaction with nature.
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Establish rules that ensure children are safe outside, including making the entire environment smoke-free. Limit outside time during smog or ozone alerts.
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Use Integrated Pest Management to control insects, rodents and vegetation to minimize exposure to children.
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