Daycare centers are meant to provide children with time to enjoy themselves and learn at the same time. It is therefore important that all the materials used within the daycare center are safe. Daycare centers are usually painted with pretty and eye-catching colors and are decorated with modern style and designs to help stimulate the kids into interact with their surroundings. This is part of learning programs for kids and they will benefit from such stimulating surroundings, both mentally and emotionally. There are bulleting boards, activity chairs and tables, sleeping cots, safety mats, change stations, and other things that not only serve the needs of the children but also provide them with endless hours of fun and learning. But above their function as learning tools for children, these items must be safe and not pose health and injury hazards to the kids while they are inside the daycare center.

Exploration and doing experiments are part of the learning process of children. They explore their surroundings and by themselves, can be too adventurous for their own good. One way for them to know and recognize the different things that they encounter is to put them inside their mouths. For this reason, all items used by the children must be made of non-toxic materials. Additionally, they should be in such a size that the children will not choke on them. The daycare center management must make sure that the children’s toys are clean and should not be made of materials that can easily get dirty such as furry toys, which could pose a threat especially to children with asthma. Children must be grouped according to their age. This will facilitate identifying which toys or items are appropriate for their group, as well as help determine which type of activities match their age group. Large items such as bookcases must be made of durable materials. They should be secure properly and not tend to tip over with the slightest push.

The building where the daycare center is located must have passed inspection regarding the presence of dangerous substances such as lead, asbestos and radon. There should be no toxic chemicals such as cleaning liquids and pest killers that children could access. Medicines should be placed out of their reach and the staff should know how to protect children from injuries and possible illness. The should also have knowledge about first aid and CPR. Parents should make sure that information about poison control is posted conspicuously in the daycare center, and that they have an emergency plan for accidents involving the children, and other scenarios such as fire, flood, tornado, earthquake, blizzard or even a possible terrorist attack in the vicinity of the center.

The children’s safety should be a primary concern for everyone in the daycare center. There are many other health and safety concerns that parents and the management of the daycare center should pay much attention to. Although parents implicitly trust the center when they leave their kids there, they should not be complacent; rather they should proactively cooperate with the daycare center for the benefit of their children.

Author Bio: Loren Yadeski, author of this article is also interested in day care and recommends you to please check out own a day care if you liked reading this information.

Category: Education
Keywords: daycare, day care