15-1 © 2011 pearson education, inc. all rights reserved. nutrition, health, and safety for young...

15-1© 2011 Pearson Education,

Inc.All rights reserved.

Nutrition, Health, and Safety for Young Children: Promoting Wellness, 1eSorte, Daeschel, Amador

Chapter Fifteen

Creating Safe Environments for Young Children




Meeting the Need for Safe Spaces

Children’s settings are driven by family needs for child care and to advance children’s education.

Community goals influence children’s settings.




Challenges Creating Safe Spaces

Early childhood operations do not have the finances to adequately design spaces for young children.

Teachers and early childhood professionals have little training or guidance about classroom design and facility development.

No single agency governs early childhood services nationwide.




Spaces that Value Children

Provide space for child-oriented play. Create a sense of welcome for children and families

with spaces for personal items (i.e. coats and extra clothing) or meeting areas.

Honor the work of young children by providing spaces to display their work and materials.

Recognize the importance of transition with appropriate spaces.




Appropriate Environments

Locate children’s spaces in settings accessible to families. Support physical safety and emotional security. Be welcoming and child and family friendly. Address children’s age, developmental, and educational needs. Be culturally appropriate and developmentally accessible. Invite exploration and discovery. Support teaching and learning.




Variety in Children’s Environments

Short term child-care Drop-in services Full-day care and education

– Family child care– Child care centers– Elementary schools– Before-and after-school programs– Camps– Enrichment classes




What if…

You observe a child running in and out of parked cars in the parking lot while the parent is talking with another parent?

How would you respond?




Usable Floor Space Requirements

Refers to the open and accessible space that is not covered by furnishings.

Recommendation is to provide a minimum of 35 – 50 usable square footage of floor space per child.




Ensuring Accessibility

Spaces must meet the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

All children must have access to buildings, classrooms, play areas, and toilets and sinks.

Special consideration must be given to ensure the needs of children with special health or development needs.




Examples of Building Codes and Facility Requirements

Building materials and spaces must be sturdy, free of hazardous product, and follow specific codes.

Water, sewer; electrical services; heating, cooling, and airflow systems; garbage services; and communication systems are reviewed during licensing site visits.

Safe spaces must be established around the building (entrances,

parking lots, emergency exits, bicycle parking areas, emergency vehicle parking zones, school zones).




Managing Access for Safety

Restricting entry to one doorway and providing a lobby with locked doors into the program service areas beyond which only approved individuals may enter.

Requiring employees to wear identifying uniforms.

Requiring all persons in the facility to wear employee or visitor identification tags.

Installing an electronic keyless entry system with passkeys or passwords available only to approved individuals.




Safe Indoor Environments

Identify a doorway for arrival and emergency exits. Arrange pathways through the room. Provide space for small-and large-group activities. Group activity areas logically. Take advantage of natural window lighting. Locate furniture in safe spaces.




Planning Classroom Spaces

Plan for activity centers. Provide culturally relevant spaces. Select child-sized furniture. Provide safe shelving. Organize safe storage. Control for hazards. Provide appropriate indoor and outdoor spaces.




Safe Outdoor Environments

Provide sufficient and appropriate space (75 square feet per child recommended).

Install appropriate fencing and barriers. Clear the environment of safety hazards. Select resilient surfacing materials. Provide safe equipment. Provide protective barriers like guardrails. Check for entrapment and pinch or crush points. Provide sun and shade. Offer a variety of textures and surfaces.




Most Frequent Injuries

Falls – from platforms, slides, swings Collision – with equipment or being struck by equipment Entrapment – in gaps that allow the child’s head or other body

part to enter Entanglement—with protruding components, “S”-style hooks,

and ropes or straps that children bring into the environment Pinching or crushing—of fingers and other body parts




Choosing Appropriate Toys

Toys should promote child-directed play and learning. Toys should support the curriculum. A sufficient quantity of toys is important for active involvement

(duplicate items for toddlers). Toys should promote development and address special needs

(ex.: chubby paint brush handles). Toys should reflect cultural diversity. Toys should promote active play. Toys should be safe.




Choking Hazards

Marbles and small balls Toys with small parts (for example, wheels on toy cars can be

chewed off) Coins and buttons - often used for sorting and counting activities Balloons - often associated with celebrations or used as gross

motor props; an uninflated balloon or pieces of popped balloons can cause choking.

Small magnets - pose a choking hazard; can also attach to one another inside the body, causing internal damage.




What if…

A family brings you a gift of toys from another country to use in the classroom that pose hazards?

How would you respond to the gesture while ensuring children’s safety?

15-1 © 2011 pearson education, inc. all rights reserved. nutrition, health, and safety for young...

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