When you decide to take your child to day care, many mothers at first want to have the reassurance that their child is in safe hands. Once a relationship is built between the parents and childcare provider it gets easier with time, but beforehand as peace of mind it is good to know about the day care safety tips that are taught to staff within the establishment.
With young children who are mobile it is important to remember they have no sense of fear and will happily explore any environment that most adults have become accustomed to avoiding. By looking at things from a child’s point of view and bearing in mind that the developmental stages advance extremely fast many hazards can be eradicated.
A major hazard that has caused many emergency room visits is not ensuring that any equipment put into the room whether a cot, toy, chair and even drawers are looked at in great depth to assess whether a child could trap one of their limbs or fingers in them. Children are all different, just as adults and where many may not have been harmed, they may do in the future.
Even safety equipment can be hazardous, especially window guards. Although they may stop a child from falling out of an open window, they will not necessarily stop them getting trapped in some way if they decide to explore.
Climbing is an important part of development so that youngsters can be potty trained, sit at a table with their peers and move around more freely. As they are more prone to fall due to their tender age, the flooring surrounding should be soft enough to avoid an unsafe landing.
Everything in the room or rooms needs to be age appropriate, this is why having separate rooms such as one for babies, another for toddlers and a further one for pre-school can make this easier. The age gap may seem small from one to another, but the amount their abilities show great differences as does their understanding.
Rather than cramming everything into one small space, ensure there is still enough room between one play area or toy to another. This allows freedom of movement and avoids youngsters bumping into or tripping over one another.
If there has been recent publication or known dangers surrounding a certain toy or activity it is best to remove it than to take unnecessary risks. Follow instructions such as returning to manufacturers or dispose of the item in the way advised.
When shopping for furniture avoid those that are of a square or rectangle shape where possible and look for rounded edges over pointed ones. It may seem like common sense to some but it is easy to be bowled over by a color scheme or design.
Regularly check wooden items whether indoors or out for any signs of wear and tear. If it is showing any signs of needing re sanding it best removed until the necessary sanding or repairs have been completed to avoid splinters.
Bolts and nails that can become loose over time which could cause skin pinching or clothes becoming caught. Regular maintenance and checking should avoid this from occurring, however being vigilant at all times is the best way to stop any damage to items or people beforehand.
Outdoor equipment, even with special sealant and other protection can still become rusty. This is a sign of damage, even though it may just be from usual wear and tear. Swings that often come with metal frames are prime candidates for such damage. If the seating is attached by rope rather than chained metal care should still be taken as over time it can fray and eventually break.
Watch for small parts in case they become a choking hazard. This could be from a cup or plate that has become damaged and even screws becoming loose from door handles, toys or a table and chair set. Even when set up with the best care and attention there is nothing that is built to last forever.
Certain things that are needed in the day to day care such as creams, wipes, toilet paper and soap could present a choking hazard. This is why even though they need to be present; they should be kept out of reach and sight of the children, preferably in a different room or area to where the play takes place.
Last but not least one thing that would not even cross most people’s mind is paint on radiators and walls. When it is wet children are commonly taken away from it, but even when dry it could still contain hazardous content with flaking older paint being easily picked off and put in little mouths. Check first that the chosen paint is suitable for the room as there are special kinds on the market that help.
