The safety of your child is of the utmost importance. When the children are in your care, you’re most likely watching them like a hawk. So when your little ones are under the watch of others, such as daycare providers, you want to ensure the environment is up to safety standards.
Finding a daycare is a feat all in its own. With limited availability and rising costs, many parents start the daycare search before their child has entered the world! Because of this, you may be thankful that there is availability for your child. That said, you want to do your due diligence and ask appropriate questions — particularly when it comes to their general safety and overall well-being.
In addition to staff qualifications, licensing protocols, discipline policies, and communication methods, you’ll also want to inquire about playground safety.
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Why Playground Safety is Important
Playground safety is critical for numerous reasons. First and foremost, a safe, well-maintained playground prevents or reduces serious injuries. Falls, scraps, and bruises are bound to happen during play. However, a loose bolt, an insecure rope swing, or a faulty ladder could pose more serious injuries to your children and others. Broken equipment, uneven surfaces, and sharp or pointy edges can be hazardous to little ones.
Second, playground safety is important because it promotes healthy development. With properly installed playground equipment, parents and caregivers can feel reassured that children can play freely with minimal accidents. While supervision is still important, they won’t need to watch their child’s every step as they engage and form friendships with other children.
Third, a safe playground helps build confidence and resilience. As children play, they pick up gross and fine motor skills and progress through other physical challenges. A swaying rope ladder requires balance and coordination, while a tall slide instills bravery. Children who conquer these various challenges during play will gain confidence in their abilities. However, a freak accident can lead them to feel more insecure or intimidated by certain tasks, potentially leading to a regression in physical skills.
What to Ask a Daycare Provider Regarding Playground Safety
Now that you know the importance of playground safety, here is a checklist of items to ask your daycare provider regarding their playground setup.
Equipment Safety
In terms of overall safety, parents should ask about the types of play equipment available. Daycares often have a wide range of ages, anywhere from six or eight weeks up to 12 years. That said, playgrounds should have equipment that is age-appropriate for these varying ages. Young toddlers can’t use the same swings or slides as older tweens, and vice versa. Ask if there are different playground zones or equipment areas for a child of your age.
Similarly, it’s also good to ask if children are allowed to play based on their age. For instance, are younger kids invited outside before naptime, while older kids are invited to play during naptime?
Also, be sure to inquire about the age of the equipment. Was the playground recently installed with inclusive equipment, or is it outdated? If the latter, has it been recently inspected to ensure that the equipment is still in good condition? Posing questions around inspections and maintenance will give you a general sense of how well the playground is maintained.
Materials and Surfacing
Next, it’s also useful to ask about what materials and surfacing were used during the playground’s construction. Modern-day playgrounds are built with safety in mind. They tend to use more sustainable materials or well-tested materials, such as pressure-treated wood, recycled tires, and engineered wood fiber. Poured-in-rubber is a common surface that helps brace falls and tumbles.
Also, if you can’t see it yourself, ask about fencing. How does the daycare ensure that little ones don’t stroll off to an unsupervised area? Is there a fence to protect kids from going into the parking lot or busy road? Is this fence gated, and is there more than one entrance or exit? These types of questions lead to the next topic area: supervision.
Supervision
A carefully thought-out, reliable playground is only safe if there is adult supervision. Children are curious and sometimes daring. They may think that they can jump to the next playground landing without realizing that their little legs aren’t able to reach 12 feet away. Running chaotically or too fast can also lead to falls. However, adult supervision can prevent many of these injuries from occurring in the first place.
Ask the daycare provider how many staff members are present and the ratio between staff members and children. One daycare provider with 20 kids is likely not enough, especially if the children vary in age. Additionally, are all staff members trained in basic first aid, and do they know how to respond to injuries? If an emergency does occur while on the playground, what are the action items or protocols put in place?
Final Takeaways
While this isn’t an exhaustive list of every question parents should ask daycare providers, it does provide a general sense of what to ask specifically regarding playground safety and maintenance.
Remember, asking these types of questions upfront is not annoying or troublesome. If you feel like a daycare center is unable to answer your questions fully, it may not be the best care facility for your child.