ESSAY : Outdoor Safety

Read- This material first -Then follow instructions for assignment.

In a paragraph or two, explain what age group and setting this is for, and how it is developmentally appropriate and safe. Elaborate on safety procedures for your outdoor setting.

Children love to play outdoors. It is a wonderful place to test one’s physical abilities and to just have fun. Keeping children safe outdoors requires some special precautions. Here are some tips for keeping children in your child care program safe outdoors.
General Outdoor Safety Tips for Child Care

Never leave children alone outside
Teach children not to play near the street
Explain that children must ask for help if toys roll into the street or driveway
Check the outdoor play area routinely. Remove trash, sharp branches, tools, lawn equipment, and animal feces

Safe Set-up of the Outdoor Environment

Be sure all outdoor play areas are fenced, especially near a street, parking lot, pond, well, or railroad track
Surround electrical appliances in the play area, such as air conditioners, with fences so children cannot reach them
Remove gas grills from outdoor play areas
Keep gates closed and install childproof latches
Lock storage sheds, barns, and garages

Safety with Tricycles and Other Riding Toys

Require children to use helmets when using tricycles, bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, and ride-on toys
Reduce choking risks by having children remove helmets when playing on playground equipment
Use safety straps to secure children in strollers
Do not put children who cannot sit up well in wagons with low sides

Playground Safety

Ensuring that the playground area is safe requires careful planning and monitoring. Remember that infants and toddlers (ages 0 – 2), preschool-age children (ages 3 – 5), and school-age children (ages 5 – 12) have different developmental needs and abilities, and may need developmentally different. Different age groups may need different playground equipment in areas separated by fences to ensure that playgrounds are safe and fun for everyone. Here are some guidelines to assess playground safety.

Regularly inspect surface and playground equipment for broken, worn, or missing parts. Remove, repair, or replace items immediately.
Cover sand boxes when not in use so animals won’t use them as a litter box
Provide some shade in the play space, either from natural sources like trees or from a tent, awning, or other shelter
Place metal playground equipment, such as platforms and slides, in the shade to prevent burns. A slide that faces north will receive the least direct sunlight.
Place equipment that has moving parts, such as swings, on the outside of the play area
Teach children to stay away from the front and back of the swing area
Keep outdoor play equipment at least 6 feet away from pavement, fences, trees, buildings, walkways, and other play equipment
Provide guardrails or barriers for platforms or ramps over 30 inches high
Cover all protruding bolts or screws with plastic safety caps
Close S-hooks completely on swings
Never attach any ropes or cords to play equipment
Safely anchor to the ground permanent outdoor equipment such as swing sets or climbers

Your outdoor child care environment will look different depending on the type of program you operate and the ages of the children in care. The outdoor environment should be a place for children to experience big body play, exploration and fresh air.

This section will address child care programs with outdoor play spaces that are on-site. However, even Family Child Care Homes that do not have on-site play areas can use this guidance to evaluate the space and equipment at nearby parks and schools. All outdoor play areas should include equipment of the right size and type for the children in care and room for freedom of movement. The space should be secure to prevent children from wandering off or having access to roads. The grounds and equipment should be free of hazards and debris. Think about the following topics when selecting or creating an outdoor play space.
Location

Your outdoor play area should be easy to access from your program. All areas of your outdoor place space should be visible to staff and easily supervised at all times. Ideally the space would be on level ground and free of natural hazards. This includes any body of water, such as ditches, streams and ponds. However, if there is a body of water, ensure that it fenced and inaccessible to children. Your play space should have areas of shade. Make sure that any metal equipment (e.g. slides) is placed in the shade to avoid burns.
Fencing

Your outdoor space should be surrounded by a fence or natural barriers. This helps you to supervise your children and keep unwanted people out of the area. Not all states require fencing for Family Child Care programs to be licensed, but it is helpful when supervising children.

Fencing should have no sharp points or edges. There should be no openings between 3.5 inches and 9 inches.
Choose fencing that prevents climbing from either side.
Wood material is not the best choice for fences because of potential splintering. They also attract insects and require high maintenance. If you do choose wood, make sure it has not been treated with creosote or pesticides and that it has not been painted with lead-based paint. Redwood and cedar are good choices.
Metal should be rust resistant.

Playground

Your playground extends your child care environment to the outdoors. For children, outdoor play is as important as indoor play. Large play equipment helps children develop large motor skills such as running, climbing and riding tricycles or other wheel toys. With adult guidance and supervision on a playground, children can learn to experience risk-taking and develop risk control.

More than 200,000 injuries occur on playgrounds every year. Following the recommendations below can help prevent playground injuries in your program.

Equipment installation: When you have playground equipment installed, follow the manufacturers’ instructions.

Spacing: The manufacturers’ instructions will tell you how much space to leave around playground equipment. In general, there should be a 6-foot clearance around any structure. Equipment should be spaced so that children on one piece of equipment will not interfere with children playing on or running to another piece of equipment. Placing moving equipment, such as swings and merry-go-rounds, on the outer edges of the play area can help prevent collisions.
Entrapment: There should be no openings between 3.5 inches and 9 inches. In some situations, a child can place his or her body through an opening. Because the head is wider than the body, the head may not be able to pass through the opening that the body passed through. This can result in serious injury or possibly death.
Entanglement: Drawstrings on clothing, loose clothing or shoestrings can become entangled when bolts are not placed on equipment properly. Bolts should not protrude more than the diameter of the bolt. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued important information about standards for drawstrings on children’s clothing to prevent strangulation on playground equipment.
‘S’ Hooks: Close all open ‘S’ shaped hooks on playground equipment. Children can catch their fingers or the drawstrings on their clothing in an open ‘S’ hook, resulting in injury or strangulation. ‘S’ hooks are usually found on swings but may also be found on other equipment.

Playground surfacing: Inadequate playground surfacing material is the leading cause of playground injury. Wood chips, pea gravel, sand, synthetic or rubber tiles, shredded rubber, mats or poured-in-place rubber are safe choices. Unsafe choices include concrete, asphalt, blacktop, packed earth or grass. It is important to frequently inspect materials underneath “fall zones.” Underneath swings, the bottoms of slides and under and around climbing equipment are considered “fall zones.” These areas require cushioning material to prevent injuries.
Age-Appropriate Toys and Equipment

The right play equipment will depend on your space and the age(s) of children in care. Safe playground equipment is different for every age group. Playground equipment should be separate for children under 2 years old, 2-5 years old and over 5 years old. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Public Playground Safety Handbook, playground equipment for each age group may include:

6 – 23 months:

Climbing equipment under 32 inches
Ramps
Single file step ladders
Slides/Spiral slides less than 360°
Spring rockers
Stairways
Swings with full bucket seats

2 – 5 years:

Balance beams under 12 inches
Horizontal ladders under 60 inches high (for 4-5 year olds)
Merry-go-rounds
Ramps
Rung ladders
Slides/Spiral slides
Spring rockers
Stairways
Swings (belt, full bucket seats, rotating tire)

5 – 12 years:

Arch climbers
Free-standing climbers with flexible parts
See-saws
Ladders (horizontal, step and rung)
Merry-go-rounds
Ramps
Slides/Spiral slides
Stairways
Swings (belt and rotating tire)
Vertical sliding poles

In addition to playground equipment, age-appropriate toys for outdoor play may include:

Balls
Hoops
Push/Pull toys
Riding toys
Sand box and sand toys – Be sure that you can cover your sandbox securely and that it allows for drainage. Try to place a sandbox in a place that is shielded from wind.
Water table and toys – Always supervise children at a water table. Be sure that the water is fresh and clean. Provide enough toys for several children to play at once. Avoid toys like cups and bottles, as these tend to encourage children to drink the water. Provide toys for pouring, measuring, squirting and dripping.

State Licensing Regulations for Your Outdoor Environment

If your program is required to have a child care license, you’ll need to meet any standards set by your state for your child care environment. To find your state’s child care licensing regulations and get in touch with your licensing office, visit our State by State Resource Map. Click on your state to find child care licensing information for your area.
Inspections

Plan to inspect your outdoor play area daily to reduce injuries to the children in your care. Several checklists are available in the resources provided below to make this exercise quick and easy for you.
Additional Outdoor Environment Resources

News You Can Use: Outdoor Spaces from the Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) Infant and Toddler Resources
Caring for Our Children Basics: Health and Safety Foundations for Early Care and Education from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Caring for Our Children – Chapter 6: Play Areas/Playgrounds and Transportation from the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education
Playgrounds by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Playground Safety Tips by Safe Kids Worldwide
National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS)
National Recreation and Park Association

Health and Safety Checklists for Child Care Programs

Center-Based and Family Child Care programs may use these checklists to evaluate health and safety in their environment, policies, and procedures. Both checklists cover topics that are often found in licensing requirements. Regardless of which tool is used, programs should always work with a child care licensor to ensure that they meet state licensing requirements in all areas.

Caring for Our Children Basics: Program Review Tool (based on Caring for Our Children Basics minimum health and safety standards for out-of-home child care settings)
Health and Safety Screener: Policies and Procedures for Head Start Programs (designed for Head Start programs but may also be useful for child care programs)

CCR&R Search

Your local CCR&R agency can help current and future child care providers find training and other resources.
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State by State Resources

Find information about family support resources in your state, from child care to health and social services.
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Providers

Opening a New Child Care Program
Is Child Care the Right Choice?
Types of Child Care Businesses
Finding a Location for Your Child Care Business
Getting Your Business Licensed
Required Background Checks
Planning for Success
Preparing a Budget for a Child Care Business
Insurance for Your Business
Marketing Your Program
Staffing Needs
Developing Your Policies and Procedures
Making a Difference in Child Care
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Outdoor Child Care Environment
Curriculum
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Types of Training
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Instructions

Using the resources in this module, design an appropriate and safe outdoor learning area for Physical Educational program ages 5- 12 years old. Must draw your layout on paper and label sections. Be sure to label all areas.

In a paragraph or two, explain what age group and setting this is for, and how it is developmentally appropriate and safe. Elaborate on safety procedures for your outdoor setting.

SAMPLE SOLUTION

Children love to play outside at home and at school. Activities provide a child with an opportunity to grow and develop physically. However, there are various risk factors that a parent or a school should consider to ensure that the playing surfaces are safe and free from dangerous elements that may cause harm to the kids when playing. Ensuring that the playing surface is safe requires a well-thought-out design plan and proper monitoring. Children at different stages of growth have different developmental needs and abilities that may require the parent or the teacher to provide different surfaces and safety standards. The school should provide different playgrounds and play equipment for different age groups in an enclosed or fenced area to ensure the children enjoy their activities safely (Cradock, et al., 2005). The following playground plan shows the suitable safety standards and settings…