Chapter Three: Outdoor Safety

Safety Policies for Outdoor Environment l More than half of injuries in child care centers are outdoors (falls) l Child care in certain neighborhoods may be at risk for safety l Childhood injuries from motor vehicles and bicycles may be prevented with use of proper safety equipment (restraints and helmets)

Safety Policies for Outdoor Environment, cont. l Outdoor Child Care Environment l Playground Equipment Safety l Travel and Traffic Safety l Water Safety

Examining Outdoor Child Care Environments l Falls l Motor vehicle and other transportation accidents l Poisons l Equipment

Outdoor Environmental Hazards l Barriers l Poison Control  Including toxic plants  Pesticides, BBQ l Insects l Temperature

l Other considerations  Trees  BBQ  Away from power lines, ditches, etc.  Barefoot only if safe

Developmental Level l Infants and Toddlers l Preschool children l School Age

Space l Rule of thumb = clearance 9 ft. around stationary equipment and 15 ft. around equipment with moving parts such as swings l Outdoor area should provide 50 sq. ft. of space for each child  When equipment figured in, usually = 75 sq. ft.

l Daily inspection l Extra caution in public multi-use facilities Shared Space

Time of Day l Certain times of day may be more vulnerable to accidents  When children are tired or hungry  Midmorning and midafternoon

The Neighborhood l No traffic, noise pollution, little risk for safety = better neighborhood l Traffic, noise, risk for safety = at-risk neighborhood

Playground Equipment Safety l Climbing Equipment, Slides, and Swings l Riding Toys l Sandboxes l Other equipment  Seesaws, trampolines, homemade equipment (wooden, etc.) l Become familiar with potentially harmful areas (Fig. 3-2)

Traffic and Transportation Safety l As pedestrians, in cars, on bikes and crashing l Pedestrian Safety  At child care  Drop-off and pick-up plan

Motor Vehicle Safety l The vehicle l Safety seats l Pretravel guidelines l Travel guidelines l Travel conditions l Travel information sheet

Bicycle Safety l Helmets l Riding safety l Other riding conditions

l Water Hazards l Children’s Behavior Around Water l Water Safety Guidelines (Table 3-7) l Water Safety Behaviors (Table 3-8) Water Safety

Observation l Apply ABCs to outdoor environment Supervision l Provide for checks and balances l Good communication throughout child care Implications for Caregivers

Education l Caregivers l Children l Parents

 Reality Check: Sun Safety l Skin cancer begins from sun exposure in childhood l Protecting children from hazards of sun on hot, sunny days is important l Use climate prediction center for UV forecast l Follow suggestions on page 103 for keeping children sun safe

 Reality Check: Neighborhood Violence l The Continuum of Violence in Children’s Lives (see Figure 3-1) l Exposure can put safety at risk l Neighborhood violence permeating society

Children’s ability to cope l Age l Developmental level l Availability of resources for help l Ability of children to access resources

Caregivers can offer safe haven l Monitor for safety l Access resources l Encourage prosocial, gentle behavior l Be a person a child can trust and relate to well