Safety Practices and Policies

Preschool aged children are adventurous, fearless, and distracted.  Providers of preschoolers need to beware of their surroundings and the safety concerns that pertain to the surroundings (Robertson, 2010). These safety concerns not only pertain to the preschool environment but also the home environment.

In the preschool environment often toys are broken which leads to sharp edges, small pieces, and sometimes go unnoticed.  These broken pieces and sharp edges create an unsafe environment for the children.  A lesson that providers need to model for their students in one which they are shown how to report a broken toy without fear of reprimand. Providers should complete a daily inspection of the toys in order to remove toys that have become a hazard to the children.  Providers should also express these practices to parents in order to insure that the home has toys that will not cause harm to their children.

The playground equipment needs to be checked for rust, sharp pieces, and other hazards that would harm a child. Any hazards should be visually marked so that both workers and children know that the area is unsafe.  A report of hazards should be placed on a maintenance repair form. A daily check sheet should be placed on the door that leads to the playground that allows workers to know that the playground has been checked for safety issues. Most preschool facilities have a visiting parent. Showing and allowing the parent to help complete this check list. This allows them to become more aware of the child’s outdoor environment in their neighborhoods.

Preschool aged children will want to walk out the door with their peers.  Doors should be securely locked and a waiting area for parents should be established.  Parents need to provide a constant to release form that allows providers to release the children to someone other than the parent.  Workers need to be trained in asking for identification when an unknown person picks up a child. Doors should remain securely locked during the day. This will insure that no unwanted or unknown persons have access to the children or the workers. Parents need to be aware that the facility is responsible for the safety of the children just like a parent is responsible for them when not at the preschool.

During the school hours all cleaning products, hand sanitizers, and eating utensils should be placed far out of the reach from the children. Preschoolers think everything is a toy and will play with it.  They like to mimic adults and try to clean and cook yet have no knowledge of the dangers. Chemicals need to be marked with proper symbols and place in a locked cabinet in order to prevent harm to the children. The use of hand sanitizer in the classroom has become overwhelming. Many of these products have smells that children think are food.  Hand sanitizer should only be used when the provider is present and then placed out of reach of the children.  Many parents purchase them and have them readily available.  Providers should advise parents to purchase hand sanitizers that are unscented and to keep them out of the hands of their children. When snack time is finished all utensils should be sanitized and if sharp need to be placed in locked drawers.

Often preschool aged children are transported to events.  The state mandates that children at preschool age need to be in a booster seat. Before planning field trip providers need to hold a parent meeting on the importance of transporting children safely. Showing parents the proper booster seat, buckling, and position will insure that the children will be transported safe on the field trip as well as on a daily basis with their parents.

Reference

Robertson, C. (2010). A Holistic Environmental Approach to Safety, Nutrition,and Health in Quality Early Childhood Education Environments. In Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Early Education (4th ed., ). Belmont, CA: .