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Outdoor Safety Reminders

To ensure the safety of the physical facility, follow the safety checklists offered in Lesson One and any materials provided by the state or military service that licenses or certifies your family child care home.  Below are some key outdoor safety guidelines from the National Association for Family Child Care quality standards for accreditation (see ) 

• Outdoor play equipment is spaced to avoid safety hazards for active children. 

• Play space, including neighborhood playground if used, is free of animal feces, broken glass, paint chips, or trash. There is no flaking or peeling paint or bare soil within fifteen feet of a structure. 

• If there is a sand area or box, it is covered when not in use. 

• A fence or natural barrier encloses the play space unless traffic is not a hazard. Space under porches is closed off. 

• Ponds, wells, tool sheds, and other hazards are fenced or closed off. 

• No trampolines are accessible to the children in care, except for therapeutic equipment used with supervision. 

• Swimming Pool

  If there is a swimming pool:

  • It is inaccessible to children except when carefully supervised.
  • It has a barrier such as a gate or door which is locked when the pool is not in use.
  • In-ground, it is surrounded by a barrier at least four feet above grade that children cannot climb.
  • Above-ground, pool sides are at least four feet high and a ladder is locked or removed when not in use.
  • Life-saving equipment is located nearby. 
• For military child care providers, no family child care children should be permitted inside a swimming pool area.
  • Any hot tub or spa that is not fenced off has a locked cover strong enough for an adult to stand on. 
• Swings

  If there are swings, they are safe.

  • Swings are surrounded by a clearance area and fall zone that extends at least six feet beyond the stationary swing.
  • Each swing hangs at least thirty inches away from the support poles.
  • Swing seats do not have pinch points or S hooks.
  • Hooks at the top of swing ropes or chains are closed (not an open S).