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Take a walk through any home improvement store, and you are likely to see the word “security” over and over again. You can find security lights, fences, doors, locks, windows, cameras, alarms, and even mailboxes. Why is security so important to us? We all have a need to feel safe in our environment. We prefer well-lit parking lots. We like parks with clearly marked trails. We look for places that allow us to recognize and respond to any danger.

Just like adults, children need environments that help them feel secure. Children depend on adults to meet their basic needs for food, water, shelter, and clothing. They also depend on us to protect them from harm. Feeling safe allows children to build relationships, become confident, and meet their potential (Maslow, 1943, 1945). We cannot expect children to learn if they do not feel safe.

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What do safe environments for young children look like? We can think about this question in three ways. We can think about our facilities. We can think about how we arrange and organize our classrooms within the facilities. And we can think about the condition of the materials in the environment. This lesson will focus on facilities and classrooms. You will learn about materials in the next lesson.

First, we provide safe facilities for children. Your child development center has been designed with safety in mind.

Watch this video to learn more about facilities that keep children and staff safe.

Next, we think about the ways we organize our materials. Much of your work as a preschool teacher involves keeping children safe indoors and outdoors. Arranging your spaces with the developmental needs of children in mind will help keep them safe.

Watch this video to learn important ways to promote safety in your classroom.

The following list presents some characteristics of safe learning environments:

• Low, open shelving promotes independence and prevents toys from falling on children.
• Labeled shelves encourage children to clean up after themselves, and prevent abandoned toys from becoming tripping hazards.
• Clearly defined interest areas promote engagement and create clear traffic patterns that prevent running and collisions.
• Providing a variety of materials keeps children engaged, and discourages playground behaviors (inappropriate running, jumping, and climbing) indoors. 

See the Learning Environments course for more information.

Finally, we must consider the condition of the materials in the environment indoors and outdoors. Caring for Our Children suggests looking for these issues and correcting them before children are permitted to play:

• Missing or broken parts
• Protrusion of nuts and bolts
• Rust and chipping or peeling paint
• Sharp edges, splinters, and rough surfaces
• Stability of handholds
• Visible cracks
• Stability of non-anchored large play equipment (e.g., playhouses)
• Wear and deterioration
• Broken or worn electrical fixtures or cords

In many settings, your playground may be used by the community at night, or perhaps your program shares a community park. Even if your playground is protected by a fence, it is still possible that hazardous materials could find their way onto the playground. Before you take children outside, you must be vigilant about inspecting the playground each day. Look for:

• Debris like glass, cigarette butts, litter, building supplies
• Animal excrement and other foreign material
• Mulch that is spread too thin
• Standing water, ice, or snow
• Surfaces that are too hot or cold for children to touch safely
• Natural objects that might cause harm: sharp rocks, stumps, roots, branches
• Unsafe insects: anthills, beehives, or wasp nests
• Ditches, holes, wells, traps
• Exposed power lines or utility equipment

Remember to check the temperature of play surfaces. Metal or plastic slides, benches, and poured concrete surfaces can get very hot and very cold. Inspect surfaces for cracks caused by temperature changes or water damage.

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Understanding the importance of keeping children safe and knowing what safe environments look like are the first steps to creating a safe space for children to learn. It is up to you to make sure your environment is safe. There are several things you can do to keep children safe before they arrive and while they are present.

Before Children Arrive

You should begin each day by carefully inspecting indoor and outdoor play areas and equipment. This will help you prevent injuries and accidents. The next lesson on Safe Toys and Materials includes more information about safety checks.

When Children are Present

Constant supervision is the best tool for preventing injury. Preschool children are active and curious, but situations can become unsafe very quickly. Active supervision is key to keeping children safe. Active supervision involves scanning, predicting, and assessing. This involves moving through the indoor or outdoor space, scanning children and the environment for hazards, predicting potential hazards, and making necessary changes to the environment. Safe equipment and play space is important, but nothing replaces active supervision. As a responsible caregiver, you should ensure that:

• Spills are cleaned up immediately: Store towels near the art and water play areas to facilitate clean up.
• Children are encouraged to clean up after themselves: Before moving onto a new area, teach children to clean up the toys they were playing with. This will prevent falls and tripping hazards.
• Spaces are clearly defined for play materials: Clearly mark areas where children may build with blocks or spread out dramatic play props. Teach children to respect these boundaries. Also, work with children to establish class guidelines for how tall structures may be.

Although you can never prevent all accidents, taking these simple steps will help minimize serious risks to children.

Completing this Course

For more information on what to expect in this course and a list of the accompanying Learn, Explore and Apply resources and activities offered throughout the lessons, visit the Preschool Safe Environments Course Guide. 

Please note the References & Resources section at the end of each lesson outlines reference sources and resources to find additional information on the topics covered. As you complete lessons, you are not expected to review all the online references available. However, you are welcome to explore the resources further if you have interest, or at the request of your trainer, coach, or administrator.