Safety Practices and Policies

            In the world of a preschools life there are many potential hazards and safety concerns.  Both early childhood educators and parents need to be aware of possible concerns.  Five such potential hazards and safety concerns are that of a child getting lost or wondering off, burns, injuries from toys and shared outdoor play spaces and poisoning from art supplies.  There are safety polices that can be established in both the educational program and the home to help prevent possible injury.   Everyone can aid in the safety and well being of a young preschoolers life.

            Preschoolers are naturally curious of the world around them. They are drawn to things that look, smell and sound interesting. It is easy for a preschool age child to wonder away from a parent or teacher and become lost.  It is vital that both teachers and parents maintain constant “supervision” over their preschool age child (Robertson, 2010, p74).  Parents and teachers should create a safety plan for the child whenever they leave the home.  One part of the plan should include talking to the child about where they are going.  If you are going to the store talk about all the interesting things they will see. Remind the child that if they are interested by something that they need to ask before they go to it.  Another step to prevent a child from getting lost is using a rope or line for the children to hold onto.  Although field trips and outdoor excursions are the main areas of concerns when preventing a child from wondering off it is also important that parents and teachers be vigilant about supervision in the classroom and home.  Children may become intrigued with opening and closing doors, a big truck may drive by or a loud noise maybe heard that intrigues the young child.  Each of these scenarios may entice a young child to open a door and take off.  The best plan of advice for preventing children from wondering off and becoming lost is to keep constant supervision of them.  It also may be neccaary to install alarms on exterior doors.

            Hot items are a part of a preschooler’s world. Food can be hot, fire places and cook stoves are hot, lights and candles are hot.  In the home or classroom preschoolers are exposed to potential burn hazards.  Parents and teachers need to scan their classrooms and homes for items that may burn a child. Homes with fireplaces should install proper gates and/or devices that prevent preschoolers from falling onto them.  Both the classroom and home should keep children safe from cook stoves, coffee pots, warming plates and other cooking devices.  Gates can be used to keep children a safe distance from cooking devices.  At meal times hot items such as soups, casseroles and other hot dishes should not be placed in direct contact of a preschooler.  Parents and teachers should establish guidelines for serving hot items to preschoolers.   Candles should never be in the reach of a young child.  Parents and teachers need to talk to preschoolers about the dangers of burns and how important it is for them to avoid touching such items.  It is also vital for parents and teachers to have a plan to treat accidental burns.  As with most hazards in the life of a preschooler proper supervision will assist in lowering the risk of a burn.

            Homes and early childhood educational programs are full of fun interesting toys.  Toys are used to expand the imagination and help the child explore the world around them. However toys can cause injuries if they are not “age appropriate” and/or “maintained” (Robertson, 2010, p 80).  Parents and teachers should be willing to “remove unsafe toys” (Robertson, 2010, p80). An unsafe toy can be a toy that is broken, recalled, pose a choking hazard and/or be age inappropriate. 

            There is nothing more fun on a nice sunny day than going outdoors to play.  Often times outdoor play equipment is shared amongst a variety of age groups.  In the home children may share with community members and/or older siblings. Early educational programs may utilize public parks or play equipment that is established for older children.  Things to evaluate when using a shared outdoor play are is the height of the “climbers” (Robertson, 2010, p142). The “AAHA and AAP” recommend that climbers used by “children 6 years old and younger” be a maximum of “5 1/1 feet tall” (Robertson, 2010, p 142).  Parents and teachers will need to evaluate the equipment and the developmental stages of their preschoolers.  Other safety risks to evaluate when using a shared area is trash, “broken glass, razors, needles,” “discarded condom, clothing” and “matcher”(Robertson, 2010, p142).  Before using a shared outdoor area parents and teachers will need to walk through the play area and remove all and any potential hazards. 

            The fifth are of potential danger to a preschool child is that of art supplies.  Homes and schools are full of fun creative art supplies. Parents and teachers alike enjoy seeing their preschooler explore with crayons, paint, play dough, scissors, glue and many other art materials.  It is critical that parents and teachers evaluate the “potential hazard” of the art supply (Robertson, 2010, p102).  The Art and creative Materials Institute (ACMC) “assists parents and teachers by  conducting a “program that certifies products as being safe and nontoxic” (Robertson, 2010 p 102-103).   Teachers and parents can also utilize the “Federal Arts Materials Labeling Act” as a tool to verify possible dangers (Roberston, 2010, p 105).  In the home and in the classroom any material that is deemed toxic or hazardous should be avoided and an alternate should be fun.  Using “nontoxic” art supplies can insure a safer art experience for everyone (Robertson, 2010, p 105).  Be sure that the art materials are age appropriate. Of course the best defense against a preschooler becoming poisoned or harmed from art supplies to supervise during use.  

Reference

Robertson, Cathie (2010), Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Education, Wadsworth, Belmont CA