When planning your indoor child care atmosphere, your big concerns should be the safety and health of the children in your care. You will need to look for future hazards in your child care area and take steps to stop injury and dangerous conditions. You should also think about how your area will promote safe play and learning for the kids in your care.
Why hygiene is vital in child care?
When you consider all the activities in a child care center – cute people running around with their small hands touching everything, crayons, sharing toys, playing in sand, books, touching furniture, food and eating utensils, it is no shock that germs can spread so simply. This high degree of physical contact creates an environment in which germs and bacteria thrive, spreading infectious diseases. So, it is important to keep a clean, sanitized and hygienic facility.
How do infections spread?
Infection can spread in different ways. Some germs are in the air, coming from sneezes and coughs while others are extend through direct contact with surfaces and objects.
Encourage hygiene in child care services
There are several hygiene techniques that can be put in place in child care facilities to minimize the danger of infection. Some of these procedures are for kids while others are for parents or adults. Some of these techniques include:
- Regularly cleaning and disinfecting equipment, toys and overall child care center. Using a professional cleaner is a must; having the right cleaner can do wonders for any child care facility. There are many websites that allow you to find and compare cleaning quotes from many service providers.
- Attracting children to follow principal rules of hygiene such as hand washing, not sharing drinks or food, covering mouth when coughing, using a tissue when they have a cold etc.
- Encouraging adults to fully wash their hand and use hand sanitizers frequently. Avoid touching faces and rubbing nose and eyes.
- Adhering to hygienic practices for toileting, nappy changing, and wiping kid’s noses
- Maintaining hard hygiene practices in areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, rest/sleep areas and play areas.
Encouraging families to support best hygiene and cleaning practices
When a family practices best hygiene, it greatly helps the child care center as it will decrease the chance of carrying and moving infectious illnesses. Once again, one of the top methods for families to support the best hygiene practices of child care center is by drying and washing hands regularly. Additional, if families adopt the habit of washing their hands upon arrival and prior to leaving the facility, they will encourage good hygiene in children and greatly reduce the risk of bacterial transmission.
More helpful hygiene reminders for family members
Attract family members to reinforce hygiene habits is very helpful for all concerned. Some advises include:
- Daily reminding children when to wash their hands, before and after meals, after the toilets, after playing with family pets or playing outside
- Provide the kid with a change of underwear or clothes in case of accidents in child care
- Most vital – keeping a child home if they are sick and only permitting the child to return once they are no longer contagious.