Question: What measures does RCP take to ensure the safety of children during outdoor play in the summer months?
Answer: RCP is dedicated to making sure that the children in their care have consistent, developmentally appropriate, outdoor gross motor opportunities.
- Sun Protection: As the UV index climbs up, RCP ensures that all children have sunscreen applied prior to any sun exposure. Teachers encourage the students to take breaks from playing in direct sunlight and to seek out play areas in the shade. A new sun shade is being installed in our front preschool playground to bring abundant shade to the children using that space.
- Hydration: RCP Educators are also diligent in making sure students pause play for water breaks. It is essential for children to hydrate regularly throughout the day. This is even more crucial during outdoor play in the hot summer months, as children are more susceptible to dehydration than adults. Often times, children can become so engaged in their play and exploration that they don’t notice themselves becoming thirsty. Fresh cool water is provided each time the children go outside.
- Water Play: One of RCP’s most popular offerings during the summer is our water play. Children in the preschool program have access to water tables, funnels, boats, and sprinklers in the during the morning gross motor periods. The children in the School Age program have access to these items as well as reusable water balloons, an inflatable water house, as well as weekly pool visits. The summer is a wonderful time to explore this type of sensory play and also facilitate keeping cool!
- Heat Advisory’s and Excessive Heat: RCP Educators keep carefully monitor the children in their care to note any signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion. RCP Educators use the Childcare Weather Watch, https://maldenps.org/child-care-weather-watch/ as a guide for outdoor play. When the chart is in the red zone children stay inside and utilize our indoor gross motor space as well as partaking in gross motor activities, such as dance and yoga, in the classroom. The children also stay inside the building when there is a Heat Advisory issued for the area. When the chart is in the yellow, Educators will use their best judgment and shorten the outdoor time. This allows the children to still use their energy in the outdoor space and get fresh air, while limiting their exposure to excessive heat and high UV rays.
Summer is a great time for children to enjoy the sunshine and warmth. RCP understands that there are incredible benefits to gross motor time outdoors. Children strengthen not only their gross motor skills but their social emotional skills, cognitive skills, and even their immune systems. RCP works to make sure that the children are able to continue to reap the benefits of outdoor play while mitigating the risks that can come with the heat and intense sunshine of the summer.