A Back-to-School Checklist for Your Childcare or Daycare Center

It seems like back-to-school arrives quicker every year. As soon as Independence Day is over, out come the school supplies and ads for new clothing. However, it isn’t just parents who need to prepare.

If you operate a childcare center year around, now is a good time to inventory your supplies and equipment, check your existing gear for damage, and audit your financial records. Take advantage of lower attendance to determine if your facility is ready for another year.

Preschools open during the school year also need to get ready as registration begins. Here are a few checklist items to help you with your preparation.

Safety and first aid

Safety first. Most regulations for operating a childcare facility are safety requirements. Your facility must pass stringent requirements to remain in business. The state is not the only entity judging the safety of your daycare. Parents pay attention, too.

First Aid Checklist

• First aid reference book
• Bandages
• First aid cream
• Medical tape
• Gauze
• Disposable gloves
• Cold packs
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• CPR shields

Make sure every staff member has been trained and certified for first aid and CPR so they can respond promptly to injuries and accidents.

Safety Equipment Checklist

• Doorknob covers and cabinet locks
• Electrical outlet covers
• Safety gates if needed
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• Fire extinguishers
• Emergency plan and checklist

Change batteries on smoke detectors as recommended and test them monthly to ensure operation.

Safety includes preventing the spread of germs. Make sure your diapering area remains clean and that the staff follows proper diapering protocols, including disposal of gloves and used diapers.

Maintain a clean childcare facility - disinfect surfaces thoroughly, wash toys, blankets, and other supplies that can be laundered or cleaned. Keep cleaning supplies locked in a cabinet and check all safety locks to make sure they function correctly. Replace any safety equipment that is worn or broken.

Furniture and equipment

From child-sized tables and chairs to high chairs, your childcare center needs equipment for babies and children for sleeping, eating, being changed, and transportation.

• Cribs must meet safety standards for security and safety. Railings and railing locks shouldn’t pinch, nor should a baby’s head be able to fit through the slats. The current recommendation is for infants to be placed to sleep on their backs without bedding or soft animals.
• Older children can use existing beds in a home care situation, cots, or nap mats. Many facilities ask parents to furnish each child a mat of their own, but you may find it easier to supply inexpensive mats so everyone has the same kind and you can be sure they have been cleaned between uses.
• High chairs safely hold babies and younger children while making it easier for staff to feed or supervise meals. Older children will appreciate tables and chairs built for their smaller stature where they can eat with their friends.
• Obtain small chairs, tables, and desks that do not tip over. Supply rugs and soft chairs for reading and playing quietly.
• If your center accepts infants and not-yet-toilet-trained children, you need a safe changing station with all supplies and disposal containers close at hand. Placing the changing station near a sink reinforces handwashing between diaper changes.

Moving large numbers of babies is a challenge. Purchase multi-passenger carts, strollers, or other conveyances that hold several babies and very young children so you can move them around the facility safely.

Supplies for learning and play

Toys, books, and art supplies are essential to the preschool experience. From equipment that encourages physical movement to games that teach critical thinking, toys are a child’s tools.

• Provide a variety of toys including balls, puzzles, dress up clothes, and blocks.
• Purchase books to meet all the children’s reading levels.
• Obtain non-toxic paint, crayons, markers, and other art supplies for both structured and unstructured art time.
• Outdoor toys should be both fun and safe. Anything damaged or worn should be repaired or replaced before you allow children to play on it.
• Create a reading nook where kids can sit quietly, immersed in a favorite book.

Select toys that are cleaned easily. If possible, buy only plush toys that can be laundered. Provide a mix of toys for interactive play and for playing alone. Select equipment that helps with a variety of skills and activities.

Don't forget science! Many age-appropriate kits and activities are available for simple science experiments. Demonstrate concepts with safe yet effective presentations and urge the kids to apply lessons at home.

Meals and snacks

Most daycares serve at least one meal and one snack each day, so keep the kitchen stocked with healthy food choices.

• Make sure your refrigerator and freezer maintain the appropriate temperature at all times.
• Use cooking utensils and unbreakable service dishes that are dishwasher and microwave safe.
• Provide child-safe utensils and food in appropriate bite-size pieces to help kids learn how to use them in a safe environment.

After mealtimes, clean and sanitize all dishes, utensils, and cookware. Wipe high chairs, tables and children’s chairs with disinfectant. If children use the same table for eating and school activities, make sure the table is completely clean before serving. A good time to clean before lunch is while the children are washing their hands. Then schedule nap time directly after to give your staff time to clean up.

Technology

Safety and meal planning are just two areas where technology can help the process. Childcare management solutions can provide applications to help with a variety of tasks.

• Meal planning software can download menus and match foods with federal guidelines. It can track what each child eats. Special menus are easily created and integrated into the main meal plans.
• Financial software sends bills and invoices while processing incoming payments. Late pickup and late payment fees are automatically added to bills without intervention from you or your staff.
• Payment processing software allows parents to pay online using a debit or credit card. E-checking eliminates runs to the bank to deposit checks.
• Attendance software keeps track of how many kids are there on any given day, so you have the data needed to plan meals and activities. Automated check-in mitigates crowds at the door created when parents must locate their child’s sign-in sheet.
• A parent portal lets parents see pictures and videos of their kids at daycare and provides a convenient way for them to update documentation, communicate with the center and staff, and make payments.

Childcare management software can also offer calendar-based enrollment, perform pro-rated billing, and help process agency subsidies.

Back-to-school time is always exciting, even if school never really closes for summer. Now is the time to stock up on favorite supplies, examine and rotate toys, and start the next round of menus for the coming season. Childcare management technology streamlines the entire business, giving you time for more important things… like playing.