14.2: Environmental Factors in Supporting Children’s Health, Safety, and Nutrition

Children learn most effectively in a safe, inviting environment in which they can freely explore and challenge themselves. Health and safety in the preschool program, both indoors and outdoors, includes environment, supervision, and education. Environment is the first component of safety; a safe environment allows children to explore, play, and learn without unnecessary restriction. The environment should be set up and maintained to reduce the risk of injury and disease transmission.

Proper supervision of children is essential, and the required adult-to-child ratios must be met at all times, including periods when children play outdoors, are transported, and go on field trips. The most effective supervision includes active involvement with children’s learning: teachers move around the room with children, attend to children and their interactions, make eye contact, encourage children verbally, and model appropriate voice and actions.

Education is multifaceted. Teachers promote children’s learning through discussion, modeling, and daily routines through active participation. An accessible and supportive environment with appropriate facilities and items allows children to practice and demonstrate progress in learning.

The following recommendations apply to establishing the preschool environment that supports children’s health, safety, and nutrition.

• Establish a physical learning environment designed for children’s initiative.
• Provide safe, inviting learning environments, and appropriate supervision of children.
• Maintain a clean, healthy, and sanitary environment. Incorporate cleaning and sanitizing into the daily routine.
• Have supplies available and accessible to promote routine health practices.
• Provide stimulating and developmentally appropriate materials in interest areas for children’s use during play.
• Provide furnishing and utensils appropriate for children’s size and abilities.
• Be creative and include a gardening space, either indoors or outdoors, where children can plant seeds, tend the garden, and watch the plants grow.^[1]