Benefits of Outdoor Play in Winter

How many times were you told as a child to bundle up so you don't catch cold?  The truth is, cold weather does not cause illness.  Colds and flu are spread by viruses, and children are more likely to get sick if they are cooped up indoors all winter long!

Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services Section for Child Care Regulation requires:

A total of at least one (1) hour of outdoor play for children in attendance a full day unless prevented by weather or special medical reasons (Based on wind chill factor or heat index, children shall not be exposed to either extreme element.)

Check with your licensing representative for details on what qualifies as "extreme" weather.  As a general rule of thumb, if it's 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, your normal outdoor play routine should apply.  Here is a windchill/heat index chart published by the Iowa Department of Health to help determine whether it's safe to go outside for a full hour, for shorter periods of time, or if you shouldn't take children outside at all.

Daily outdoor play, even in chilly weather, has many benefits for children.  Gross motor activities, most easily done through outdoor play, are the best way to prevent obesity.  Plenty of outdoor play can also have a big impact on the number of challenging behaviors experienced in child care programs.  A simple change of environment can be a great way to refresh the children and the adults!

Be sure children are dressed appropriately for the weather.  Dressing in layers is best, because layers can be taken off or added as needed.  Be sure families in your program know that outdoor play is a part of your schedule, and children should be sent to child care with coats, hats, mittens, boots, and other appropriate winter wear.  It's always a good idea to have a few spares on hand for children who left their coats at home.

For more information about safe outdoor play in the winter, check out this resource from the University of California.   

When You are in the Sun

It is that time of year again when the sun and heat play a major factor in our outside time. Keep the children safe this summer by following these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Babies under 6 months should avoid sun exposure, and dress in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck. A minimal amount of sunscreen with at least 15 SPF (sun protection factor) can be applied to the infant's face and the back of the hands with parent’s written authorization.

For older children apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The SPF should be at least 15 and protect against UVA and UVB rays. Have children cover up their arms and legs with lightweight cotton clothing with a tight weave. Children should wear a hat with a three–inch brim and sunglasses (look for sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays).

Some other basic strategies to remember to shield children and adults from excessive sun exposure:

• Stay in the shade whenever possible, and limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours - between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater. Be sure to apply enough sunscreen - about one ounce per sitting for a young adult. Lotion– and cream– based sunscreens tend to adhere to the skin longer, thus providing better protection.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.

Following these ideas and suggestion will certainly keep everyone’s skin healthy and safe.

Sources:
http://www.skincancerprevention.org/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips.cfm
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/

Are You Ready? Preparing to Fight the Flu

Early childhood settings present unique challenges for infection control due to the highly vulnerable population, close interpersonal contact, shared toys, and limited ability of young children to understand or practice good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene.

Parents, early childhood providers, and public health officials should be aware that, even under the best of circumstances, transmission of infectious diseases such as flu cannot be completely prevented in early childhood or other settings. No policy can keep everyone who is potentially infectious out of these settings.

Children younger than 5 years of age are at increased risk of complications from influenza (flu); the risk is greater among children younger than 2 years old. Importantly, infants younger than 6 months of age represent a particularly vulnerable group because they are too young to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine. As a result, individuals responsible for caring for these children constitute a high-priority group for early vaccination.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has provided some of the following recommendations:

Get vaccinated for the seasonal flu; contact your local health department for more information.

Stay home when you're sick. If a child or staff member develops symptoms while at the program, s/he should promptly be separated from others and sent home.

Conduct daily health checks.

Have children and staff wash their hands with soap and water when they arrive and frequently throughout the day.

Clean and disinfect all the time! And then clean and disinfect some more.

For more good, useful information you can visit the following websites:

http://www.naccrra.org/policy/background_issues/swine-flu-related-information.php

http://www.flu.gov/

Let's Move! Child Care

On June 8th, the First Lady, Michelle Obama, announced Let’s Move! Child Care, a new initiative that will support child care providers in their efforts to help children develop healthy habits early in life. ‪Through the new Let’s Move! Child Care website, www.healthykidshealthyfuture.org, child care providers can access free online tools and resources pertaining to nutrition, physical activity and screen time.

The guidelines and resources available through Let's Move!  Child Care can help your child care program meet or exceed physical activity standards set forth by Missouri's Section for Child Care Regulation Division of Regulation and Licensure, as well as the standards of major child care accreditation systems.

Here's a small sample of the information available on the website: 

Let's Move!  Child Care Goals:

1. Physical Activity: Provide 1-2 hours of physical activity throughout the day, including outside play when possible.

2. Screen Time: No screen time for children under 2 years. For children age 2 and older, strive to limit screen time to no more than 30 minutes per week during child care, and work with parents and caregivers to ensure children have no more than 1-2 hours of quality screen time per day (as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics).

3. Food: Serve fruits or vegetables at every meal, eat meals family-style whenever possible, and don't serve fried foods.

4. Beverages: Provide access to water during meals and throughout the day, and don't serve sugar-sweetened drinks. For children age 2 and older, serve low-fat (1%) or non-fat milk, and no more than one 4- to 6-ounce serving of 100% juice per day.

5. Infant Feeding: For mothers who want to continue breastfeeding, provide their milk to their infants and welcome them to breastfeed during the child care day. Support all new parents in their decisions about infant feeding.

The website also includes a checklist that can be used to assess how much activity children in your child care program get daily.