ELCC 2005: Effect of Centre Layout on Children Safety in Canada

This report examines the effect of centre layout on children's safety within early childhood education facilities in Canada. It explores the importance of the physical environment for children's development and the legal oversight of early education. The report investigates the impact of indoor activity spaces, such as active zones and cubbies, and how they influence children's safety and movement. It also discusses the significance of outdoor activity spaces, including playground equipment and instruments for balance and climbing, for children's skill development. Furthermore, the report highlights the role of equipment and furnishings, like toys and shock-absorbing surfaces, in preventing health hazards and creating a positive environment. The research questions address the effect of centre layout, indoor and outdoor spaces, and furnishings on children's safety, drawing on literature to support the findings.

Running head: EFFECT OF CENTRE LAYOUT ON CHILDREN SAFETY IN CANADA
Effect of Centre layout on Children Safety in Canada
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

2EFFECT OF CENTRE LAYOUT ON CHILDREN SAFETY IN CANADA
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Literature Review.......................................................................................................................3
Effect of centre layout on children safety..............................................................................3
Effect of the indoor activity space on children safety............................................................3
Impact of the outdoor activity space in meting needs of children.........................................4
Effect of the equipment and the furnishings on children safety.............................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................7

3EFFECT OF CENTRE LAYOUT ON CHILDREN SAFETY IN CANADA
Introduction
The planning of Early Childhood Facility helps in providing the pleasing physical
environment for the children which supports the learning and the development of the
children. The individual provinces along with the territories have the legal power of
overseeing the aspect of the early education along with the child care (Genesee, 2016). The
early education along with the child care policies have played a significant role in meeting
the educational challenges of the country. The child care facilities are equipped with the
proper facilities that can take care of the well-being of the children. The site should be
physically safe that can help in offering protection to the children. The family friendly
environment should be provided to the children that considers the needs of the infants along
with the young children (Pacini-Ketchabaw, Kind & Kocher, 2016). The family friendly
designs can help in making the children and the families feel comfortable that can meet the
needs of the children. This paper discusses about the impact of the indoor activity space on
the aspect of the safety of the children. This paper elaborates on impact of outdoor space
activity in ensuring physical safety of the children. This paper elucidates on the importance of
the furnishing for taking care of the needs of children.
Research Questions
 What is the effect of the centre layout on the element of safety of the children?
 What is the impact of the indoor activity space on children safety?
 How does the outdoor activity space have a bearing on the safety of the children?
 To what extent does the furnishings and the equipment influence the children safety?

4EFFECT OF CENTRE LAYOUT ON CHILDREN SAFETY IN CANADA
Literature Review
Effect of centre layout on children safety
The physical environment plays a crucial role for the healthy development of the
children within the framework of the early education setting. The children can be said to be
more vulnerable when compared to the adults in facing the adverse effects of the
environmental exposures. According to Langford et al. (2017), there are some children who
are more vulnerable when compared to the other children on account of the genetics, socio-
economic situation along with the parental occupation. The health and the safety within the
parameter of early childhood education can be said to be of great importance when operating
a child care center of the high quality. The playgrounds can keep the children active and they
should be kept in a good condition for the purpose of the safety of the children. It should
abide by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) that can help in meeting the growing
needs of the children. It have been argued by Langford, Powell and Bezanson (2019), the
children develop a feeling of frustration when they cannot move through the environment and
the child care operators should design the classroom carefully that can aid in meeting
physical needs of children. The children should be able to get a sense of the belonging from
the class room that can work to the benefit of the young children. A relaxing environment
should be created in the classroom that can aid in the proper development of the children.
Effect of the indoor activity space on children safety
The active zone of the early learning center should be able to accommodate all kinds
of the free-flowing activities like the block play, motor activities along with the dramatic
play. It is of crucial importance that it is laid out that can ensure the free movement of the
children. The active zone can overflow into that of circulation paths that can work for the
benefit of the children (Mahon, 2020). There should be carpets in active zone so that it can
help in managing the noise that can take care of the safety of the children. The rugs can

5EFFECT OF CENTRE LAYOUT ON CHILDREN SAFETY IN CANADA
provide a warm floor surface that can take care of the safety of the children. The surface
should be resilient that can offer protection to the children from all kinds of the harms.
According to Varmuza, Perlman and White (2019), there should be cubbies kept in the indoor
space so that it can act as the storage function for the outerwear of children along with the
belongings. There should be the arrangement of one cubby for every single child that can be
an advantage for the children. There should be seating options in entry space that can provide
support to the children who have the disabilities.
Impact of the outdoor activity space in meting needs of children
There should be the outdoor playground equipment in the child care centre that can
help in developing the skills of the children. The playground designs should be of the great
quality that can aid in the process of development of the children. The educational play
equipments should have the inclusive design that can support the goals of the parents. There
should be a space surrounding the building that can act as a place where the children can
gather and play. There should be slides kept for the children that can help the child in
experiencing the speed along with the courage (Hinkley et al., 2016) There should be
instruments for the balancing of the children like the seesaw and the single-log bridge. There
should be the balance beam in the outer area of the learning centre that can aid the children in
exercising the balance along with the patience. There should be various kinds of the climbing
instruments like drill pipe that can train power along with the flexible limbs of the children
(van Liempd et al., 2018). The child learning centre can take the advantage of the
instruments that can assist in the activities of the children. It can be instrumental in saving the
area for the children that can help the children in gaining the comprehensive training. The
game space can be helpful for the children in playing the games and it can also assist the
children in carrying out the social activities.

6EFFECT OF CENTRE LAYOUT ON CHILDREN SAFETY IN CANADA
Effect of the equipment and the furnishings on children safety
The toys and the equipments should be kept in the good condition that can aid in the
prevention of the health hazards for the children. It can help in the creation of the positive
environment that can greatly aid in development of children. The toys should be free from the
disease-causing-bacteria that can ensure the safety of children. There should not be any sharp
edges along with the loose bolts that can jeopardize the life of the children (Nykiforuk et al.,
2019). There should be shock-absorbing surfaces which are kept under the indoor along with
the outdoor climbing equipment that can offer protection to the children who are at the
critical fall heights. The hospitality space should be provided to children that can help in the
engagement of the children. There should be comfortable seating arrangement like the
beanbag chairs along with the mattress that can be instrumental in providing the comfort to
the children (Pacini-Ketchabaw, Kind & Kocher, 2016). There should be the Cascade Cubby,
round tables and the stack chairs that can take care of the aspect of the children safety.
Conclusion
Physical environment is an important factor that helps in healthy growth of children in
the parameter of early education setting. The children are more vulnerable than the adults and
they have to face negative impact of environmental exposures. Active zone should
accommodate various kinds of the activities like block play along with the dramatic play. It
should facilitate free movement of children that can ensure healthy growth of the children.
The designing of the playgrounds should be done very carefully that can aid the children in
moving freely. The play equipment can bear inclusive design which can support goals of
parents. Toys should be devoid of any kind of the bacteria that can prove to be harmful for
the children. The tables should not have the sharp edges which can cause harm to life of
children.

7EFFECT OF CENTRE LAYOUT ON CHILDREN SAFETY IN CANADA
References
Genesee, F. (2016). Rethinking early childhood education for English language learners: The
role of language. Early childhood education in English for speakers of other
languages, 21-42.
Hinkley, T., Salmon, J., Crawford, D., Okely, A. D., & Hesketh, K. D. (2016). Preschool and
childcare center characteristics associated with children’s physical activity during care
hours: an observational study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and
Physical Activity, 13(1), 117.
Langford, R., Powell, A., & Bezanson, K. (2019). Imagining a caring early childhood
education and care system in Canada: a thought experiment. International Journal of
Care and Caring.
Langford, R., Richardson, B., Albanese, P., Bezanson, K., Prentice, S., & White, J. (2017).
Caring about care: Reasserting care as integral to early childhood education and care
practice, politics and policies in Canada. Global Studies of Childhood, 7(4), 311-322.
Mahon, R. (2020). Governable spaces of early childhood education and care: the Canadian
case. In The Policies of Childcare and Early Childhood Education. Edward Elgar
Publishing.
Nykiforuk, C. I., Hewes, J., Belon, A. P., Paradis, D., Gallagher, E., Gokiert, R., ... &
Nieuwendyk, L. (2019). Evaluating child-friendly spaces: insights from a
participatory mixed methods study of a municipality’s free-play preschool and
space. Cities & Health, 3(1-2), 169-183.
Pacini-Ketchabaw, V., Kind, S., & Kocher, L. L. (2016). Encounters with materials in early
childhood education. Routledge.

8EFFECT OF CENTRE LAYOUT ON CHILDREN SAFETY IN CANADA
van Liempd, H. I. M., Oudgenoeg-Paz, O., Fukkink, R. G., & Leseman, P. P. (2018). Young
children’s exploration of the indoor playroom space in center-based childcare. Early
Childhood Research Quarterly, 43, 33-41.
Varmuza, P., Perlman, M., & White, L. A. (2019). Understanding early childhood education
and care utilization in Canada: implications for demand and oversight. International
Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 13(1), 7.