child care ver2

GHS 1013 HEALTH, SAFETY AND NUTRITION

1.0 INTRODUCTION

According to Morrison (2008), kindergarten children are like other children in

many ways. They have similar developmental, physical, and behavioral characteristics

that characterize them as kindergarteners, children age five to six. Yet, at the same time,

they have characteristics that make them unique individuals.

Picture 1: Kindergarten children with their teacher.

Kindergarten children are energetic. They have a lot of energy, and they want to

use it in physical activities such as running, climbing, and jumping. Their desire to be

involved in physical activity makes kindergarten an ideal time to involve children in

projects of building. For example, making learning centres to resemble a store, post

office, or veterinary office.During this stage kindergarten children are continuing to learn

to regulate their emotions and social interactions.

Some things we can do to promote kindergartener’s positive social and emotional

development are:

Provide opportunities for children to be physically and mentally involved in

activities involving problem solving and social activities with others;

Teach and role model how to make and keep friends;

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Model positive social and emotional responses. Read stories and discuss feelings

such as anger, happiness, guilt, and pride;

Give children opportunities to be leaders in projects and activities;

State our expectations for appropriate behavior and discuss them with our

children.

Most kindergarten children, especially those who have been to preschool, are very

confident, are eager to be involved, and want to and can accept a great deal of

responsibility. They like going places and doing things, such as working on projects,

experimenting, and working with others. Socially, kindergarten children are at the same

time solitary and independent workers and growing in their ability and desire to work

cooperatively with others. They want to be industrious and successful. Their combination

of a “can do” attitude and their cooperation and responsibility make them a delight to

teach and work with.

Morrison (2008) goes on to say that kindergarten children are in a period of rapid

intellectual and language growth. They have a tremendous capacity to learn words and

like the challenge of learning new words. This helps explain kindergarten children’s love

of big words and their ability to say and use them. This is nowhere more apparent than in

their fondness for dinosaurs and words such as brontosaur. Kindergarten children like and

need to be involved in many language activities.

Additionally, kindergarteners like to talk. Their desire to be verbal should be

encouraged and supported by allowing many opportunities to engage in various language

activities such as singing, telling stories, being involved in drama, and reciting poetry.

What children know when they enter kindergarten helps determine their success in school

and what and how they are taught.

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2.0 KNOWLEDGE ON PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT IN KINDERGARTEN

Research has found that day care in early childhood centres has a positive effect

on children’s development. It is generally understood and accepted, based on extensive

empirical evidence that formal child care contributes to cognitive development for

preschool children, especially for economically disadvantaged children, and leads to

greater intellectual competence and cognitive maturity for a broad range of middle-class

Western children.

Picture 2: An example of a kindergarten.

According to TKCalifornia.org (2011),they can support student’s social,

emotional, physical and cognitive development by creating a classroom environment that

is engaging, promotes movement, is responsive to the diverse backgrounds and

experiences of our transitional kindergarteners and is accessible to students with

disabilities or special needs.

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Young learners need engagement in play-based projects that are connected to

theme-based integrated curriculum throughout the day. When carefully designed, the

classroom environment can extend and reinforce key curricular goals and concepts that

students are learning and support healthy brain development. The classroom space they

create, individualized to the needs and experiences of the students, will be crucial in

helping them get the most out of the school years to come.

Every classroom area and center can include literacy opportunities for students. Strategies

can include:

Stocking all areas of the classroom with writing tools and materials to encourage

children to write and explore reading during play;

Placing books outdoors to encourage students to read everywhere;

Including writing in various places such as well-labeled bins, names on items

around the classroom, lists and children’s names in a pocket chart (this provides

an organizational structure and student accessibility, and promote an environment

rich in print); and

Creating word walls, dictation and observational drawing to support systematic

introduction of new vocabulary and comprehension of content and new ideas.

Young learners need plenty of space and opportunity for cooperative learning

experiences that support their social, emotional, linguistic, physical and cognitive

development, and also supports their emerging cultural identities. These experiences help

children process new information and enables them to makes more substantive

connections in their learning. The level of interaction provides children ample

opportunity to speak with their peers and builds their language and speaking skills, which

is particularly helpful for English learners.

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It’s important to incorporate time into the daily routine for students to freely

choose their learning experiences. Creating a welcome environment that children can

connect with makes for a more productive learning environment. Among the many

strategies to accomplish this, a recommended approach is to have the classroom

materials, including items from home or other “real-life” objects, and overall the learning

environment reflects the diverse cultures and assets children bring from home. In

addition, it can be helpful when areas are organized so students can readily access

learning materials throughout the classroom, particularly for students with disabilities.

Labeling areas and materials in the environment will assist students with making

choices and identify how specific areas and objects are organized. In addition, the room

should include quiet spaces that allow children to relax during stressful times. Resting

places should be comfortable, welcoming, and infused with fabrics and textures familiar

to children’s home lives.

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3.0 NUTRITION NEEDS

Picture 3: Healthy food for children.

Food and good nutrition is of utmost importance to young children. What they eat

impacts on their growth and development. Children’s eating habits are developed in the

early years, and many eating habits developed at this early age will be continued

throughout life. It is therefore important that, whilst in care, children consume foods that

are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents, promote the

development of healthy eating habits and meet children’s nutrition requirements for

optimum growth.

According to Kellows (2013), a dietician, nutrition guidelines recommended for

adults are inappropriate for most children under the age of five. This is because young

children only have small tummies and so need plenty of calories and nutrients in a small

amount of food to ensure they grow properly.

While low-fat diets are recommended for older children and adults, under-fives

need diets that contain good amounts of fat.This fat should come from foods that contain

plenty of other nutrients like meat, oily fishand full-fat milk, rather than from high-fat

foods that contain fewvitamins and minerals like cakes, biscuits and chocolate.

Meanwhile, young children shouldn’t eat too many fibre-rich foods, either, as

these may fill them up so much they can’t eat enough to provide them with adequate

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calories and nutrients.However, as kids approach school age, they should gradually move

towards a diet that’s lower in fat and higher in fibre. And by the age of five, their diet

should be low in fat, sugar and salt and high in fibre with five fruit and veg a day – just

like adults.

Fortunately, whatever their age, children can easily get a balanced diet, and lower their

risk of becoming overweight or obese, by eating a variety of foods from four main food

groups:

Bread, other cereals and potatoes – these starchy foods, which also include pasta

and rice, provide energy, fibre, vitamins and minerals;

Fruit and vegetables – these provide fibre, vitamins and minerals and are a source

of antioxidants.

Milk and dairy foods – these provide calcium for healthy bones and teeth, protein

for growth, plus vitamins and minerals.

Meat, fish and alternatives – these foods, which include eggs and pulses, provide

protein and vitamins and minerals, especially iron. Pulses also contain fibre.

In contrast, foods from a fifth food group that includes fatty and sugary foods like

biscuits, cakes, fizzy drinks, chocolate, sweets, crisps and pastries, that add little

nutritional value, should be limited.

Choosing foods from each of the four main food groups will help to ensure that

kids receive all the vitamins and minerals they need for good nutrition and

health.Worryingly, figures from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of Young People

reveals that many children have inadequate intakes of many nutrients, including vitamin

A, riboflavin (vitamin B2), zinc, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron, particularly

once they reach the teenage years and have more control over what they eat.

In contrast, the survey showed these poor intakes of vitamins and minerals were

combined with too much salt, sugar and saturated fat.It’s particularly important that

children and teenagers eat a diet that’s packed with vitamins and minerals. In fact, older

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children often have higher requirements for nutrients than even adults in order to support

growth – for example, 15 to 18 year old boys need more thiamin (vitamin B1), niacin

(vitamin B3), vitamin B6, calcium, phosphorus and iron that adult men! Similarly, 15 to

18 year old girls need more niacin, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium than adult

women.

Picture 4: Food pyramid guide.

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Although obesity is a major problem, children and teenagers still need enough

calories to grow and develop into healthy adults. This chart gives a rough guideline to the

daily calorie needs of boys and girls at different ages. Kids who are really active may

need more; those who are inactive may need less.

Age Calories per day

Boys Girls

1–3 1,230 1,165

4–6 1,715 1,545

7–10 1,970 1,740

11–14 2,220 1,845

15–18 2,755 2,110

Adults 2,550 1,940

Table 1: Calories intake per day.

It’s important to ensure that children don’t have too much salt. While adults

should have no more than 6g of salt a day, children need even less as they have smaller

bodies.So don’t add salt to cooking or meals and check information on labels when you

buy processed foods such as crisps, ready meals and sauces, even if they’re aimed at

children.

Opt for those with the least sodium because it’s the sodium in salt that’s linked to

health problems like high blood pressure. Bacon, ham, sausages and cheese are also high

in salt so limit these, too.

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The maximum amounts of salt children should have at different ages are as follows:

1–3 years – 2g a day (0.8g sodium)

4–6 years – 3g a day (1.2g sodium)

7–10 years – 5g a day (2g sodium)

11 years upward – 6g a day (2.5g sodium)

According to MayoClinic.com (2013), nutrition for kids is based on the same

principles as nutrition for adults. Everyone needs the same types of nutrients, such as

vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein and fat. What's different about nutrition for

kids, however, is the amount of specific nutrients needed at different ages.

The American Heart Association (2013)recommends this eating pattern for

families. Energy or calories should be adequate to support growth and development and

to reach or maintain desirable body weight.Eat foods low in saturated fat, trans fat,

cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

Keep total fat intake between 30 to 35 percent of calories for children 2 to 3 years

of age and between 25 to 35 percent of calories for children and adolescents 4 to 18 years

of age, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty

acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

Choose a variety of foods to get enough carbohydrates, protein and other

nutrients.Eat only enough calories to maintain a healthy weight for your height and build.

Be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day.Serve whole-grain/high-fiber breads

and cereals rather than refined grain products. Look for “whole grain” as the first

ingredient on the food label and make at least half your grain servings whole grain.

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4.0 IMPORTANT MEASURES TAKEN IN PREVENTING EMERGENCY

SITUATION AND HOW TO RESPONSE

It is very important that the kindergarten is safe and secure for the children and

even for the teachers. Therefore, in this section, we will be discussing important measures

taken in preventing emergency situation and how to response. First, hire ample, qualified

staff members. We should have enough employees to supervise all of the children in our

preschool, and to ensure that all of the areas in the preschool where children congregate

are monitored at all times by staff members. Additionally, we should require that our staff

is trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and is certified in first aid.

Picture 6: A safe environment in a kindergarten.

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Second, check the play area regularly.Toys should be clean, and sanitized at the

end of every day.Make sure there are no broken toy pieces, which can be sharp and

dangerous.Keep high traffic areas clear of anything that may cause preschoolers to trip

and fall. For example, clean up spills as soon as they happen, and keep toys that aren't

being played with in designated toy bins.

Next, arrange the classroom in a way that allows us to see all of the children, at all

times. Make sure there are no blind spots where children can get lost from our sight.If we

use cubicles or partition walls, configure them in a way that allows us to see around them

from as many angles as possible. For example, it is better to put a partition wall at a right

angle to a perimeter wall than it is to put 2 partitions walls at right angles to each other in

the center of the room.Set up play areas in the center of the room.Arrange chairs, desks

and worktables in circles.

Fourth, adhere to food safety guidelines. When it comes to preparing, storing and

serving food, there are a number of precautions we should take to ensure daycare safety.

Our government's daycare facility regulatory agency can provide us with a

comprehensive manual of food safety guidelines.

Fifth, safeguard the outdoor play area.Ground covering must be soft to cushion

falls.The height of swings, slides and other playground equipment must be a safe distance

from the ground.There should be no bolts, nuts, screws or other fasteners protruding from

the playground equipment in a way that could potentially harm children.

Openings must be large enough to ensure that body parts cannot get trapped. A

standard rule is to make sure there are no openings between 3.5 inches (8.4 cm) and 9

inches (21.6 cm) wide.Space play equipment at least 12 feet (3.7 m) apart.Clear traffic

areas of tripping hazards. Examples of tripping hazards include tree branches, boulders,

and sudden shifts in elevation and tree stumps.

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Check playground equipment regularly for ease of operation and structural

integrity.Elevated platforms should have guardrails.Encircle the playground with a tall

safety fence, and make sure any gates leading to the outside are locked.

Sixth, keep chemicals locked away from children. In a preschool environment,

cleaners, insecticides, first aid solutions, medications and all other toxic substances

should be kept in a high, flame-resistant and safety-locked cabinet.

Seventh, inspect for environmental hazards regularly. Common environmental

safety issues include water impurities, lead-based paint, mercury, asbestos, waste

management and indoor air pollutants like mold/mildew, carbon monoxide, tobacco

smoke, allergens and dust. Call the appropriate authorities to the premises to test for

environmental hazards before allowing children to enter the preschool environment, and

place applicable electronic detectors throughout the facility.

Eighth, have emergency plans in place. Conduct fire and natural disaster drills on

a regular basis to ensure that everyone at the preschool is familiar with the proper

procedures for handling emergency situations.

And finally, create rules. Rule lists can be used in a variety of ways to promote a

safe environment at preschool.Post school rules clearly where are preschoolers can see

them, and be sure to address them on a regular basis so that the children are familiar with

them. For example, rules like "keep your hands to yourself" and "tell the teacher if you

have a problem with another student" can help prevent physically harmful arguments in

the preschool environment, and rules about washing hands and covering sneezes can help

prevent the spread of illness.

Establish a set of rules for picking up and dropping off preschoolers. For example,

we may require parents to provide photo IDs, fill out forms for other parties they wish to

pick up their children, sign in and out, stay inside a pickup zone during pickup time

and/or call ahead of time if the pickup method is to temporarily change.

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5.0 CONCLUSION

For many children, a kindergarten class marks their first experience with formal,

structured schooling. Children usually begin kindergarten at the age of 4 or 5. Attending

kindergarten represents an important milestone and offers several advantages to

children.Attending school gives children the opportunity to interact with their peers in a

fun, creative environment.

According to Scholastic.com (2013), kindergarten students learn and practice

basic social development and interpersonal skills, such as cooperation with others,

conflict resolution, sharing and taking turns. Students also begin developing friendships

with their peers and with adults, such as teachers and other school personnel.

Kindergarteners begin to understand that they are part of a larger community made up of

all types of people with different points of view.

Attending kindergarten socially and academically prepares students for more

structured schooling. According to Great Schools (2013), an organization that tracks

school performance information, by the end of Kindergarten, students should know how

to stand in line, follow directions, pay attention and feel more comfortable apart from

their parents or caregivers. The academic skills they learned will better prepare them for

the transition to first grade. Students who attend full-time kindergarten typically also

have better school attendance through the primary grades.

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6.0 REFERENCES

1. G. R. Morrison; (2008); Fundamentals of Early Chilhood Education; Pearson

Education Inc.

2. Juliette Kellows; 2013; Good Nutrition for Children;

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/

3. http://www.mayoclinic.com/; 2013

4. http://www.heart.org/; 2013

5. http://www.tkcalifornia.org/ 2011

6. http://www.scholastic.com/ 2013

7. http://www.greatschools.org/ 2013

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child care ver2

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