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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Re-Opening Advice Needed
dolores 07:37 AM 05-06-2020
I've been closed since March 16th and want to be prepared when we reopen. The CDC provides guidance for child care programs that remained open but what does that look like throughout the day to day?
Wise people: how has your operations changed and what are you doing differently to maintain a sanitized, healthy and safe environment (something we’ve been doing all along anyway) during the pandemic?
-what are you using to sanitize?
-do you sanitize everything or just highly touched areas daily and then a thorough weekly sanitization?
-what new procedures have you implemented and old ones you have revised?
-what additional supplies/equipment did you get?
-did you rearrange your space?
-what changes have you made to parent policies?
-using a hand-sanitizer dispenser you're happy with? Which one?
Etc, etc
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AmyKidsCo 01:15 PM 05-06-2020
Are you FCC or group?

I'm FCC and never closed. I sent home a letter to the parents that basically said I expect them to shelter in place, keep their kids home, follow CDC guidelines, etc. I only have 6 families attending and know from conversations that they're sanitizing at home so I don't take temps.

-what are you using to sanitize? Lysol wipes and bleach water.

-do you sanitize everything or just highly touched areas daily and then a thorough weekly sanitization? I dip ALL the toys in bleach water every night. Start at the door and wipe down the door, light switches, walls, furniture, etc, all around the playroom up to 3' from the floor.

-what new procedures have you implemented and old ones you have revised? I have 4 bins, each with a box of coloring supplies, board books, table games, & other hard-to-sanitize items. Every night I put away what was out that day and bring out the next bin, so each bin is out 1 day and put away 3 days.

-what additional supplies/equipment did you get? Plastic bins to replace wicker baskets.

-did you rearrange your space? No, but I put away all but the bare minimum of toys required by licensing & all my wooden/natural toys.

-what changes have you made to parent policies? No car seats in the house, stuffed animals/lovies have to stay home or stay here (so I can launder them). I sign the children in/out, parents are encouraged to stay on the porch during drop off/pick up, and parents text me 5 min away so I can have the children ready to go.

-using a hand-sanitizer dispenser you're happy with? Which one? No hand sanitizer, but I have a touchless foaming soap dispenser.
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dolores 05:11 AM 05-08-2020
I am group and was full before we closed. Not sure how many will return but anticipating less than half. Thank you for your reply!
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Blackcat31 06:42 AM 05-08-2020
Originally Posted by dolores:
I've been closed since March 16th and want to be prepared when we reopen. The CDC provides guidance for child care programs that remained open but what does that look like throughout the day to day?
Wise people: how has your operations changed and what are you doing differently to maintain a sanitized, healthy and safe environment (something we’ve been doing all along anyway) during the pandemic?
-what are you using to sanitize?
-do you sanitize everything or just highly touched areas daily and then a thorough weekly sanitization?
-what new procedures have you implemented and old ones you have revised?
-what additional supplies/equipment did you get?
-did you rearrange your space?
-what changes have you made to parent policies?
-using a hand-sanitizer dispenser you're happy with? Which one?
Etc, etc
I also never closed and have been open the whole time.

Not really doing a whole lot different other than parents dropping off/picking up outside the fence and not entering the yard or house at all. I do have the kids go immediately to the bathroom upon arrival and wash their hands and faces before being allowed to play/interact with others.

I am sanitizing with bleach/water and disinfectant spray as usual. The kids are probably washing their hands twice as often though...Usually prior to and after any activity and sometimes in between depending on child and circumstances. (my nose picker washes hands double the amount of times as peers )

Everything is sanitized daily now verses some of those things that used to be sanitized maybe every other day or weekly before.

No new supplies or equipment and no new policy changes or room rearrangements here.

As for hand sanitizer, I'm using the same Purell pump bottle as previously used but I am not a huge fan of hand sanitizer in the first place and use it only when we are outside and have no access to running water. If we have access to water, they wash hands with soap and water.

So far everything here is relatively the same with a little added/extra hand washing and sanitizing going on but other than that I haven't had too much change. Thank goodness as it's already apparent that some families/kids are having a bit of difficulty dealing with the pandemic in general so having daycare be the one place where they can still be "normal" is helpful.
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littlefriends 07:19 AM 05-08-2020
Wish I had read this thread yesterday, lol! I posted practically the same question. Most of mine are returning next week and I took away all soft/wooden/unwashable things and decided to remove books as well. I know they said (cdc website) books aren't considered a high risk of transmission but...I'm kinda paranoid lately. I'm going to be keeping a small amount of easy to clean every night toys out for the foreseeable future.
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AmyKidsCo 12:38 PM 05-08-2020
Originally Posted by littlefriends:
Wish I had read this thread yesterday, lol! I posted practically the same question. Most of mine are returning next week and I took away all soft/wooden/unwashable things and decided to remove books as well. I know they said (cdc website) books aren't considered a high risk of transmission but...I'm kinda paranoid lately. I'm going to be keeping a small amount of easy to clean every night toys out for the foreseeable future.
You could set up a rotation like I have - 1 day out, 3 days away. It's not a big deal to switch things, takes about 5 minutes.
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flying_babyb 05:22 PM 05-08-2020
-what are you using to sanitize? We have been using a comercial sanitizer, each classroom has a day (were a small center, If we were a home daycare, we would do a area a day)
-do you sanitize everything or just highly touched areas daily and then a thorough weekly sanitization? Everything gets blasted oban daily as soon as we close
-what new procedures have you implemented and old ones you have revised? No parents in, Door drop off
-what additional supplies/equipment did you get?extra gloves
-did you rearrange your space? I did in my classroom as I have a real problem with runners and my areas are very closed off. To comply with the more space between nappers, I have moved some areas (and I HATE it)

Anything that goes NEAR the mouth goes in the sanitize bin, finger are washed, The one child who sucks her hands is now wearing winter gloves every time she starts sucking.. This reminds her fingers are not for chewing (and yep were going through 4-6 pairs of winter gloves daily!)
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littlefriends 07:23 AM 05-11-2020
Originally Posted by AmyKidsCo:
You could set up a rotation like I have - 1 day out, 3 days away. It's not a big deal to switch things, takes about 5 minutes.
Duh! This never even occurred to me but now I'm setting up a system! Thank you!!
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Cat Herder 07:52 AM 05-11-2020
From CDC:

Clean and Sanitize Toys
Toys that cannot be cleaned and sanitized should not be used.
Toys that children have placed in their mouths or that are otherwise contaminated by body secretions or excretions should be set aside until they are cleaned by hand by a person wearing gloves. Clean with water and detergent, rinse, sanitize with an EPA-registered disinfectant, rinse again, and air-dry. You may also clean in a mechanical dishwasher. Be mindful of items more likely to be placed in a child’s mouth, like play food, dishes, and utensils.
Machine washable cloth toys should be used by one individual at a time or should not be used at all. These toys should be laundered before being used by another child.
Do not share toys with other groups of infants or toddlers, unless they are washed and sanitized before being moved from one group to the other.
Set aside toys that need to be cleaned. Place in a dish pan with soapy water or put in a separate container marked for “soiled toys.” Keep dish pan and water out of reach from children to prevent risk of drowning. Washing with soapy water is the ideal method for cleaning. Try to have enough toys so that the toys can be rotated through cleanings.
Children’s books, like other paper-based materials such as mail or envelopes, are not considered a high risk for transmission and do not need additional cleaning or disinfection procedures. - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...CleanDisinfect
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