14 Del. Admin. Code § 938-IV-41.0

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 7, January 1, 2025

Section 938-IV-41.0 - Equipment

41.1 A licensee shall provide developmentally-appropriate equipment and materials for activities.

41.1.1 There must be enough supplies and equipment to allow children the opportunity to choose activities or materials.

41.1.2 There must be a system of sharing high demand items, such as computers, when they cannot be supplied to all children.

41.2 A licensee shall ensure toys and equipment used by the children are sturdy, safely assembled, hazard-free, and not recalled. Toys and equipment may not cause children to become trapped or have rough edges, sharp corners, pinch and crush points, splinters, or exposed bolts.

41.3 A licensee shall take the following measures to prevent hazards to children in care:

41.3.1 To prevent cuts, abrasions, and punctures, equipment, materials, and other objects on the premises that have sharp edges, protruding nails, bolts, or other dangers must be repaired, removed, or made inaccessible to children. Sharp edges on natural wooden equipment must be sanded;

41.3.2 To prevent burns, equipment, materials, or products that may be hot enough to injure a child must be made inaccessible to children;

41.3.3 To prevent sheering, crushing, or pinching, broken or cracked equipment, materials, and objects must be repaired, removed, or made inaccessible to children;

41.3.4 To prevent entrapment, freezers, refrigerators, washers, dryers, compost bins, and other entrapment dangers must be inaccessible to children unless being actively supervised;

41.3.5 To prevent tripping, uneven indoor walkways, damaged flooring or carpeting, or other tripping hazards must be removed or repaired;

41.3.6 To prevent injuries and death, large objects that pose a risk of falling or tipping must be securely anchored. Large objects include, but are not limited to, televisions, dressers, bookshelves, wall cabinets, sideboards or hutches, and wall units; and

41.3.7 To prevent injuries, equipment in poor condition (rusty parts, flaking paint, or other dangers) must be repaired, removed, or made inaccessible to children.

41.4 A licensee shall ensure equipment and materials are selected or adapted to allow all children, including a child with disabilities or other special needs, to benefit from the program.

41.5 A licensee shall ensure screen time activities, such as watching television, using a gaming device, tablet, phone, or computer, are age-appropriate and supervised by a staff member.

41.6 A licensee shall ensure equipment and supplies are relevant to the cultural background and community of all children and raise awareness of other cultures and communities.

14 Del. Admin. Code § 938-IV-41.0

25 DE Reg. 172 (8/1/2021) (final)