2020 was a unique year for many reasons. Entire industries, the way we work, and live changed virtually overnight. Daycares were no stranger to these changes, either. Everything from day-to-day activities, regulatory requirements, new health and safety mandates, policy overhauls, and more changed.
Even though it’s 2021, lockdowns are still the norm, masks are still mandatory in most areas, and daycares are still working hard to provide a safe and nurturing environment for our children.
With spring fast approaching, daycares need to be organized and ready. That’s why we’ve put together five actionable tips daycares can follow to navigate COVID-19 this spring.
The majority of your children likely don’t understand what COVID-19 is, especially for young toddlers. For older toddlers, the majority of their life has involved social distancing, wearing masks, and living in a pandemic world.
Your goal as a child care provider is to ensure that they feel at ease when they come in, and not scared with all the PPE your staff will be wearing. And depending on their age and if they have to wear a mask, it can be hard for them to remember to keep their masks on.
Try your best to explain in simple terms why we all need to be wearing masks, and gently remind them as the day goes along. If you do notice an increase in tantrums or outbursts, the child may be feeling anxious, and with everything going on, who isn’t feeling anxious?
You can also ensure that your staff and parents are more at ease by connecting with them regularly through childcare management software, so they’re constantly updated. These platforms can provide a single location for tracking daily screenings, temperatures, and absences.
Health and safety should be your top priority. Messy conditions, warm weather, allergies, and common colds are the norm come spring. The only way to stay ahead of the mess is to implement strict cleaning procedures.
You can keep track of your cleaning tasks and processes using a childcare management software. Staff can sign off when cleaning procedures are carried out, ensuring critical cleaning tasks aren’t missed.
Here are a few ways you can increase the effectiveness of your cleaning procedures:
The goal of your cleaning procedures is to create a safe and consistent environment for staff and children. While these tasks do require a lot of extra work, with the right childcare management software, you can save time by keeping them visible and organized.
Another way to help cut down on the spread of germs is to have separate toys for each child or groups. When your preschoolers come in, have baskets of toys that are already sanitized and ready for playtime.
You can also have individual play areas for children, depending on your space and how many preschoolers you have. For instance, little kitchen playsets set up at different corners of the room are perfect to help keep your kids distanced—just ensure you’re encouraging social distancing whenever possible.
Keeping your staff consistent is not only good for your preschool kids, but it also helps limit the number of people everyone comes in contact with. Consistent staffing can reduce the chance of an outbreak by making it easy to determine which staff may have been affected.
Childcare management software is one of the best ways to achieve this, since it keeps track of your kids and staff, simplifies scheduling, and more. You can use this type of software to see who someone came in contact with, on what day, and plan your next steps accordingly.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned during COVID-19, it’s that rules and regulations are constantly changing. Keep up to date with announcements, but try not to go overboard with watching the news, as that can increase anxiety.
In a time where a lot is out of our control, what you can control is how prepared you are. Prepare yourself for what happens if you have an outbreak at your preschool, if more restrictions are placed, or if they are lifted.
You also need to keep parents in the loop. Using integrated childcare management software can simplify this process, providing a single location for critical updates, regulatory changes, and more.
Spring is coming up soon, but COVID-19 is still here. Everyone’s safety is your top priority when managing your preschool, and learning how to navigate during these challenging times is essential.
As former daycare operators ourselves, we know how challenging navigating COVID-19 really is. KinderPass makes it easy for you to track, follow, and maintain compliance with the latest government regulations when it comes to COVID-19.
Want to learn how you can effectively navigate COVID-19 and keep you, your staff, and preschoolers safe with childcare management software? Book your demo today to see how KinderPass can help you prepare for COVID-19 this spring.
