Adapting Child Care for Climate Change: Balancing Outdoor Play and Safety

A family child care provider Dora Ramos found ways to keep kids engaged outdoors even during scorching summer days when the temperature hit above 90 degrees. However, in Dallas, where the mercury soared to 110 degrees, outdoor play became both unsafe and impractical for weeks, highlighting the challenges faced by child care centers due to extreme weather conditions.

The Importance of Outdoor Play for Young Children
Research consistently underscores the significance of outdoor play, movement, and nature exposure for the development of young children. Many regulations mandate outdoor play for children in childcare facilities, emphasizing its crucial role in their physical and mental well-being.

Climate Change and Child Care: A Growing Concern
With climate change altering weather patterns, leaders in early childhood development are emphasizing the need to design and upgrade child care centers for the changing climate. The Early Years Climate Action Task Force has released recommendations to address the impact of climate change on the youngest members of society.

Prioritizing Climate-Resilient Child Care Centers
Angie Garling, Vice President for Early Care and Education, stresses the importance of prioritizing climate-resilient designs in multifamily housing and early care/education. Acknowledging that young children are less responsible for climate issues but more vulnerable to its effects, the focus is on ensuring their safety and well-being.

Challenges Faced by Young Children
Young children, especially those under 5, face increased risks during extreme weather conditions. Their developmental need for outdoor time clashes with the dangers posed by factors like heat, wildfire smoke, and air pollution. Children in this age group breathe twice as much air per pound of body weight, making them more susceptible to respiratory issues.

Design Solutions for Climate-Resilient Cities
Architect and designer Ankita Chachra advocates for climate-resilient designs in cities to preserve outdoor play for children. Simple adaptations, such as permeable surfaces in parks, can mitigate extreme weather impacts. Shaded areas and equitable access to safe, cooler outdoor spaces contribute to creating climate-friendly environments.

Coping with Extreme Weather: Improvisation and Creativity
Child care providers, faced with extreme weather challenges, have had to improvise to ensure children receive the necessary gross motor play and stimulation. From indoor obstacle courses to scavenger hunts and creative play activities, educators find ways to engage children when outdoor play is not feasible.

Emotional Impact on Children and Caregivers
Severe weather conditions can have an emotional toll on both children and caregivers. Jessica Sager, from the network All Our Kin, highlights the sadness experienced by kids unable to go outside during situations like wildfires. Caregivers must navigate explaining challenging realities to children, drawing parallels to the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Policy Challenges in an Already Strained Sector
While climate threats are pressing, policymakers are aware of the challenges faced by the early childhood sector, which is already dealing with funding shortages. The United States government’s comparatively low spending on early child development, combined with the recent drop in supplemental funds, poses additional hurdles for the sector.

As the climate continues to pose challenges for childcare centers, the emphasis on designing climate-resilient spaces becomes critical. Balancing outdoor play, safety, and emotional well-being for young children requires innovative solutions and a collective effort to prioritize their needs in an ever-changing climate landscape.