Public Service Announcements
July 2002
CHILD CARE TIPS FOR PARENTS
PSA #1 - Parents, is your child going on
field trips or outings while in child care? These can be educational and
fun for kids. A field trip should be right for the age of the children.
Shorter trips are better for younger children. Be sure your child's
caregiver plans well and follows safety guidelines for each trip away
from the center or child care home.
The Penn State University Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program
has information on children's issues for early childhood educators, child
care providers, and parents on the Better Kid Care web site at
www.betterkidcare.psu.edu.
PSA #2 - When field trips or outings are
planned at child care, parents need to receive information about it ahead
of time and sign a permission slip for each outing. If you do not feel
that an outing is right for your child, make alternate plans for that
day.
Good child care providers are always looking for new ideas. The Penn
State University Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program has information
on children's issues for early childhood educators, child care providers,
and parents on the Better Kid Care web site at
www.betterkidcare.psu.edu.
PSA #3 - Extra adults are needed to supervise
children on a child care field trip. Ratios for state regulations must
be met. Children should be counted by their group leader from time to
time during the outing, especially when leaving a vehicle and also at
the field trip site at the end of the trip.
NO CHILD SHOULD EVER BE
LEFT ALONE IN ANY VEHICLE FOR ANY REASON!
The Penn State University Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program
has information on children's issues for early childhood educators, child
care providers, and parents on the Better Kid Care web site at
www.betterkidcare.psu.edu.
PSA #4 -Before each
field trip or outing away from a child care center or home, child care
staff should go over safety rules with the children and the adult helpers.
The children should be in assigned groups, with special friends placed
together to prevent a child from suddenly running to see a friend in another
group. The supervising adults need to pay close attention to the children
and not get caught up in conversing with each other.
The Penn State University Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program
has information on children's issues for early childhood educators, child
care providers, and parents on the Better Kid Care web site at
www.betterkidcare.psu.edu.
PSA #5 -If your child is going on a field
trip at child care, be sure to go over safety rules about staying with
the adults and what to do when needing to cross a street or parking lot.
Be sure the children are in approved car seats and seat belts if they
will be riding in a vehicle during the outing.
The Penn State University Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program
has information on children's issues for early childhood educators, child
care providers, and parents on the Better Kid Care web site at
www.betterkidcare.psu.edu.
PSA #6 - Parents, are you looking for things
to do with your child? Do you want to find out more about children's
issues? Are you a child care provider needing to earn some training hours?
Go to the Penn State Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program Web
site on the Internet at
www.betterkidcare.psu.edu.
There are newsletters, online training, links to other sites such as the
DPW Web site at
www.childcare.state.pa.us,
and much more.
Nancy Wilson, Better Kid Care Program Specialist
Penn State Better Kid Care Program
253 Easterly Parkway
State College, PA 16801
e-mail:
naw6@psu.edu
Phone: 814-863-5880
Fax: 814-865-7893
July 2002
