Georgia Day Care Centers – Requirements for Outside Play Areas – Regulations for Safe Play

By Stephanie Brown and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

In Georgia and other States, day care center rules and regulations provide for specific provisions for outdoor play areas. Children in day care centers want and need a safe outdoor play environment during the extended time periods that the child is under the care of the day care center. Pursuant to Chapter 290-2-2-.12 (aa), Physical Environment and Equipment – Rules and Regulations for the State of Georgia, a day care center must provide an outside play area as follows:

*The outside play area must be 100 square feet times 1/3 of the center’s licensed capacity for children;

*The outside play area must provide for 100 square fee of space available for each child occupying the outdoor play area;

*The outside play area must be safely accessed by the children from the day care building;

*The outside play area must be protected from traffic and other hazards by a four foot high or higher fence or other barrier approved by the Department of Human Resources;

*Fences and other barriers should be kept closed except when entering and exiting.

The purpose of the above rules and regulations is to make sure that the play area is large enough to allow for safe play by the children. Fencing makes sense to keep the children from wandering and to keep the children from going to unsupervised parts of the day care center. You can read more about the outside play areas and other parts of a day care center at Rule 290-2-.12 Physical Environment and Equipment – Rules and Regulations for the State of Georgia.

While complying with regulations will not guarantee an incident or injury fee day care center, compliance can help reduce the incidents of personal injury to children in day care centers in the State of Georgia and other States.