A survey of winter resort child care facilities for the purpose of planning a facility for such an area

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: 1) to find existing day care guides, programs and facilities, 2) to survey winter recreation areas and 3) to apply this information in planning a child care center for a resort area. Day care guides provided information on: l) children. 2) staff, 3) parents, 4) physical facility, 5) program and 6) equipment. The survey consisted of a questionnaire sent to ninety-four winter recreation areas with child care services. Resort child care facilities were concerned with protecting the children from physical and health hazards. The program consisted of a variety of quiet activities with little emphasis on active play or developing mental concepts. The space allotments and number of staff could accommodate the number of children attending during the slow seasons but were insufficient for the busy seasons at a resort area. Information obtained from the survey such as the frequency of attendance, the days and hours the facility was in operation, the age range of the children attending, the schedule of attendance, whose children were accepted at the child care facility, and the health and safety standards, contributed in designing a child care center for a resort area. The physical facility was designed for thirty-five children and includes a description of areas included in the center and the specific needs for each area.