How to Maintain a Clean & Hygienic Indoor Playground

An indoor playground is where kids laugh, climb, jump around, but it can also be where germs spread. Sanitizing slides, balls, and mats are something that you have to do daily instead of once in a while because there are many hands touching them. Parents will instantly recognize when a space is clean and well taken care of. Employees play a big role when it comes to making sure every nook and cranny is germ-free. Simple things such as frequent cleanings, doing quick spot checks, and teaching the children about basic hygiene can make all the difference when it comes to keeping your Huge indoor playground a safe and healthy environment for everyone who walks through the door.

Implement Daily Sanitization for High-Touch Surfaces

Think about door handles, slides, ball pits, touchscreens, and benches. Germs travel faster than you know on these surfaces. Wiping them down multiple times a day and not only when you are about to close is an excellent practice to uphold. Create a schedule. Some employees who worked at a small play cafe in Manila told me they wiped down the common areas every two hours when it's kids rush hour. They usually start with the highest traffic places such as the entrance and monkey bars. This aids in killing germs before they have time to grow and spread. Always use child safe non toxic cleaners. You don't want your little customers running from you because of the harsh chemical smell. Mild smells and solutions are always best. Most play cafes will keep a spray bottle and clean rag next to the play structures in case an employee sees a sticky spot or mess that needs to be cleaned. Parents will also notice these tiny details as well. If a kid has a snack and walks over to play on the slide there can be crumbles everywhere. This is why some places have a policy of no eating in the play structures. By simply putting the kids' food in another area you aren't worrying about cleaning food out of the play area. Places such as ball pits require extra attention. Dust can build up over time and most kids don't spend long periods of time there. Some playful employees take turns with their co workers during their shift cleaning the balls. They may only clean 5 at a time. Which makes the task less stressful during the day. Little things such as wiping down hand rails after rush hour or wiping down tablet screens after each use can go a long way. Because these small things are done quite frequently your whole playground will seem cleaner, safer, and more inviting to the children and parents.

Set Up Hand-Washing Stations with Kid-Friendly Soap

One of the simplest ways of ensuring an indoor play area is cleaner is to install hand-washing stations, though they are not always effective since children do not necessarily want to wash their hands. This is why the arrangement is as important as the soap itself. With a bright and easily accessible sink area, which is fun to be around, children will be more likely to wash their hands without being reminded time and again to do it. The soap must also be soft to the skin. Children clean their hands numerous times a day, particularly after a snack, craftwork or after playing in communal spaces. Lightly fragranced, gentle soap prevents dry or irritated skin. Other  Large indoor play equipment also allow children to choose between two or three entertaining smells such as strawberry or bubblegum, which makes the process more entertaining. Another thing to consider is placement. When there are sinks that are concealed in a corner, then the children tend to forget to use them. However, when these are located close to doorways, exits or snacks, it becomes a habitual thing to them. Children can also be coaxed to wash their hands by staff members before resuming play areas. You can also find places with just visual reminders such as step-by-step pictures on how to wash hands correctly. This assists the younger children to be able to keep up without toddlers having to keep being instructed by the adults. Hand-washing stations are non-obtrusive and make the environment cleaner when they are convenient, enjoyable, and accessible, without impeding the play.

Schedule Regular Equipment Inspections & Repairs

Children climb all over playground equipment. They run up and down slides. They jump on climbing nets and tunnels. They swing from connectors on soft play blocks. But if you don't conduct proper inspections, small problems like loose bolts or, heaven forbid, padding wear can become safety issues. That's why creating a routine schedule of inspection is such a crucial step to keeping your playground clean and safe. Break up those inspections into daily, weekly, and monthly. This will allow you to spread out the labor needed to complete them. Conduct daily inspections with employees doing a quick walk through of your playground before opening in the morning and after peak crowd hours in the afternoon. They'll be looking to see if there are any visible damages or wear and tear to the Kidzone indoor playground like loose fittings or misplaced objects. One of our soft play areas in Quezon City shared with us that by doing this, they were able to discover a lost foam step before children began tripping over it. Deepen your weekly inspections even further. Have employees try out swings and other playground equipment. They should look underneath equipment and inside of it to make sure janitorial staff was able to reach all areas. Dust and loose crumbs from food tend to gather underneath slides and inside of smaller equipment. Create a quick checklist to ensure you don't forget about these during your busiest weeks. Monthly inspections should be more in depth and can typically be done by a maintenance team. Replace any worn fabrics. Bolts can be tightened. Repair any equipment that's beginning to fall apart. This will keep your playground equipment safe for children. It also helps your equipment last longer without needing to replace the entire set. Performing these routine inspections will also allow you to track any problems in a logbook or digital app. You may begin to see things like equipment that constantly has repair issues. Or maybe parts that wear down faster than others. You can refer to this information later to help you better prepare for maintenance and budget properly for it. By performing regular playground inspections you'll be able to catch potential problems early. Not only will they be easier to fix, but you'll be keeping the playground safer for kids to play in.