By following a routine and providing a predictable einvironment, children can feel secure in their child care environment and learn that they can trust their caregivers to meet their needs.

Temper tantrums aren’t uncommon in young children. The key for adults is learning how to deal with them, says LSU AgCenter child-care associate Cheri Gioe.

Outdoor playground areas for children are important to consider when choosing a child-care facility. It is just as important to visit the outside spaces as it is to tour the classrooms. Playing outdoors provides the opportunity for young children to use and develop their large muscles and cognitive abilities.

One of the most important roles parents and caregivers serve is to ensure that the children entrusted to them thrive in healthy and safe environments.

Child-care environments play an important role in the healthy growth and development of infant and toddlers. Since infants and toddlers spend a large portion of their day in routines such as saying hello or good-bye, getting dressed, diapering, toileting and mealtime, the child-care environment should reflect these important shared learning times. The environment provided for infants and toddlers should be welcoming and responsive to both children and their families.

Child care and preventing sickness. Parents who depend on child-care centers need to know the policies of their center and to keep in mind that those policies are designed to keep disease outbreaks from spreading to all children.

A supportive, nurturing, inviting environment for preschool age children is extremely important in encouraging them to explore and learn. Children learn through their own experiences of trial and error, repetition and imitation. Adults may encourage learning by ensuring that the classroom or day-care environment is appropriate and supports an array of experiences and choices.

Most injuries to young children in school or child-care environments occur outdoors, so playground safety definitely should be a concern in a child-care setting. Approximately 40 percent of the outdoor injuries to children are due to poor adult supervision," says LSU AgCenter child-care associate Cheri Gioe. "That means supervision is an essential component of playground safety."

Some 13 million children in the United States live in homes with limited access to a sufficient food supply. A new generation of research demonstrates a direct link between inadequate food supply and a poorer overall health status among U.S. children, according to LSU AgCenter Urban Health and Food Security expert Dr. Annrose Guarino.

(Distributed 09/07/08) A child may continue to be fearful following a hurricane because of the uncertainty of the future. “A child can mix up real fear and make-believe fear. This is OK, and a parent or other care-giver can help in many ways,” says LSU AgCenter family and consumer sciences specialist Becky White.