CONTENTSOn this page
Children's lockers#
Allow plenty of space for children's belongings.
Consider how you can provide children with access to their belongings that allows them to take some responsibility for their things, including choosing what to wear throughout the day.
It is important to remove anything that may be harmful to children, for example, medicines.
Infants' lockers#
Think about places for storage of infants’ things. Infants' lockers are often placed near the nappy changing area so that spare clothes are close by.
Nappies and other items could be put in individual baskets or shelves right next to the nappy change area. This makes it easier when changing nappies. It also means that anything inappropriate for young children is removed from the bag, for example, nappy cream.
Storage and cleaning of play equipment and material#
Storage#
When planning storage for safety:
- arrange storage so it’s easy to access, reduces congestion, and keeps everyone safe
- avoid stacking items on high shelves or over-stacking the inside of cupboards to prevent the risk of items falling when accessing them
- consider the earthquake-proofing of stored items.
Teachers generally use different resources to support children's changing interests over time. You will need space to store a lot of equipment and resources while smaller amounts are on display for children to choose and use.
Consider storage for large amounts/numbers of:
- equipment for subjects like art, dramatic play, science and music
- books
- puzzles.
Good storage is important so equipment does not fall in an earthquake and so the environment looks nice to adults and children. Stacked clutter does not represent a well-planned, effective learning environment.
Also consider storage space for:
- beds and bedding
- linen
- highchairs
- prams, buggies and car seats – avoid a cluttered reception foyer.
As a general rule of thumb you can never have too much storage space.
Storage will work best if you have things like shelving, hooks and boxes for equipment.
Cleaning equipment#
Teachers also need space to clean art materials, like paint. It usually works well if this area is close to where art materials are stored.
Have a large bench and sink at adult height, similar to a very large kitchen sink, for cleaning art materials. This should be separate from food preparation areas and the cleaner's sink, for hygiene reasons.
If you infants and toddlers, sterilise play equipment regularly – everything goes in little children's mouths.
Consider:
- having space that allows for equipment to be soaked in an antibacterial solution and then drained
- installing an industrial dishwasher to clean and sterilise equipment.
The bathrooms page and the kitchen, dining areas and laundries page have more details on sinks, taps and water temperatures.
Bathrooms, nappy change and body wash facilities
Kitchens, dining areas and laundries
See the relevant licensing criteria.
Storage for cleaning products and equipment#
It is important to keep cleaning products and equipment well out of the children’s reach.
Lockable cupboards in kitchen and laundry areas are good places to keep hazardous materials. A locked cleaner's cupboard that has a sink as well as chemicals means less likelihood of contamination.
For services subject to the Food Act 2014 and Food Regulations 2015:
- there must be places for storing cleaning products and equipment, so they don’t contaminate food or surfaces used to prepare or store food
- cleaning products must be appropriately labelled, so they are not used in food.
See the relevant regulation and licensing criterion.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 45 – New Zealand Legislation
