Indoor Air Quality, Hygiene & Cleanliness at Licensed Daycare in Saskatchewan | Daisy Days

The cleanliness and hygiene practices of a licensed daycare directly affect children’s health — and the illness rate of every family in the building. At Daisy Days Daycare in Regina SK, maintaining high hygiene standards is non-negotiable. Here’s what parents should know about cleanliness and health safety at licensed daycare in Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan’s Licensed Daycare Hygiene Standards

Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education licensing inspections include hygiene and sanitation as a core component. Licensed centres must demonstrate compliance with standards covering:

• Handwashing protocols for staff and children
• Diaper changing procedures and sanitation
• Food preparation and kitchen hygiene
• Toy and equipment cleaning schedules
• Surface disinfection of high-touch areas
• Safe sleep hygiene (separate sleep surfaces, no shared bedding)
• Waste disposal and soiled clothing management

Handwashing — The Most Important Illness Prevention Tool

Proper handwashing at key moments is the single most effective tool for reducing illness transmission in group care. At Daisy Days Daycare, required handwashing moments include:

• Upon arrival (children and staff)
• Before and after meals/snacks
• After diapering or toileting (educator and child)
• After outdoor play
• After nose blowing, coughing, or sneezing
• After handling animals
• After cleaning up a spill or bodily fluid

Surface and Toy Cleaning Schedule

At Daisy Days Daycare, high-touch surfaces (door handles, light switches, shared table surfaces, bathroom fixtures) are disinfected daily. Toys are cleaned on a rotating schedule — more frequently for infant toys given mouth contact. Soft toys are laundered regularly. Art materials and craft supplies are replaced or cleaned as needed.

Indoor Air Quality at Licensed Daycare in Regina SK

Indoor air quality in licensed daycare facilities in Saskatchewan is governed by general building code requirements. Good practices at Daisy Days Daycare include:

• Regular HVAC filter maintenance and replacement
• Ventilation protocols that bring in fresh outdoor air when weather permits
• Avoidance of strong chemical cleaners, air fresheners, or fragrance products that can irritate young children’s respiratory systems
• Prompt management of any moisture or mould issues that could affect air quality

Illness Increase in Group Care — What Parents Should Expect

Despite excellent hygiene practices, children in licensed daycare — particularly in their first 1-2 years of group care — typically experience more upper respiratory illnesses (colds, ear infections, mild GI bugs) than children cared for at home by one caregiver. This is:

• Normal: Group settings concentrate illness vectors — multiple children sharing air and surfaces
• Temporary: Children who attend group care in early childhood have measurably better immune function and fewer illnesses once they reach school age compared to children who had no group care exposure
• Manageable: Plan for approximately 8-12 illness absence days per year in the first 1-2 years; this generally declines significantly after the immune system adapts

The higher illness frequency in early group care years is a known, expected reality of licensed daycare — not a failure of hygiene. It is the immune system doing its work.

→ Sick child policy — when to keep children home
→ Illness recognition guide for daycare parents
→ Ministry licensing and inspection guide

Contact Daisy Days Daycare — hygiene and health are foundational priorities in our licensed centre.
306-807-3233 | info@daisydaysdaycare.com | 2007 Potts Crescent East, Regina SK S4V 2E5