Extended breaks offer a much-needed rest for staff and families, but they also require careful planning to ensure your childcare program remains safe and secure while you’re away. A childcare closure checklist is a structured set of tasks — covering building security, utility management, and deep cleaning — completed before and after an extended break to protect the facility and prepare it for children's return.
This article provides a detailed checklist for staff, covering essential tasks to complete before closing and the key steps to take upon returning to guarantee a clean and welcoming environment for children.
Securing your program before you leave
Before you head out for a well-deserved break, it is crucial to secure the physical premises. This prevents theft, weather damage, and potential accidents while no one is on-site.
Keeping a closure checklist consistent across every task — and across every classroom if you manage multiple sites — is easier with a tool like brightwheel, which helps centers save time on the administrative tasks around routine facility management.
Outdoor area preparedness
Your outdoor spaces are often the most vulnerable during a closure. A few simple steps can protect your equipment and facility.
- Store loose items: Move all balls, toys, and portable equipment into a locked shed or indoors. Loose items can be stolen or become projectiles during storms.
- Cover sandboxes: Securely cover sandboxes to prevent animals from using them and to keep debris, like leaves and branches, from mixing with the sand.
- Secure furniture: If you have large outdoor furniture that cannot be moved indoors, cover it with heavy-duty tarps or move it to a sheltered location to protect it from the elements.
- Check the perimeter: Walk the fence line to ensure there are no gaps or broken sections. Confirm that all gates latch and lock correctly.
- Set lighting timers: If possible, set up automatic timer lights or smart bulbs that turn on in the evenings. This gives the appearance that the building is occupied and can deter potential intruders.
Interior security measures
Once the outside is secure, turn your attention indoors to ensure the building remains safe.
- Lock all doors: This sounds obvious, but go beyond the front door. Lock all interior doors, including closets, offices, and supply rooms. This adds layers of security if someone does gain entry.
- Secure windows: Check every window to ensure it is closed and securely latched.
- Activate security systems: If you have an alarm system, ensure it is active and functioning. If you use security cameras, verify that they are recording and positioned correctly.
Managing building systems and performing a deep clean
A long closure is the perfect opportunity to manage utility costs and perform the deep cleaning tasks that are hard to do when children are present.
Utility management
Reducing energy consumption while the building is empty saves money and reduces risks.
- Unplug electronics: Unplug all non-essential electronics such as computers, laminators, and chargers. This prevents "phantom" energy use and reduces the risk of electrical fires.
- Clear the refrigerator: Empty refrigerators of perishable food. Clean them thoroughly to prevent odors. If the closure is long enough to warrant it, unplug the unit and prop the door open to prevent mold growth.
- Adjust the thermostat: Set the thermostat to an energy-saving temperature. You want to prevent freezing pipes in winter or excessive humidity in summer, but there is no need to keep the building at a comfortable room temperature.
Thorough cleaning tasks
Leaving a clean facility means returning to a fresh start. It also prevents pests and deep-set stains.
- Launder soft items: Gather all cot sheets, blankets, dress-up clothes, and soft toys. Launder them according to manufacturer instructions and store them in sealed containers or bags to keep them dust-free.
- Disinfect surfaces: Perform a deep clean and disinfection of all hard surfaces. This includes tables, chairs, shelves, and countertops. Pay special attention to high-touch areas.
- Floors: Vacuum all carpets thoroughly. Mop all hard floors with an appropriate cleaner.
- Trash management: Empty every trash and recycling bin in the facility. Even small amounts of food waste can attract pests and cause terrible odors over a long break.
The Ultimate Cleaning Guide for Childcare Programs
Use this guide to create safe and healthy spaces for children, staff, and families.
A step-by-step guide for a smooth return
The preparation you do before you leave pays off when you return. However, reopening requires its own set of checks to ensure the environment is ready for children.
Initial facility walk-through
Ideally, arrive a day or two before the program officially reopens to staff and families.
- Inspect the building: Conduct a thorough walkthrough. Look for any signs of leaks, pests, or damage that may have occurred while the building was closed.
- Reactivate systems: Plug in essential electronics and turn on utilities.
- Check plumbing: Run the water in all sinks for a few minutes and flush all toilets. This clears stagnant water from the pipes and ensures the plumbing is working correctly.
Restoring the learning environment
Once you verify the building is safe, it is time to make it welcoming again.
- Reset sleeping areas: Distribute the clean, sealed sheets and blankets to their proper cots.
- Dust and wipe: Even in a closed building, dust settles. Wipe down surfaces to ensure classrooms are fresh.
- Restock essentials: Check that every classroom and restroom has ample supplies of hand soap, paper towels, and tissues.
Final security and communication
Before the first family arrives, take a moment for security and communication.
- Update codes: If your program’s policy includes regular security updates, change the keypad entry code and communicate the new code to families and staff.
- Check the playground: Perform a final safety check of the outdoor play area. Look for fallen branches or debris that may have accumulated during the break.
Sharing the new entry code and reopening date with families doesn't have to mean a scramble of emails and phone calls — brightwheel's messaging tools let you notify every family at once, and 95% of admins and staff report that brightwheel improves communication with families.
Frequently asked questions
What should be on a childcare closure checklist?
A childcare closure checklist should cover securing the building and outdoor equipment, managing utilities to reduce energy costs, deep cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, and laundering soft items like cot sheets and toys before the break.
How do you reopen a childcare center after a long break?
Reopening a childcare center involves inspecting the building for leaks or damage, reactivating utilities and checking plumbing, restocking supplies, resetting sleeping areas with clean linens, and performing a final security and safety check before children return.
How often should a daycare be deep cleaned?
Extended closures, such as holidays or summer breaks, are an ideal time for deep cleaning tasks that are difficult to complete while children are present, including disinfecting hard surfaces, laundering soft items, and thoroughly cleaning floors.
Why is it important to secure a childcare facility during a closure?
Securing a childcare facility during a closure prevents theft, weather damage, and accidents while no one is on-site. This includes locking all doors and windows, activating security systems, and storing or covering outdoor equipment.
A fresh start for every reopening
By following a structured checklist before and after a break, staff can work together to protect your childcare facility and ensure it’s perfectly prepared to welcome children back.
Taking these proactive steps allows everyone to enjoy their time off, confident that they will return to a safe, clean, and organized learning environment.
