First Aid Supplies for a Child Care Setting

A well-stocked first aid kit prepares a child care provider with the tools necessary to handle a medical emergency. Young children tend to fall, trip and otherwise injure themselves, so first aid kit supplies will come in handy. Once your child care first aid kit is gathered, set a regular schedule for checking it to make sure none of the supplies are low. For a large child care center, each room should have its own first aid supplies.

Bandages

• A plentiful supply of bandages is essential for child care centers. Young children often fall or get small cuts that need a self-adhesive bandage. A selection of different adhesive bandage sizes ensures you have the best option for every cut or scrape. Gauze-rolled bandages also are advised for more serious injuries. Gauze squares and medical tape give you more options for larger cuts or wounds.

Disposable Gloves

• Disposable gloves are another staple in the child care first aid kit. Gloves should always be used when handling first aid situations, particularly when blood is involved. The gloves protect the person providing first aid. They also protect the injured child by keeping germs out of wounds. Disposable gloves come in different sizes. If several adults use the same first aid kit, you will want a variety of sizes to make sure everyone is covered.

Instant Cold Pack

• An instant cold pack does not require storage in a freezer, making it ideal in child care settings. The package is squeezed or hit to break an inner bag filled with ammonium nitrate. It is dissolved and the water inside the cold pack is instantly cold. The instant cold packs are particularly useful when the kids are outside on the playground or on a field trip and you do not have easy assess to a freezer with ice for injuries.

Tools

• Tweezers and flashlights make first aid situations easier to handle. These tools are common supplies you will want in your child care first aid kids. Tweezers help extract slivers and other debris that become lodged in the skin. A flashlight allows you to better assess and take care of an injury.

Ointment and Antiseptic Wipes

• First aid antibiotic ointment is often used for minor scrapes, cuts and burns. The ointment helps keep the wound from infection and can help ease some of the pain from these minor injuries. Antiseptic wipes are useful for cleaning a wound before a bandage is applied. You will want wipes that are individually wrapped to keep them sanitary and to prevent them from drying before use.

CPR Mask

• A CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) mask or shield is another supply to consider for inclusion in a child care first aid kit. It is a first aid supply that likely will not get used but should be included as a precaution. A barrier device is not needed to perform CPR. The mask or shield simply protects the person performing CPR during rescue breathing. It prevents an infectious disease from being transferred during the process.