How to Keep Your Waiting Room Toys Safe & Clean

Cleanliness and safety are critical in healthcare facilities today, especially when children are involved. This does not mean that your waiting room can’t have any engaging waiting room toys. There are ways you can make children comfortable and entertained as they wait while also keeping the health and safety of children and parents a priority. Here are some tips on keeping your waiting room toys safe and clean.

Choose the Right Toys

When you add or replace waiting room toys to your collection, choosing the right type of waiting room toys and games is the foundation for a safe and clean waiting room. This is not a time where staff members should donate old toys and books. Instead, choosing durable and quality furniture and toys designed for waiting rooms is the best option.

Another thing you should look for in waiting room toys is they should have easy to clean surfaces. Can you easily spray and wipe down the surfaces of the toys? This will save time in the cleaning process. In addition, you’ll want to consider the amount of waiting room toys your waiting room has and the time it takes to clean all the toys. If your staff has limited time, consider larger waiting room toys, such as play cubes or play tables that are easy to wipe down. This keeps your staff’s cleaning routine efficient and effective.

The durability of your waiting room toys is just as important. You want durable waiting room toys for both safety and cleanliness. Toys that fall apart or are easily knocked over aren’t safe for multiple children to interact with on a daily basis. Waiting room toys that are durable and high quality can also withstand strict cleaning procedures. You can expect this safety, durability, and quality from toys designed for medical and hospital waiting areas.

Avoid Choking Hazards

Avoiding choking hazards might seem like a tip everyone is aware of, but it’s critical to point out. Even if your waiting area is mainly geared to older children and adults, you should take note of your waiting room toys and if there are any potential choking hazards. For waiting rooms that might hold many toddlers and babies, don’t include any small toys or toys with pieces.

There are several options of waiting room toys that safely engage children of all ages. Include wall-mounted toys that are securely fastened to the wall, maze tables, an interactive game table, and more. Your youngest visitors will be able to explore the waiting room area safely and have fun simultaneously.

Other Helpful Tips

Now that we’ve discussed the foundation of keeping your waiting room toys safe and clean let’s dive into some additional tips. These other helpful tips are easy to maintain and greatly help the cleanliness of your waiting room.

• Encourage hand sanitizer before and after use: This simple tip can go a long way to prevent the unnecessary spread of germs. Many medical offices already promote hand sanitizer when patients and visitors enter the waiting room. Go a step further and have hand sanitizer available near the waiting room toys.

• Clean waiting room toys during lunch: Many medical offices are closed during the lunch hour, so this is an excellent opportunity to wipe down all of the waiting room toys after the morning appointments. You will enter into the afternoon, starting fresh.

• Allow for more space between waiting room toys and furniture: This isn’t the time for children to learn to play together. An excellent way to encourage separation between different children in the waiting room is not to crowd the toys. If space allows, try not to position waiting room toys next to each other. This will help children not pass germs to each other while playing.

• Don’t forget waiting room seating for kids: In addition to waiting room toys, kids love when chairs are designed just for them. It makes them feel more comfortable and important. Include waiting room chairs or couches for children in your children’s waiting room area to give children the opportunity to rest. These waiting room furniture pieces are easy to clean and maintain as well!

Waiting room toys are a great addition to your waiting room. They give kids entertainment and comfort during stressful times. Medical offices are rightly concerned about the cleanliness and safety of waiting room toys and the spread of germs and illnesses in waiting rooms. Choosing the right toys and having a solid cleaning routine can help keep your visitors safe and is efficient for your staff to complete.

Kindermark Kids offers developmentally-appropriate furniture, toys, and decor for waiting rooms. Whether your children’s waiting area is small or large, we have durable and quality products that will last for many years. Contact Kindermark Kids today to learn more about our waiting room toys and furniture.

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