2026 Minnesota Statutes

142I.17 ACTIVITIES AND EQUIPMENT.

Subdivision 1.General activities.

Child care activities must provide for the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development of the children in care at a family child care program. Activities must include infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children and:

(1) be scheduled indoors and outdoors daily, weather permitting. When determining if the weather permits outdoor play, a license holder must defer to weather advisory notifications, including air quality emergencies, provided by local weather experts, local or state authorities on air quality, or public health;

(2) be appropriate to the age and developmental stage of the child;

(3) include active and quiet activity; and

(4) include both caregiver- and child-directed activities.

Subd. 2.Equipment.

(a) A license holder must provide children in a family child care program with:

(1) sufficient play equipment to allow each child a choice of at least three activities involving equipment when all children are using equipment;

(2) early learning materials, play equipment, and space that are age and developmentally appropriate and support understanding of the culturally diverse world; and

(3) play equipment that is safe, in good repair, and used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, if applicable. Equipment and play materials not designed or marketed for use by children, including but not limited to repurposed, homemade, and open-ended items, must be appropriate to the age and size of children, in good repair, and used under the supervision of a caregiver. Such equipment and play materials are not required to have manufacturer's instructions and are subject to the requirements of this subdivision.

(b) Equipment provided to children under this section may be new, used, commercially made, or homemade. The equipment must be appropriate for the ages of the children and for the activities for which it will be used. As appropriate, nature material may be used in place of any equipment.

Subd. 3.Newborn or infant activities.

A caregiver must:

(1) hold a newborn or infant during feedings until the child can hold the bottle. A bottle cannot be propped up for a newborn or infant;

(2) respond to a newborn's or infant's attempts to communicate;

(3) develop infant language and communication by responding to a newborn's or infant's attempts to communicate by mirroring similar sounds, sharing the child's focus of attention, talking to the newborn or infant, naming objects, and describing actions;

(4) provide a newborn or infant with freedom of movement to sit safely and comfortably, crawl, toddle, walk, and play both indoors and outdoors throughout the day;

(5) provide a newborn or infant an opportunity to stimulate the senses by providing a variety of activities and objects to see, touch, feel, smell, hear, and taste;

(6) provide activities for a newborn or infant that develop the child's manipulative and fine motor skills;

(7) provide activities for self-awareness;

(8) provide activities to support a newborn or infant to develop social-emotional skills;

(9) provide activities to support a newborn or infant to develop gross motor skills; and

(10) allow a newborn or infant actively supervised tummy time. For the purposes of this clause, "tummy time" means placing a newborn or infant in a nonrestrictive prone position, lying on their stomach. Tummy time should occur throughout the day when a newborn or infant is awake. A newborn or infant must not be wearing anything to restrict movement during tummy time.

Subd. 4.Newborn and infant equipment.

When caring for newborns or infants, a license holder must provide:

(1) an infant seat or high chair, as appropriate, for each newborn and infant in attendance;

(2) a crib or portable crib with a mattress or pad for each newborn and infant in attendance that is in compliance with current Consumer Product Safety Commission safety standards and section 142B.45. The license holder must maintain documentation on site that the equipment used meets these requirements and provide it to the commissioner and parents as requested;

(3) books and literacy materials;

(4) gross motor activity equipment; and

(5) fine motor activity materials.

Subd. 5.Toddler activities.

When caring for toddlers, a license holder must:

(1) provide the toddler with freedom of movement and freedom to explore outside the crib or portable crib and allow the toddler to comfortably sit, crawl, toddle, walk, and play according to the toddler's stage of development;

(2) talk to, listen to, and interact with the toddler to encourage language development;

(3) provide the toddler with activities that develop the toddler's fine and gross motor skills;

(4) give the toddler opportunities to stimulate the senses by providing a variety of age-appropriate activities and objects to see, touch, feel, smell, hear, and taste; and

(5) provide activities to support the toddler to develop social-emotional skills.

Subd. 6.Toddler equipment.

When caring for toddlers, a license holder must provide:

(1) separate sleeping equipment for each toddler such as a mat, crib, cot, bed, sofa, or sleeping bag that is cleaned and maintained as required in subdivision 10 and section 142I.15, subdivision 5;

(2) gross motor play equipment;

(3) books and literacy materials;

(4) fine motor, math, and science materials; and

(5) music, movement, and art activity materials.

Subd. 7.Preschooler activities.

When caring for preschoolers, a license holder must:

(1) encourage conversation between the preschooler and other children and adults;

(2) provide opportunity to play near and with other children, provide time and space for individual and group play, allow for quiet times to talk or rest, and allow for unplanned time and individual play time;

(3) foster understanding of personal and peer feelings and actions and allow for the constructive release of a range of feelings through discussion or play;

(4) give assistance in toileting and provide time to carry out self-help skills and provide opportunities to be responsible for activities;

(5) provide opportunities for each preschooler to make decisions about daily activities and to learn from the decision-making experiences;

(6) provide time and areas for age-appropriate gross motor play;

(7) provide learning, fine-motor, manipulative, creative, or sensory activities; and

(8) read stories, look at books, and talk about new words and ideas with the preschooler.

Subd. 8.Preschooler equipment.

When caring for preschoolers, a license holder must provide:

(1) separate sleeping equipment for each preschooler such as a mat, bed, cot, sofa, or sleeping bag for each preschooler that is cleaned and maintained as required under subdivision 10 and section 142I.15, subdivision 5;

(2) dramatic play equipment;

(3) books and literacy materials;

(4) fine motor materials;

(5) gross motor play equipment;

(6) math materials;

(7) science materials;

(8) music and movement materials; and

(9) art materials.

Subd. 9.School-age activities and equipment.

When caring for school-age children, a license holder must:

(1) provide opportunities for individual discussion about the day and planning for activities;

(2) provide space, opportunities, and materials or equipment for games, activities, or sports using the whole body;

(3) have available space, bedding materials, and opportunities for individual rest and quiet time required under subdivision 10;

(4) allow increased freedom as the school-age child demonstrates increased responsibility;

(5) provide opportunities for group experiences with other children;

(6) provide opportunities to develop or expand self-help skills or real-life experiences; and

(7) provide opportunities and materials for creative and dramatic activity, arts, and crafts.

Subd. 10.Bedding.

Clean, separate, and individual bedding such as sheets, towels, blankets, or sleeping bags must be available for each child in care. For children not using cribs or portable cribs, the license holder must provide developmentally appropriate mats, cots, or other sleep equipment that can be cleaned and disinfected according to section 142I.15. Mats, cots, and other sleep equipment used in the family child care program must be in good condition and have no tears or holes and be covered in individual bedding.

Subd. 11.Separation of personal articles.

Separate towels, wash cloths, water bottles, and drinking cups must be used for each child and labeled appropriately.

History:

2026 c 127 art 13 s 17

NOTE: This chapter, as added by Laws 2026, chapter 127, article 13, sections 1 to 23, is effective July 1, 2027. Laws 2026, chapter 127, article 13, section 26.