Opening a Home Daycare in Quebec: Equipment and Setup Checklist

Where should you start?

Setting up home childcare is not about filling a room with toys. The environment must first support supervision, safety, routines, rest, meals and global development. Buy in stages: regulatory and functional essentials first, then educational materials based on the children actually enrolled.

Note

This guide adapts the main official requirements into a setup process. It does not make every point a mandatory purchase. Confirm the project with the coordinating office, municipality, landlord and applicable rules.

1. Map functions before shopping

Sketch the residence and place arrival, personal items, meals, diapering, active play, quiet play, reading, art, rest, medication, cleaning products and confidential records.

The home includes a kitchen, eating area, sanitary facilities and a room with a window looking outdoors for play and activities. Private family rooms that are not common spaces remain closed or protected by a compliant gate unless an adult is inside.

Low furniture can define areas without hiding children. Keep paths wide enough to move quickly, including while carrying an infant.

2. Prioritize access and fire safety

Before decoration, plan:

• an accessible working telephone;
• one smoke detector per floor;
• one compliant carbon-monoxide detector per floor;
• an accessible fire extinguisher;
• compliant gates where needed;
• controlled entry during childcare hours;
• visible emergency numbers;
• a home-specific evacuation procedure.

Used spaces remain clean, maintained, ventilated and at least 20°C. Complete an evacuation drill when a new child begins or at least every six months.

3. Build a complete first-aid kit

The main kit is out of children’s reach, unlocked and accessible to responsible adults. The official list includes a manual, bandage scissors, tweezers, gloves, CPR barrier, assorted dressings, gauze, bandages, antiseptics, thermometer, triangular bandages, safety pins and sealable bags.

An outing kit is helpful but does not replace the main kit. Review quantities and expiry dates monthly.

4. Plan arrival and storage

Create space for clothing, shoes, bags and messages. Medication and confidential records should not be stored in children’s accessible cubbies.

Use separate storage for personal items and bedding, rotating educational materials, supervised supplies, child medication, locked toxic products and administrative records.

Child medication stays separate from food, toxic products and household medication. Epinephrine auto-injectors remain accessible to authorized adults and are not locked.

5. Set up meals and hygiene

Tables and seats should fit children and remain stable. Organize food preparation so supervision is maintained. Food is stored and served at safe temperatures, and parents receive menu information.

When children in diapers attend, designate a changing area. Hygiene supplies are accessible to adults but not children. Plan traffic so meals, waste and clean materials do not cross unsafely.

6. Choose age-appropriate sleep equipment

Each child under 18 months needs a compliant crib or playpen. Each older child needs an appropriate bed, cot or washable-covered mat.

Bedding is individual between washings, identified and stored without touching other bedding. Preserve circulation and supervision. Playpens are not extended play spaces, and beds are not used to isolate children outside rest periods.

7. Create visible educational areas

Materials should support all developmental areas.

Physical and motor

Keep open floor space for crawling, walking, dancing, carrying and building. Add balls, push-and-pull items and movement materials appropriate to the room.

Cognitive

Use blocks, puzzles, sorting, sequencing, containers, funnels and materials that invite experimentation.

Language

Offer books, picture cards, puppets, songs and pretend-play materials that encourage conversation and storytelling.

Social and emotional

Provide dolls, fabrics, familiar objects, cooperative materials and a comforting quiet area that does not create a blind spot.

A smaller rotating selection often supports deeper play than crowded shelves.

8. Inspect games and equipment

Indoor and outdoor toys should be age-appropriate, non-toxic, washable, sturdy, in good condition and compliant with applicable safety standards. Inspect small parts, batteries, wheels, cords and repairs.

Gates, strollers, carriages and play enclosures must comply with applicable rules. Climbing structures, swings and slides have smooth surfaces, remain safe and are installed according to manufacturer instructions.

9. Plan outdoors even without a yard

A private yard is not mandatory. Identify a safe location that supports at least 60 minutes of daily outdoor activity when conditions permit. Review traffic, shade, water, toilets, boundaries and group supervision.

Balls, buckets, shovels, chalk and natural loose parts offer broad play value. Portable wading pools are disinfected before use and emptied afterward.

10. Manage animals, alcohol and firearms

Animals are allowed when health, safety and well-being remain protected. Plan a separate area, cleaning, allergy management and active supervision.

Alcohol is not consumed in the home, yard or outbuildings used during childcare hours. A firearm is stored out of sight and reach; parents receive written notice and the office receives a signed copy.

11. Buy second-hand carefully

Before accepting a crib, playpen, gate, stroller, toy or play structure:

1. search the model and recalls;
2. inspect every part and fastener;
3. reject improvised modifications;
4. confirm the recommended age;
5. verify it can be cleaned;
6. obtain manufacturer instructions.

A low price does not compensate for a missing safety part or unverifiable installation.

12. Plan cleaning and maintenance

Create a realistic routine for meal surfaces, mouthed toys, washable materials, bedding, outdoor equipment and damage inspections. Separate “to clean” and “ready” bins.

Cleaning and toxic products indoors and outdoors are clearly labelled and locked. Include dishwasher pods, fertilizer, paint, alcohol, pool products and diffusers.

A three-phase budget

Before the office visit

Invest in access control, storage, detectors, extinguisher, first aid and a credible room plan.

Before opening

Complete sleep, meals, hygiene, individual belongings and a balanced play selection.

After four to six weeks

Add materials based on observed interests, ages and needs. Keep a reserve for unexpected adjustments.

Final setup checklist

• Can I see or hear children in every area?
• Can I prepare food without losing supervision?
• Are private spaces closed or gated?
• Are toxic products locked?
• Is medication separate and labelled?
• Does each child have appropriate rest equipment?
• Are detectors, extinguisher, telephone and first aid ready?
• Do materials support every developmental area?
• Is the outdoor route realistic for the whole group?
• Is the cleaning plan sustainable?

Main sources

• Official recognition guide — French PDF
• Official unannounced-visit grid — French PDF
• Become a home childcare provider — Gouvernement du Québec (French)

Frequently asked questions about setup

What budget is needed to open home childcare?

There is no single official amount. Cost depends on children’s ages, existing equipment, renovations, sleep items and outdoor needs. Prioritize safety, first aid, storage, meals and rest, then keep a reserve for needs observed after opening.

Are many toys needed before the coordinating-office visit?

No. The office needs to understand how the environment will remain safe, supervised and developmentally appropriate. A balanced selection and credible purchasing plan are more useful than a large amount of poorly adapted material.

Can cribs, playpens or strollers be purchased second-hand?

Only when the model still complies, is not recalled, includes every part and can be installed according to manufacturer instructions. Reject modified, incomplete equipment or items with an unverifiable history.

How can a small space avoid blind spots?

Use low furniture, limit permanent zones and rotate materials. Place a quiet area away from traffic without hiding it. Test arrival, meals, toileting, diapering and snack preparation from the provider’s usual position.

Which products must be locked?

Toxic and cleaning products indoors and outdoors must be clearly labelled and locked. This includes laundry pods, disinfectants, paint, fertilizer and pool products. Medication uses separate storage, while epinephrine must remain quickly accessible to adults.

Are a yard and play structures mandatory?

No. A safe outdoor location is still needed for daily outings when conditions permit. Play structures are optional; balls, chalk, containers, natural loose parts and walks can support rich outdoor learning.