1. A. A licensee shall ensure that the facility meets the following square footage requirements for indoor activity areas based on the child care services classifications:

   1. 1. At least 35 square feet of indoor activity space for each infant and 1-year-old child;
   2. 2. At least 25 square feet of indoor activity space for each child who is not an infant or a 1-year-old child; and
   3. 3. When 1-year-old children are grouped together with children older than 1-year-old children in the same activity area, at least 35 square feet of indoor activity space for each child.

2. B. When computing indoor activity space for subsections (A)(1) through (3) to determine licensed capacity, the floor space occupied by the following shall be excluded:

   1. 1. The interior walls;
   2. 2. A kitchen, bathroom, closet, hallway, stair, entryway, office, a room designated for isolating an enrolled child from other children, storage rooms, and a room designated for the sole use of child care staff; and
   3. 3. Room space occupied by desks, file cabinets, storage cabinets, and hand washing sinks.

3. C. To provide activities that develop large muscles and an opportunity to participate in structured large muscle physical activities, a licensee shall:

   1. 1. Provide at least 75 square feet of outdoor or indoor activity area per child for at least 50% of the facility’s licensed capacity, or
   2. 2. If children are in care for less than four consecutive hours, the licensee is not required to have an outdoor activity space.
4. D. A licensee substituting indoor activity area for outdoor activity area shall install and maintain a mat or pad designed to provide impact protection in the fall zone of indoor swings, slides, and climbing equipment.

Historical Note

Adopted effective December 12, 1986 (Supp. 86-6). Section repealed; new Section adopted effective October 17, 1997 (Supp. 97-4). Former R9-5-602 renumbered to R9-5-601; new R9-5-602 renumbered from R9-5-603 and amended by exempt rulemaking at 16 A.A.R. 1564, effective September 30, 2010 (Supp. 10-3). Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 24 A.A.R. 3429, effective December 5, 2018 (Supp. 18-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 31 A.A.R. 2015 (June 27, 2025), effective August 3, 2025 (Supp. 25-2).