Opening a Childcare Center

[Gbhatia]

Hello everyone,
We are planning to open a childcare center in Illinois.
So the site does not have an outdoor play area but it is a huge indoor play area available. Does the city and DCFS approve that?
Is any have same experience? Is it fine to apply for a license with an indoor play area or will they reject it? Please guys guide us so that we can use our efferters in right direction.
Thanks in advance.

[Cat Herder]

Most States require a minimum of 1 hour of outdoor play per day.
I would definitely recommend starting with a call to licensing before looking at buildings.

Here are the licensing standards: https://www2.illinois.gov/dcfs/about.../rules_407.pdf
Outdoor playground rules begin on page 98

[Cat Herder]

I did find this on page 102 -

The Department may grant a waiver of the outdoor play area requirement under the following conditions:

1) The facility is located in an urban area where suitable, safe outdoor space is
not available;

2) The facility has an indoor activity room that provides 75 square feet per child for at least 25% of the licensed capacity of the facility and is used for gross motor play in lieu of outdoor space; and

3) Parents are given notification of this waiver in writing upon enrollment of their children.

(Source: Amended at 38 Ill. Reg. 17293, effective August 1, 2014)