Day care centers and family/group day care homes must provide at least thirty-two (32) square feet of usable indoor activity space per child, excluding bathrooms, kitchens, isolation room, office, halls used as passageways, and storage, per the DHR Minimum Standards (Ala. Admin. Code ch. 660-5-26 for centers; ch. 660-5-27 for homes). Outdoor: centers licensed, permitted, or approved after Jan. 22, 2001 must provide at least sixty (60) square feet of outdoor play area per child (for at least one-half of capacity if licensed for 60 or more children); a family day care home must provide at least one outdoor play area of at least 300 square feet, and a group day care home at least 600 square feet, enclosed by a fence or wall at least four (4) feet high.
A child care center and child care group home must provide at least 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child, exclusive of hallways, bathrooms, storage areas, office space, furnace and laundry rooms, crib space, and any area children are prevented from using, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor recreation space per child for the maximum number of children playing outside at any one time (7 AAC 57.620).
Arizona child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor activity space for each infant and 1-year-old child and at least 25 square feet of indoor activity space for each child who is not an infant or 1-year-old, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor (or substituted indoor) activity area per child for at least 50% of the facility's licensed capacity (Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-602, Supp. 25-2).
At least thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor floor space is required per child, excluding kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, and closets (DCCECE Family Home MLR 801.3; Child Care Center MLR 801.5), plus at least seventy-five (75) square feet per child of outdoor play/learning area present on the playground at any time (Family Home MLR 901.4; Center MLR 901 playground requirement). School-age children in centers require 25 square feet of floor space each (Center MLR 1501).
Child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor activity space per child based on total licensed capacity (excluding bathrooms, halls, offices, isolation, food-preparation, and storage areas), and at least 75 square feet of outdoor activity space per child (Cal. Code Regs. tit. 22 §§ 101238.3, 101238.2).
Child care centers must provide at least thirty (30) square feet of usable indoor floor space per child, and in the infant program at least fifty (50) square feet per infant for sleep and activities (8 CCR 1402-1, Section 2.231 INDOOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT); centers must also provide a total outdoor play area of at least seventy-five (75) square feet per child for a minimum of one-third of the licensed capacity, or a minimum of 1,500 square feet, whichever is greater (8 CCR 1402-1, Section 2.524). Family child care homes must provide at least thirty-five (35) square feet of indoor floor space per child (Section 2.336) and at least seventy-five (75) square feet of usable outdoor play space per child in care (Section 2.337).
For child care centers and group child care homes first licensed after January 1, 1986, the operator must provide a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of total indoor usable program space per child (thirty (30) square feet per child for facilities licensed before January 1, 1986), plus access to a minimum of seventy-five (75) square feet of outdoor play space per child for the number of children using the space at any one time, per Conn. Agencies Regs. 19a-79-7a(f) and 19a-79-7a(h). Family child care homes have no numeric per-child square-footage requirement, only "sufficient indoor and outdoor play space" per Conn. Agencies Regs. 19a-87b-9(f).
Centers must provide at least 35 square feet of usable indoor floor space per child (measured wall-to-wall, excluding toilet rooms, kitchen, isolation areas, offices, storage, hallways, furnace rooms, and gymnasiums) and at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (50 square feet for centers licensed before January 1, 2007); family homes require 25 square feet of indoor space per child and large family homes 35 square feet of indoor space per child (DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 49.E.2 and Sec. 53.D-F; DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 50 and Sec. 55).
Child care facilities licensed on or after October 1, 1992 must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor floor space per child and a minimum of 45 square feet of usable outdoor play area per child; facilities licensed before that date must provide a minimum of 20 square feet of usable indoor floor space and 45 square feet of usable outdoor play area per child (Fla. Stat. 402.305(6)).
Georgia requires a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 290-2-3-.13(1)(a) for homes and R. 591-1-1-.19 for centers, which excludes kitchens, bathrooms, closets, halls, storage, offices, and staff/single-use areas); centers must also provide outdoor play area equal to 100 square feet times one-third of licensed capacity (for centers licensed for 19+) with at least 100 square feet available per child occupying the play area at any one time (R. 591-1-1-.26), while family homes have no specified per-child outdoor square-footage minimum.
Hawaii requires a minimum of thirty-five square feet of unencumbered indoor instructional or play area per child for daytime care and fifty square feet per child in rooms used for sleeping (nighttime/night care), across family child care homes, group child care centers, and infant/toddler centers; outdoor space must be at least seventy-five square feet per child for family child care homes (children twelve months or older, with a 150-square-foot minimum total) and for infant/toddler centers, while group child care centers use a graduated outdoor-area formula (e.g., 720 sq ft for 6 children plus 70 sq ft per additional child) (HAR §§ 17-891.1-38; 17-892.2-80(d); 17-895.1-85).
A specific indoor square-footage-per-child figure could not be confirmed from a published Idaho administrative code or statute. Contact your Idaho childcare licensing agency to verify the current indoor space requirement before planning or opening your program.
When a day care home's licensed capacity exceeds 8 children, there must be a minimum of 35 square feet of floor space per child in care, plus an additional 20 square feet per child under 30 months of age; the rule sets no outdoor square-footage minimum per child (89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8).
Licensed child care CENTERS must provide a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor play space per child at all times, exclusive of kitchen, toilet rooms, hallways, storage, office, and similar areas (470 IAC 3-4.7-110); a newly licensed infant room must provide a minimum of fifty (50) square feet of usable space per child, while an existing infant room must provide at least thirty-five (35) square feet per child (470 IAC 3-4.7-142); and the outdoor play area must contain at least seventy-five (75) square feet for each child outdoors at one time (470 IAC 3-4.7-68). For licensed child care HOMES, 470 IAC 3-1.1 sets no per-child indoor square-footage minimum (homes must provide a protected outdoor play area, but the rule specifies no per-child square-foot figure).
Iowa child development homes in Category B and Category C must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of child-use floor space per child indoors and a minimum of 50 square feet per child outdoors (Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-110.14(3)"a" and 441-110.15(3)"a"); Category A homes (441-110.13) have no stated square-footage minimum.
Child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of floor space per child in each area designated for children's activities, exclusive of kitchen, passageways, storage areas, and bathrooms (K.A.R. 28-4-423); family child care homes must have 25 square feet of available play space per child (K.A.R. 28-4-115); and child care centers must provide at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child using the space at a given time, with total outdoor space accommodating not less than one-half of the licensed capacity or a minimum of 750 square feet, whichever is greater (K.A.R. 28-4-437).
Kentucky requires a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of indoor usable space per child (exclusive of kitchen, bathroom, hallways, and storage) and a minimum of sixty (60) square feet of outdoor play space per child for centers, with the same 35 sq ft per child indoor standard applying to family child-care homes (922 KAR 2:120 Section 4(6) and 4(20)(b); 922 KAR 2:100 Section 12(12)).
A minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child is required (reduced to 25 square feet per child only in spaces used exclusively by children age four and above, with Fire Marshal and LDE approval), plus a minimum of 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child using the play space at any one time (La. Admin. Code tit. 28, Pt. CLXI, §1903).
A minimum net area of 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child is required for both family child care homes (10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §18.G, 'Minimum Usable Space'; excludes hallways, cubbies, door swings, closets, supply cabinets, and bathrooms) and Child Care Facilities/Centers (10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §18.4.1, 'Minimum usable space'; excludes hallways, lockers, cubbies, door swings, closets, supply cabinets, corridors, bathrooms, teachers' spaces, food preparation areas, and offices). The rules require access to an outdoor play area with 'sufficient space for safe play' but specify no per-child outdoor square-footage figure (10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §18.5; Ch. 33 §18.H).
A Maryland child care center must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor floor space for each child in care (30 square feet for a center licensed before December 1, 1971), and a center with a notice of intent received on or after January 1, 2009 must provide an outdoor activity area of at least 75 square feet of usable play space for one-half of the center's approved capacity, or per child if the center's approved capacity is 20 or fewer children, per COMAR 13A.16.05.03 and 13A.16.05.12.
Group child care programs must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor activity space per child; family child care homes must provide at least 150 sq ft of approved activity space for 1-2 children, 225 sq ft for 3-6 children, and 35 sq ft per child for 7-10 children, and all programs must maintain an outdoor play area of at least 75 square feet per child outside at any one time (606 CMR 7.07).
Child care centers must provide at least 42 square feet of usable indoor activity space per child for infants and toddlers and 35 square feet per child for preschoolers and school-aged children (35 square feet regardless of age at small capacity centers), excluding hallways, bathrooms, reception/office areas, kitchens, and storage areas/closets (Mich. Admin. Code R 400.8121); the outdoor play area for a center operating 3 or more continuous hours a day must be not less than 1,200 square feet total (not less than 600 square feet for small capacity centers) rather than a per-child figure (Mich. Admin. Code R 400.8125).
A minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor space is required per child, excluding hallways, stairways, closets, utility rooms, lavatories, water closets, kitchens, and space occupied by cribs (Minn. R. 9503.0155, subp. 9 for centers; Minn. R. 9502.0425, subp. 1 for family child care). Centers must also provide an outdoor activity area of at least 1,500 square feet with at least 75 square feet per child within the area during use (Minn. R. 9503.0155, subp. 7), and family child care must provide at least 50 square feet of outdoor play space per child (Minn. R. 9502.0425, subp. 2).
Indoor space must be a minimum of 35 square feet of usable space per child (with higher minimums for infant/toddler rooms: 40 sq ft where infants both play and sleep, 45 sq ft where toddlers both play and sleep, and 25 sq ft for sleep-only rooms), and the outdoor playground area must provide a minimum of 75 square feet for each child using it at one time, accommodating at least 33 percent of licensed capacity (MSDH center Rule 1.11.2 Indoor Square Footage and Rule 1.11.9 Outdoor Playground Area, Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 43-20-8).
For family child care homes, at least thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor floor space is required per child plus a minimum of seventy-five (75) square feet of outdoor play area per child (5 CSR 25-400.085(2)(B)1 and (3)(A)2); for child care centers and group homes initially licensed for infant/toddler care, at least forty-five (45) square feet of usable indoor floor space is required for each infant and toddler (5 CSR 25-500.082).
Group and family day-care homes must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor play and learning space per child and 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (ARM 37.95.705(1)). For child care centers, the required minimum 35 square feet of usable floor space per child is calculated excluding food preparation areas, bathrooms, toilets, offices, staff rooms, corridors, hallways, closets, lockers, laundry areas, furnace rooms, and storage spaces (ARM 37.95.610(2)-(3)); the center space rule (37.95.610) does not set a 75-square-foot-per-child outdoor minimum like the homes rule does.
Nebraska requires at least 35 square feet of indoor activity space per child (rooms/areas not used for child care do not count) and at least 50 square feet per child of age-appropriate outdoor play space (family child care homes: 391 NAC 1-007.01 indoor and 1-007.03 outdoor; centers: 391 NAC 3-007.01 indoor and 3-007.03 outdoor).
A facility must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor space for each child, exclusive of bathrooms, halls, kitchen, stairs, storage spaces, multipurpose rooms and gymnasiums that are not regularly used, plus at least 37 1/2 square feet of outdoor play space for each child based on the maximum number of children stated on the license (NAC 432A.250).
A minimum of 40 square feet of floor space per child, measured wall-to-wall inside the rooms used by children, is required (He-C 4002.22(e)), along with a minimum of 50 square feet of outdoor play area per child based on the program's license capacity (He-C 4002.22(o)); programs licensed before November 23, 2008 may maintain a minimum of 35 square feet of floor space per child (He-C 4002.22(h)).
Centers must provide a tiered minimum of usable indoor activity floor space per child: 30 square feet per child for centers that began operating before July 1, 1989 (or that began on/after that date and serve fewer than 16 children) and 35 square feet per child for centers that began operating on or after July 1, 1989 and serve 16 or more children, excluding hallways, toilet facilities, offices, storage, staff rooms, furnace rooms, kitchen areas, and other areas children do not use for sleep or play; required outdoor play space is a minimum of 150 net square feet for existing centers (plus 30 sq ft per child over five using it at once) or, for centers licensed on/after September 1, 2013, a minimum of 350 net square feet (plus 35 sq ft per child over 10 using it at once) (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-5.3; N.J.A.C. 3A:52-5.4).
Child care centers must provide 35 square feet of indoor activity space (measured wall-to-wall) per child and 75 square feet of outdoor activity space per child using the area at one time (8.16.2.21.B.4 NMAC); no per-child square footage figure is set for family or group child care homes in 8.16.2 NMAC.
For child day care centers, preschool and school-age children must be accommodated in rooms providing a minimum of 35 square feet of usable space per child, excluding areas used for large-motor activity, staff lounges, storage, halls, bathrooms, kitchens, and offices (18 NYCRR 418-1.3(q)(3)-(4)); family day care homes have only a qualitative "adequate indoor space" standard (18 NYCRR 417.3(j)), and outdoor space for both must be "adequate for active play" with no statewide per-child square-foot minimum (18 NYCRR 418-1.3(k); 417.3(k)).
A North Carolina child care center must provide at least 25 square feet of indoor (primary) space per child for its total licensed capacity, plus at least 75 square feet of fenced outdoor play space for each child using the outdoor learning environment at any one time (NCDHHS/DCDEE "Child Care Centers Basic Information for Potential Providers," Revised December 2024); the optional Enhanced Space standard for higher star ratings instead requires at least 30 square feet indoor per child and 100 square feet outdoor per child (10A NCAC 09 .3210).
A family child care must provide a minimum of thirty-five square feet (3.25 square meters) of indoor space per child (excluding bathrooms, pantries, passageways to outdoor exits, furniture/appliance areas, and off-limits space) and a minimum of seventy-five square feet (6.97 square meters) of outdoor play space per child, unless the provider supplies seventy-five square feet of separate indoor recreation space per child, which exempts it from the outdoor requirement (NDAC 75-03-08-14(1)).
Ohio child care centers must provide 'at least thirty-five square feet of usable wall-to-wall indoor floor space for each child' (excluding bathrooms, hallways, storage rooms, and areas not used for child care), plus 'at least sixty square feet of usable space per child using the area at one time' of outdoor play space (OAC 5180:2-12-11, eff. 10/29/2021).
Oklahoma requires at least 35 square feet of indoor floor space per child for routine use (excluding restrooms, kitchens, hallways, storage, offices, and similar non-children's areas), increased to 40 square feet per infant in rooms occupied only by infants for new construction, previously unlicensed space, or programs licensed after November 1, 2016, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor play area per child (OAC 340:110-3-301 for centers; OAC 340:110-3-86 sets the same 35 sq ft indoor and 75 sq ft outdoor per child for family child care homes).
A Certified Child Care Center must have a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor activity space per child, excluding single-use areas such as kitchens, hallways, restrooms, storage areas, closets, and staff rooms, and must provide outdoor activity space of no less than 75 square feet for each child using the space at one time (OAR 414-305-0800(5)-(6)). Registered Family Child Care homes have no per-child square-footage standard; instead all floors used for child care must have two usable exits to the outdoors (OAR 414-210-0810(4),(6)).
Pennsylvania requires a minimum of 40 square feet of usable indoor child care space per child; the allowable number of children in a space is determined by dividing the total square feet by 40 (55 Pa. Code § 3270.61). Outdoor or indoor play space must be 65 square feet per child, except 40 square feet per infant and 50 square feet per young or older toddler (55 Pa. Code § 3270.62).
Rhode Island requires thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor floor space per child (forty-five (45) sq ft per child for infant/toddler classrooms in centers), plus at least seventy-five (75) square feet of usable outdoor space per child for at least fifty percent (50%) of licensed capacity at centers (218-RICR-70-00-2.3.1(F)(1); 218-RICR-70-00-1.8(F)(5)-(6) and 1.8(G)(1)(a)).
South Carolina child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor play space per child (measured wall to wall by Department staff) and at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (S.C. Reg. 114-507.A.(1) & B.(1), eff. June 22, 2018).
A center program must have available a minimum of 35 sq ft of indoor play space and 50 sq ft of outdoor play space per child; a school-age program must have a minimum of 25 sq ft indoor and 50 sq ft outdoor per child (usable primary play space only, excluding permanent/stationary equipment, storage, halls, bathrooms, offices, and special-use areas such as a gym, cafeteria, or kitchen), per ARSD 67:42:17:34. No per-child square-footage standard is specified for family day care homes.
Tennessee requires a minimum of thirty (30) square feet of usable indoor play space per child in each classroom, and each nap room must contain a minimum of thirty (30) square feet of floor space per child; no minimum outdoor square footage per child is specified in the licensing rules (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-04-01-.22).
A Texas child-care center must have at least 30 square feet of indoor activity space for each child it is licensed to serve (26 TAC Sec. 746.4201) and at least 80 square feet of outdoor activity space for each child using the outdoor area at one time (26 TAC Sec. 746.4301); licensed and registered child-care homes must likewise have at least 30 square feet of usable indoor activity space per child in care under Chapter 747. (26 TAC Sec. 746.4201; Sec. 746.4301)
Utah requires at least 35 square feet of indoor space per child in care, plus an outdoor play area of at least 40 square feet per child using the area at one time, for both family child care homes (Utah Admin. Code R430-90-9 [Facility]) and child care centers (Utah Admin. Code R381-100-9 [Facility]).
Vermont requires a minimum of 35 square feet of safe usable indoor space per child (excluding bathrooms, storage spaces, hallways, and furnace rooms) plus a minimum of 75 square feet of outdoor play area per child (Vermont Center Based regs § 5.10.4.1 and § 5.10.3.1.1; Family Child Care Home regs § 5.10.4.1.1 and § 5.10.3.1.1.1).
Virginia child day centers licensed on or after June 1, 2008 must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor wall-to-wall space per child (current and subsequent licensees at currently licensed facilities may continue at 25 sq ft per child), plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child present at any one time (8VAC20-780-310).
Licensed indoor early learning program space must have a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of usable space per child in attendance, plus fifteen (15) additional square feet for each infant or toddler using a crib or playpen (WAC 110-300-0354); outdoor play space must provide a minimum of seventy-five (75) square feet of usable space per child accessing the play space at any given time (WAC 110-300-0145).
West Virginia requires a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor space per child for daily program activities and seventy-five (75) square feet of outdoor activity space per child, applied to child care centers (78 CSR 1 §12.2.a and §12.3.a) and to family child care facilities (78 CSR 18 §18.1.e and §18.1.k); family child care homes require a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of indoor space per child (78 CSR 19 §7.1.b.7).
A family child care center must have at least 35 square feet of usable indoor floor space per child (excluding passageways, bathrooms, lockers, storage areas, the furnace room, the part of the kitchen occupied by stationary equipment, and furniture not intended for children's use) and at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space for each child using the space at a given time (Wis. Admin. Code DCF 250.06(1)(b)1. and DCF 250.06(11)).
Wyoming requires a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor play space per child (excluding hallways, stairways, closets, furnace rooms, storage, food-preparation areas, bathrooms, offices, and other areas not available to children; 50 sq ft per infant/toddler where play and sleep space are combined with standing cribs/pack-'n-plays) and a minimum of 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Sections 13 and 14, effective April 2026). NOTE: the current outdoor rule provides only a single reduced tier of 50 sq ft for spaces used solely by children 24 months and younger; the draft's three-tier 35/50/75 outdoor scheme reflects the superseded 2014 rules.