Dongjak-gu Creates Eco-Friendly Childcare Centers for Public and National Childcare Facilities

Sangdo and Chamsarang Daycare Centers Create Eco-Friendly Playgrounds... Support Eco-Friendly Play Equipment for Connecting with Nature

Perspective view of the log house planned to be built at Sangdo Daycare Center

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) is promoting the establishment of eco-friendly daycare centers centered on nature and play by March next year to create a healthy and happy childcare environment for infants and toddlers.

The project targets 67 public daycare centers, providing a total of about 120 million KRW in two areas: ▲creation of eco-friendly playgrounds ▲support for eco-friendly play materials.

First, the district will invest 90 million KRW to create eco-friendly playgrounds utilizing rooftops and idle spaces at two daycare centers, Sangdo Daycare Center (Yangnyeong-ro 36-gil 15) and Chamsarang Daycare Center (Dongjak-daero 17-gil 37).

Chamsarang Daycare Center will create spaces on the rooftop where children can directly touch and experience, such as ▲vegetable gardens ▲insect raising ▲sand play areas ▲combined play structures, while Sangdo Daycare Center will transform the backyard idle space structures into a ‘small forest’ eco playground equipped with ▲tree houses ▲woodworking tables ▲log stepping stones ▲net hammocks ▲music decks.

Additionally, play materials will be supported for eco-friendly programs focused on nature and play experiences. Programs such as ecological education where children grow plants and experience insects firsthand, and ‘Food Bridge,’ which allows children to actively experience the transformation process of natural materials, will be operated.

Kim Kyung-ok, Head of the Childcare Division, said, “Through this eco-friendly childcare enhancement, we will support children to grow up healthy and happy,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to create a childcare environment that satisfies infants, parents, and childcare teachers alike.”

Meanwhile, the district is expanding public daycare centers to strengthen the public childcare foundation by 2021. Currently, there are a total of 68 public daycare centers in the area, achieving this year’s target of 50% utilization rate of public daycare centers, which exceeds the government’s 40% and Seoul’s average of 43% (as of August 2020).

This year, four centers?Kkumdam Daycare Center (Sangdo 1-dong), Gaon Daycare Center (Sangdo 3-dong), Doremi Daycare Center (Heukseok-dong), and Daum Daycare Center (Sadang 5-dong)?have opened, and by 2021, six more public daycare centers are planned to open, including Areum Daycare Center (tentative name), Eunsol Daycare Center (Sangdo 1-dong), Raemian Kids (Noryangjin 1-dong), and Boramae Xi Daycare Center (Sindaebang 2-dong).

Perspective view of the log stepping stones planned to be installed at Sangdo Daycare Center

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.