When Cynthia Tatum gives children building blocks and other toys, she knows that they won't choke on them.
Tatum, director of the Toddler's Den Childcare Center in Fort Worth, is participating in the United Way of Tarrant County's Quality Enhancement program, which is designed to teach child-care workers how to make day-care centers safer.
"I thought I knew everything ... until I got involved with the program," she said.
Tatum learned about the Quality Enhancement initiative from a newsletter.
She has received around $3,000 a year from the United Way since 2004 for many improvements and repairs to the Toddler's Den, inside Harmony Missionary Baptist Church.
The playground has three fenced areas with equipment designed for infants, toddlers and older children.
Having the separate areas allows all the children to go outside at the same time, she said.
She also used the grant money for age- appropriate books and toys; child-size chairs, tables and cabinets; and repairs to an unsafe porch.
The center also participates in a program that tracks children's immunizations, and she notifies parents when shots are due.
Marilyn Jones, vice president of resources under management for United Way, said the Quality Enhancement program offers many services and opportunities for child-care providers.