Church partnership guide · Planning your space
Explore the preschool facility requirements for a Great Beginnings church partnership. From classrooms to outdoor play, we can help your church and architect plan spaces that support children’s learning and care.
Glendale & Goodyear, Arizona
Talk with our team
Before the plans are final
Our administrative team is available to consult with your church and architect as you design a preschool facility. Starting that conversation early helps bring classroom needs, building plans, and licensing requirements together.
The planning details below reflect Great Beginnings’ partnership needs and preferences. Your architect and the reviewing authorities will confirm the zoning, building, fire, and Arizona Department of Health Services requirements for your specific project.
New-build & pre-construction checklist
Ask your architect to check local zoning for a preschool operating on a church campus. Include the intended preschool use in the original plans and building permit narrative submitted to the city. Resolving zoning early helps avoid delays or a denied application.
If the site is within a quarter mile of agricultural land, review the applicable notification and agreement requirements with ADHS before proceeding. ADHS can confirm which landowner agreement, buffer-zone provisions, and county-recording steps apply to the site.
Plan the fire alarm system with the local fire authority, include preschool signage, and provide convenient drinking-water access near classrooms. Our planning preference is drinking fountains in common areas.
Include internet access and provision for two preschool office phone lines in the facility plan. Discuss the office layout and communication setup with our team while planning the space.
Planning references: Arizona child care licensing and agricultural-land requirements.
Classrooms made for little learners
Plan each classroom around the children it will serve, its approved capacity, and the furniture and storage needed throughout the day.
Allow room for tables, chairs, toy shelves, and mat storage. Great Beginnings asks for at least one 8-foot section of built-in cabinetry for preschool supplies, along with lockable storage for school and office materials.
For new construction, bathrooms in or between classrooms are ideal. In existing buildings, look for bathrooms close to the classrooms and review access and fixtures as part of the facility plan.
For new classrooms, our preference is a mix of hard flooring and carpet, with roughly half of each. Hard surfaces suit art, meals, and snacks; carpet helps absorb sound and gives children a comfortable place to sit, play, and rest.
Usable activity space, children’s ages, and room layout affect licensed capacity. Review both the room’s approved use and the amount of classroom space included in the partnership with our team before finalizing plans.
A place to move & explore
Playground space, equipment, shade, and surfacing all belong in the plan from the beginning. Our team can help with layout and equipment selection.
Great Beginnings’ partnership standard is a fence at least 6 feet high, using block, wood, or iron. Openings between posts or rails should not exceed 4 inches. Review the complete fence and gate design with the project team.
For initial outdoor-space planning, use this starting calculation: usable playground square footage ÷ 75 × 2. This is only the outdoor-area component; it does not determine the school’s final licensed capacity. Confirm the full plan and any indoor activity-area alternative with ADHS.
Select equipment suited to the children and intended capacity. Fall zones need purpose-made impact-absorbing surfacing or suitable loose-fill material. Arizona’s rules allow wood chips at a maintained minimum depth of 6 inches; plan edging to keep loose fill in place.
Include a covered shade structure in the partnership plan and ensure shade is available for every child using the area. A playground drinking fountain is convenient, though our planning checklist treats it as optional. Get current quotes for equipment, shade, surfacing, and installation.
Review the current Arizona child care facility rules with your project team.
A place to welcome families
Great Beginnings’ facility plan calls for a lockable preschool office of at least 150 square feet, with a sign-in counter 6 feet or longer.
Provide a secured area for office equipment and computers, plus lockable supply storage. These practical spaces support the work that happens around the classroom day.
Talk with our team about your existing building or proposed plans. We can help you consider the preschool’s needs as your church explores the partnership.
Let’s explore the possibilities
Interested in a Great Beginnings preschool on your church campus? Call our team and ask about the church partnership program. We welcome your questions as you consider the next step.
Connect with Great Beginnings
For church partnership inquiries, please contact our Glendale team.
Glendale · 602-682-7020