Calm and Create Day — Defford Village Hall
Activity Risk Assessment
Children's Holiday Yoga & Mindfulness Workshop (Ages 5–9)
Calm and Create Day — Defford Village Hall
Children's Holiday Yoga & Mindfulness Workshop (Ages 5–9)
| Setting / event | Bond Yoga — Calm and Create Day, Defford |
| Venue | Defford Village Hall, main hall, kitchen and rear garden (weather permitting) |
| Age range | 5–9 years |
| Activities covered | Physical games, yoga (no hands-on adjustment), crafts, relaxation, preparing and eating a healthy snack, outdoor play (weather permitting) |
| Assessed by | Bond Yoga |
| Date assessed | 19 July 2026 |
| Review date | Before each future workshop, and immediately after any incident |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Related documents | Bond Yoga Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy; Defford Village Hall Terms & Conditions of Hire; Defford Village Hall Safeguarding Policy |
This risk assessment covers the activities delivered by Bond Yoga during the Calm and Create Day at Defford Village Hall: physical games, yoga practice (verbal instruction only, with no hands-on adjustment), age-appropriate crafts, a relaxation session, preparing and eating a healthy snack, and outdoor play in the hall's rear garden where weather permits.
This document assesses the risks arising from Bond Yoga's own activities and their delivery. It does not replace or repeat the fire and premises risk assessment that Defford Village Hall holds for the building itself. It should be read alongside the Bond Yoga Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy.
As the hiring organisation, Bond Yoga is responsible for its own activity risk assessment, but must operate within the terms, fire safety procedures and safeguarding expectations set by the Hall. The following Hall documents were reviewed:
The Hall's own fire and premises risk assessment and fire safety procedure are provided by the Booking Manager at the point of hire and must be checked by Bond Yoga staff before children arrive.
Each hazard is scored for Likelihood (L) and Severity (S) on a scale of 1–5, after existing control measures are applied. Risk score = L × S.
| Score | Meaning | Rating | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | Rare–unlikely occurrence. Trivial–minor injury. | Low | Monitor; no further action required |
| 5–9 | Possible occurrence with moderate injury potential, or unlikely event with more serious potential outcome. | Medium | Controls must be in place and checked before/during the session |
| 10–25 | Likely occurrence and/or serious to severe potential outcome. | High | Activity must not proceed until additional controls reduce the risk |
No hazard identified in this assessment scores High once the listed controls are applied. Any hazard that cannot be controlled to Medium or below must be referred to the DSL, and the activity adjusted or stopped.
| Hazard | Who might be harmed | Control measures | L | S | Risk | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child leaves with an unauthorised adult, or goes missing at drop-off/collection | Children | Signing-in/out register; only named, pre-authorised adults may collect; DSL/TA present at entrance during arrival and collection windows | 1 | 4 | 4 – Low | DSL to confirm collection list before session |
| Trip or slip at hall entrance/car park | Children, parents/carers | Staff greet at entrance; clear walking route; no running in car park | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | None — monitor |
| Vehicle movement in car park during drop-off/collection | Children | Staff supervise entrance; children kept away from car park; parents asked to supervise their own child until signed in | 2 | 4 | 8 – Medium | Brief parents at booking stage |
| Hazard | Who might be harmed | Control measures | L | S | Risk | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collision between children or trip/fall during active games | Children | Activity area cleared of furniture and obstacles; games chosen to suit hall space and group size; clear boundaries set; close staff supervision | 3 | 2 | 6 – Medium | Reassess space before each game |
| Overexertion or pre-existing condition (e.g. asthma) triggered by activity | Children with medical conditions | Medical/asthma information collected in advance; inhalers kept accessible; activities paced with rest and water breaks | 2 | 3 | 6 – Medium | DSL to review medical forms before session |
| Contact with walls, furniture or fixtures during games | Children | Furniture cleared from activity area; games kept within a defined, obstacle-free zone | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | None — monitor |
| Hazard | Who might be harmed | Control measures | L | S | Risk | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle strain or overstretching from unfamiliar poses | Children | Age-appropriate poses only; instruction is verbal and by demonstration; children never physically adjusted; children encouraged to work within their own comfortable range | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | None — monitor |
| Slips or loss of balance on mats | Children | Non-slip yoga mats used; mats laid flat with clear space between children; floor checked for spillages before session; bare feet or socks with grip | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | None — monitor |
| Collision with another child or fixture while moving into a pose | Children | Adequate spacing between mats maintained by staff; practice area kept clear of furniture and equipment | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | None — monitor |
| Hazard | Who might be harmed | Control measures | L | S | Risk | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuts from scissors or craft tools | Children | Round-ended, child-safe scissors only; close adult supervision during use; tools counted out and back in at the end of the activity | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | None — monitor |
| Choking or ingestion of small craft items (e.g. beads, sequins) | Children | Materials selected for age-appropriateness across the 5–9 range; close supervision; smaller items used only with direct adult oversight | 1 | 4 | 4 – Low | Check materials against youngest attendees before session |
| Skin or eye irritation from paint, glue or glitter | Children | Non-toxic, washable, child-safe art materials only; aprons/coverings provided; hands washed after craft; known allergies checked in advance | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | None — monitor |
| Hazard | Who might be harmed | Control measures | L | S | Risk | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional distress or a disclosure surfacing during quiet reflection | Children | Staff alert to signs of distress; relaxation kept light-touch and age-appropriate; children may opt out, sit up, or keep eyes open at any time; calm, supportive tone maintained throughout | 2 | 3 | 6 – Medium | Staff to debrief after each session |
| Trip hazard from children lying close together on the floor | Children | Adequate spacing maintained between children; clear floor area; staff positioned to see the whole group | 1 | 2 | 2 – Low | None — monitor |
| Hazard | Who might be harmed | Control measures | L | S | Risk | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allergic reaction or food intolerance | Children with allergies/intolerances | Allergy and dietary information collected at booking and checked before snack prep; ingredient labels checked; allergen-aware menu; any child's medication (e.g. antihistamine, auto-injector) accessible | 2 | 4 | 8 – Medium | DSL to cross-check menu against allergy list before session |
| Choking while eating | Children | Age-appropriate snack choices (e.g. no whole grapes or nuts unless safely prepared); food cut into manageable pieces; children seated and supervised while eating; staff trained in basic first aid/choking response | 2 | 4 | 8 – Medium | None — monitor, staff briefed |
| Cuts or burns during food preparation | Children | Child-safe cutting tools only; any task requiring a sharp knife carried out by an adult; no hot cooking equipment used; children's tasks limited to age-appropriate steps | 2 | 3 | 6 – Medium | None — monitor |
| Poor food hygiene | Children | Hands washed before handling food; kitchen surfaces checked clean before use; food stored appropriately; no animals permitted in the kitchen, per Hall rules | 2 | 3 | 6 – Medium | Kitchen checked at pre-session inspection |
| General kitchen hazards (hot taps, stored knives, appliances) | Children | Children only enter the food preparation area under direct, close adult supervision; sharp implements and appliances kept out of children's reach | 2 | 3 | 6 – Medium | None — monitor |
| Hazard | Who might be harmed | Control measures | L | S | Risk | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A child leaves the garden boundary, or accesses the car park or Access Road | Children | Garden boundary, fencing and gates checked secure before session; headcount taken before and after outdoor play; staff positioned to oversee the full width of the garden; children briefed on boundaries | 2 | 4 | 8 – Medium | Boundary check added to pre-session checklist |
| Trips or falls on uneven grass or garden features | Children | Garden visually checked for holes, litter, animal fouling or debris before children go outside; appropriate footwear worn | 3 | 2 | 6 – Medium | None — monitor |
| Sun exposure / overheating | Children | Weather forecast checked in advance; shaded area identified; sun cream/hats used if provided by parents; water breaks offered; session shortened or moved indoors in extreme heat | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | None — monitor |
| Cold or wet weather exposure | Children | Outdoor play is weather-dependent; children keep coats on if cool; session moved indoors if wet, cold or windy; surfaces checked for slipperiness if damp | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | Weather decision made by DSL on the day |
| Insect stings or contact with hazardous plants | Children with known allergies | Garden checked for wasp nests/hazardous plants before session; staff aware of any child's known allergy to stings; first aid kit accessible outdoors | 2 | 3 | 6 – Medium | None — monitor |
| Contact with members of the public or unauthorised third parties | Children | Garden forms part of the Hall's private grounds; access controlled during the hire period; staff supervise entrances/gates throughout outdoor play | 1 | 3 | 3 – Low | None — monitor |
| Hazard | Who might be harmed | Control measures | L | S | Risk | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire | All | Staff identify fire exits, extinguishers, alarm and gathering point before children arrive, per the Hall's fire safety procedure; exits kept clear throughout | 1 | 5 | 5 – Medium | Confirm with Booking Manager at hire |
| Unsupervised access to the Mezzanine floor | Children | Access point checked and made inaccessible before session, per Hall Terms & Conditions, which prohibit children from this area | 2 | 3 | 6 – Medium | Checked on pre-session inspection |
| Electrical equipment brought into the Hall (e.g. speaker) | All | PAT-tested equipment only; cables kept away from walkways; children do not operate electrical equipment | 1 | 3 | 3 – Low | None — monitor |
| General trip/slip hazards (bags, coats, spillages) | All | Activity areas kept tidy; bags and coats stored away from walkways; spillages cleaned immediately | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | None — monitor |
| Medical emergency or significant injury | Children | First-aid trained staff member present; first aid kit on site; emergency contact list and medical/allergy information accessible at all times | 2 | 4 | 8 – Medium | None — monitor |
| Hazard | Who might be harmed | Control measures | L | S | Risk | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adverse weather prevents planned outdoor play | Children | Outdoor play only proceeds if the DSL judges the garden safe and weather suitable; an indoor alternative activity is planned in advance for any session originally scheduled outdoors | 2 | 2 | 4 – Low | Indoor contingency activity confirmed before session |
| Hazard | Who might be harmed | Control measures | L | S | Risk | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire or other emergency requiring evacuation | All | Staff and children follow the Hall's fire evacuation procedure to the identified assembly point; register taken at the assembly point to confirm all children accounted for; DSL leads evacuation, TA supports; 999 called if required | 1 | 5 | 5 – Medium | Confirm assembly point at hire |
Missing child procedures during the session are set out in full in the Bond Yoga Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy, Section 16, and apply throughout indoor and outdoor activities covered by this assessment.
This risk assessment is reviewed by Bond Yoga before each workshop, immediately after any incident or near-miss, and whenever there is a change to the venue, activities, group size, or age range. Any change to Defford Village Hall's own fire safety arrangements or Terms & Conditions should also trigger a review of this document.