For Those Who Separate By Age...

[BigMama]

Hi everyone! I am new to Daycare.com but have been a in-home child care provider for about five years. I have always had my infants, toddler, and preschoolers share the playroom space. This has always worked for me in the past. The big kids played & did their activities and the babies participated at their own level or played independently. This year this is not working. I have four older kids (one 3 yr.old and three 2.5 yr. olds) and two babies (one 15 mo. old and one 8 mo. old). The 15 month old "destroys" (and I mean that lovingly!) anything and everything my older ones are working on. I know that this is entirely age appropriate but I haven't had this issue with past babies (some of whom are now my older ones!). Also, the 8 mo. old is already pulling herself up and starting to cruise & she obviously has no concept of what she is grabbing. I like to provide lots of activities for my older ones & this is becoming almost impossible with the two little renegades on the loose! ::
Soooo...I was just wondering how other providers go about separating their littles from their bigs? How is your house or playroom set up to separate? Do you use gates, furniture ??? I haven't ever considered separating them before but think this might help this particular group.

[laundrymom]

If my bigs are building and my littles are destroying, I let the bigs build in a pnp. They may get out at any time but the littles have no access to their projects.

[cheerfuldom]

do a super yard and create an area just for the babies.

[MommyMuffin]

I use my living room and dinning room for dc. My living room and dinning room are essentially the same room, no wall seperates them. So I have a long couch and part of a gate seperating the living room from the dinning room.

The infants are in the dinning room with me. I put foam mats on the floor and toys.
I am hoping to get the basement finished soon and there will be a larger dc room which I will section of 1/4 of for the infants.

The toddlers always ruin the preschoolers fun so I have another area just for projects. Gates and furniture!

[caligirl]

If my bigs are building and my littles are destroying, I let the bigs build in a pnp. They may get out at any time but the littles have no access to their projects.

I do the same thing. I have one of those 'super yard's that are octagon shaped. I tell the big kids to go in there where they are 'safe' and let the infants cruise the rest of the room. The big kids think it's pretty cool

[Cat Herder]

I built wooden half walls and move them in and out of the playroom to create smaller rooms as needed.

L Brackets and a power drill let me set up and break down in minutes.

[nannyde]

I built wooden half walls and move them in and out of the playroom to create smaller rooms as needed.

L Brackets and a power drill let me set up and break down in minutes.

Your set up is awesome. It needs to be used in centers and home care too. It would solve so many problems we are seeing with kids today.

[Cat Herder]

Your set up is awesome. It needs to be used in centers and home care too. It would solve so many problems we are seeing with kids today.

It was the only logical way for me to solve my own problems.....

First, I will not allow my infants to be injured by toddlers.

I can't have stronger, more aggressive kids tormenting my smaller, weaker kids.

I needed for my creative builders/readers/artists to be able to play without constant frustration and fighting.

I needed to be able to provide a padded, safe, environment with soft toys for my "bull in a china shop". ::

I needed an area for us all to come together for circle times. AND we all must be in the same room at all times.

The plastic baby gates are simply too easily pushed over, around the room or knocked over.

I have always said....the playroom setup does half the job if set up correctly.

[AfterSchoolMom]

Your set up is awesome. It needs to be used in centers and home care too. It would solve so many problems we are seeing with kids today.

Totally agree. I think Catherder's set up is the coolest thing I've ever seen, DC wise.

[Cat Herder]

Totally agree. I think Catherder's set up is the coolest thing I've ever seen, DC wise.

Well, Thank you!!!

I am about to tweak it by adding some really cool peg boards to the walls (meant for garage walls) so I can then add shelves whenever I want ( hopefully with Duplo boards glued on with gorilla glue) and other cool accessories as needed.

I am a bit excited about it.

I have toyed around with the idea of chalk boards, magnetic boards and that cool new toy the BlackCats DH made her...

I will never actually be finished....::::

[nannyde]

I have always said....the playroom setup does half the job if set up correctly.

Yes

I think the room set up really speaks to supervision.

When my state says "carefully supervise at all times" I think this includes more than visual and auditory supervision.

Having excellent equipment and a physical set up that is safe is a good half of the job. Having great toys are a huge percent too.

Having kids that are taught the right way from the first day and kids that eat and sleep....

Voila... excellent care and a happy Nan

[Sprouts]

Yes

I think the room set up really speaks to supervision.

When my state says "carefully supervise at all times" I think this includes more than visual and auditory supervision.

Having excellent equipment and a physical set up that is safe is a good half of the job. Having great toys are a huge percent too.

Having kids that are taught the right way from the first day and kids that eat and sleep....

Voila... excellent care and a happy Nan

I read one of your posts where you state you have a nursery and two other rooms for preschool...I have something similar I split my large room in two...one side for infants and toddler and other side for preschool, and a seperate room for sleep....i now notice babies are getting a little bored...I dont have toddlers yet but i feel there is not a great place for them yet...any suggestions? you can see pics of my space on my website www.sproutinglearners.com

[Sprouts]

I built wooden half walls and move them in and out of the playroom to create smaller rooms as needed.

L Brackets and a power drill let me set up and break down in minutes.

do you have pics? i would love to see the set up

[hoopinglady]

do you have pics? i would love to see the set up

me too. I am having some major environmental issues.

[Cat Herder]

do you have pics? i would love to see the set up

me too. I am having some major environmental issues.

I had a huge private album...will have to set it back up.

I don't want them in public, though. Cuts down on the whole annonymous thing. I need to still be able to vent and ask for advice if necessary. ::

I will send a friend request, so you can see some pics on my profile..give me a few minutes. (oh, Sprouts...You can already see my album. Bottom right of my profile page)