Where's Your Cry Out/Chill Out/Time Out Spot?

[My Lil' Monkeys]

I seen a couple different posts about a Cry out/Chill out spot... Where is your spot?? Sleep Mat? Floor Mat? Corner? Is the spot in the same spot? In the same rm your in? End of Hall? I've heard of making a quiet corner with a stuff animal and books?

What do you use for a child that needs to cry it out? rude and disrespectful to your words or rules? Do you use the same spot for everything? Or have different spots for one that breaks the rules and one that just needs to cry?

I'm thinking I need a new spot and I'm just trying to get ideas. Thank You!

Oh and Happy Friday! happyface

[cheerfuldom]

the chill out spot is in a chair right next to me....the chair is placed wherever I am working. I dont do a timed spot, then can get out after we have had a little chat and they agree (and actually do) change the behavior. If it is full on tantrums, I either put them in the corner or a safe space and let them go at it (we all ignore) or occasionally, have to take them out of the room completely. It has been quite awhile since anyone threw a tantrum here.

[daycarediva]

No designated spot, but for chill outs, the child sits wherever I am at the moment, for cry spots, it's wherever the group is, off to the side a bit (so that they can see what we are doing and I can see them) NEVER in another room. These little munchkins don't leave my sight.

[countrymom]

I have a large mat in my kitchen, right by the door. Its away from the daycare area so it gives the kids enough time to calm down without all the other kids. I never change it, I find that by being consistant about the mat the kids rarely use it. I have kids who use it as a crying area too, I think because its away from commotion, they calm down quicker.

I use to use a chair, but the kids where so ansy in it, and would pick my wall, would bounce on the chair, by having the mat it also gives them room to lay down and stomp their feet if they need to get their frustrations out.

[Heidi]

I have a step in the entry way-my house is open concept. I also have one in the play-yard. I picked it because it's away from the group (as much as possible), and it's consistent both inside and out.

Some of my kids will sit themselves there when they are upset.

For the most part, I just walk them over gently, and tell them that when they are ready to be kind, or done being angry, or whatever applies, they can rejoin the group.

Once in a blue moon, I give an actual "time out", but then I usually set them next to me, and I decide when they can get up. I try not to do that too often, because it looses it's affectiveness.

[dave4him]

Just dont make the mistake of laying on the floor.

I step out on the front porch and take some deep breaths once in a while

[Heidi]

Just dont make the mistake of laying on the floor.

I step out on the front porch and take some deep breaths once in a while

Giving yourself the ole' timeout/chillout, eh?

[dave4him]

Yes well for the kids i just use the corner near the front door

[Meeko]

I am in touch with several of my "old" kids. One is now a nurse (good grief...I'm ancient) and has just bought her first home. She posted pics recently on her Facebook page. We laughed about the rocker recliner she had in the corner.

When she was in my daycare, I used my large recliner as the place for time out/to calm down etc.

One Monday, her parents came in laughing and told me they had been to a large furniture store over the weekend with Jordan (she was about 2 and a half at the time). When they came to the chair section, Jordan's eyes got real big and she exclaimed
"Look at all those time out chairs!"

So we laughed over her having a "time out" chair in her own living room now!

Nowadays, I use a loveseat next to my desk as the time out area.

[Blackcat31]

Our crying/chill out spot is anywhere we (myself and the other kids) are not.