Roam Around Or Stay In The Play Area?

[originalkat]

Quick question for you ladies...
Do you normally let the kids roam around the whole house or do they mostly stay in the play area?

Thanks!

[JenNJ]

For the kids safety and my sanity, the kids stay in the playroom unless I tell them it's time to eat, nap, or a parent has come to pick up. They will be put in immediate time out if they go on the steps to leave the room.

Roaming the house can be dangerous (stairs, out of my sight/hearing range, not all my rooms are childproofed, etc.). No way.

[Crazy8]

stay in the playroom here too. Its gated off but I don't have to keep the gates shut unless I have a crawler/little one - the kids know the rest of my house is boring, LOL, the fun is in the playroom.

[slpender]

The kids stay in the playroom here also. I have it gated off.

[Alice Of Legend]

my DCKs usually stay in the play area, I do have another playroom that I occasionally let them roam between (it's off the main play area). They don't have full access to the other playroom as it has the "special" toys (aka the ones they can only play with for shorter periods before an argument breaks out or I loose my sanity, like the kitchen set and music toys), plus the infants nap in there. The rest of the house is gated off.

[Heidi]

so, for those of you that have that designated playroom, do you "hang" with them in there at all times? Most of the time? If you leave the room, does all heck break loose or do you have kids hanging on the gate crying their eyes out?

[cheerfuldom]

I have a basement playroom, I do work on other stuff while we are down there and dont leave the room unless absolutely necessary. There are parts of certain days (depending on who is here) that I allow a small amount of roaming...its our open living space and my girls bedroom. But that is only for the kids I know can handle it. There are two right now that instantly start crying and fighting and cant handle any roaming. If we are upstairs, they are at the table with activities or books. My other two older daycare kids can handle a small amount of freedom and the baby is not mobile yet.

[EchoMom]

Roam the house upstairs (split level house). But that's because my house is small. Downstairs is our master bedroom, laundry room, and my mom's portion of the house. Upstairs living, dining, kitchen, bathroom, 2 bedrooms (1 playroom 1 nap/diaper room).

Sometimes I gate them into the playroom if I want them all contained in one space so I can breathe, clean up, get on the computer (like now! Computer is in the playroom).

[daycarediva]

I have a designated play room which is open to my dining/kitchen and hallway. Kids play in there unless we are going outside, potty, or to nap. My nap room is my youngest ds's bedroom. I don't gate off (no way to do that) but I do remind, remind, remind. The older kids (3+) have it down pat, the younger kids just get tattled on.

[daycarediva]

Oh, and to clarify, I have a large prek table/seats 8 in my playroom, so that is our 'multipurpose' table.

[countrymom]

I have a two storey so the bedrooms are upstairs so no one goes upstairs expect for nap. Now I do have a seperate are for daycare but the kids can roam around, as its all on one floor. They all know that no toys can ever leave the daycare room.

[JenNJ]

so, for those of you that have that designated playroom, do you "hang" with them in there at all times? Most of the time? If you leave the room, does all heck break loose or do you have kids hanging on the gate crying their eyes out?

My daycare room is right off the kitchen, so I can see/hear what is going on at all times. They don't notice when I pop out to prep lunch. Otherwise I am down there.

[originalkat]

Hmmm, I have one area off the kitchen where there are the preschool tables and art stuff. Then I have a back bedroom that has all the toys. So far I have been letting them roam around, but it is starting to drive me crazy. So today I gated off the back playroom so I could clean up and it worked out pretty well. Im not sure if I should start having a designated time that is learning center time where the HAVE to stay in the playroom. I am tempted to try it out and see how it goes.
I was also curious if everyone stays in the playroom with the kids when it is on the main floor. Unfortunately my playroom is not off of the kitchen.

[Nickel]

My play area is in the living room and I have an open floor plan. dck must stay in the living area except for when we eat or do art projects on the big table (there is a small table in the play area as well). I also have another room that has diaper area, dress up, science and nap areas. They are only allowed in there under supervision (except when sleeping All of the other areas in my home are off limits. I always have them within site unless I do a quick load of laundry or have to go to the bathroom. But they are always within my hearing and I never let the infants on the floor with the older ones.

[daymommy]

We have a split level so the kids use the whole house but we all stay together. So we roam together I guess In the mornings when they get here they come upstairs where I have cartoons and a "busy box" to keep them busy while I make breakfast. (My living room is open to my kitchen). Then we all head downstairs to the family room which is most of our daycare and playing happens. I'm down there with them and we stay pretty busy with our Mother Goose Time stuff. They know they aren't allowed down the hall or in my kids' rooms. Sometimes if there are only one or 2 here I will let them play in DS's room if he wants too, or they go in together to pick out a puzzle or game or something, but for the most part the bedrooms are off limits. At lunch we all go back upstairs for lunch I usually give them something to work on at the table while I prep and then they nap in the bedrooms upstairs. I'm usually doing things upstairs so I just leave the bedroom doors open so I can easily peek at them and hear them vs sending them back downstairs to nap.