Home Daycares That Are Unbelievable

[Candy]

In my areas some look like preschools and some don't. :confused: i guess i have to figure out which one will work for me.

[nanglgrl]

Ouch, snap. Time to hire that housecleaner we were talking about!

:: aww snap indeed :: Really though I'm sure it's not that bad. Please tell me you know the places I'm talking about...they smell bad, a layer of grime covers everything, all of the toys are on their last leg and the children get sick all of the time. I've seen quite a few in my area and am so shocked that people leave their children. I don't mean to sound like a big ol' brat but even when I was renting a tiny duplex and was dirt poor I made sure my daycare was welcoming, bright and clean.

[nanglgrl]

Yes! Are you in this for the long haul? You said you don't have a designated space so do you want your living space to look like a daycare (toys, learning posters, children's artwork) or would you rather it look like your home with the daycare items "hidden" after hours? I've seen great examples of both. I LOVE nothingwithoutjoy's space (in decor group) and it is so completely opposite of my setup. It has a very natural "at home" vibe. You can hardly tell it's a daycare but you can see the children would have a ton to do. I want to visit there.
I also love entropycontrolspecialist and spud 912's spaces among others. They are open, full of natural light and have designated centers.
The single most important thing is that you be happy with your space. You're the one that will have to be in it day in and out.
I don't think anyone can create the perfect space before they open, it's all trial and error.

[melilley]

OK, here are some pictures to make you feel better. This is my house at the end of today. It was a chaotic friday!


Kitchen table

my dishes didn't get done

playroom

playroom
feel better now??

, so my kitchen every day!

[melilley]

Yes! Are you in this for the long haul? You said you don't have a designated space so do you want your living space to look like a daycare (toys, learning posters, children's artwork) or would you rather it look like your home with the daycare items "hidden" after hours? I've seen great examples of both. I LOVE nothingwithoutjoy's space (in decor group) and it is so completely opposite of my setup. It has a very natural "at home" vibe. You can hardly tell it's a daycare but you can see the children would have a ton to do. I want to visit there.
I also love entropycontrolspecialist and spud 912's spaces among others. They are open, full of natural light and have designated centers.
The single most important thing is that you be happy with your space. You're the one that will have to be in it day in and out.
I don't think anyone can create the perfect space before they open, it's all trial and error.

So true, it's all trial and error!

[melilley]

Mine is in between. I have my living room as a designated childcare space and it sort of looks like a preschool (not completely), but the rest of my house is, well, my house and looks homey. I tried to put pics up in the decor group, but it keeps telling me that I can't. Nanglgrl said it best, it's trial and error! I personally run my daycare using play based curriculum, but I also do some teacher directed curriculum based on the needs of the children. I take ages 6 weeks to five years old and we do have a weekly theme and the activities are tailored to each age so everyone can participate. My circle time consists of talking/doing activities from the weekly theme, singing songs,reading books, but that's the extent of it. Parents who call seem to be impressed with that and I just opened at the end of Jan. and only have one spot left, so I must be doing something right! Oh and my playground is just bordered by cheap, but sturdy landscape lumber and filled with wood chips. I have a wooden swing set, 2 toddler slides, a sandbox, and a couple of riding toys and that's it for now. Parents seem to like it though. ( I keep telling them at interviews that I am going to get more outdoor toys, but they seem to be satisfied with what is out there) And remember, like others have said, it make take years to build your space up to what you want. My advice is to make your space, whatever it may be, look inviting to the parents and kids. Heck, most of my toys and materials were found at garage sales and on clearance! I just make sure they are in good condition. And like pp's have said, parents will either prefer a preschool setting or a home like setting. It is possible to make it both ways (I feel I have). Make it what you want and families will find you! Good luck! Sorry this is so long!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

In order for me to get clients where I am (a specific age range as well), I had to spend the money upfront. To me, spending around $5000ish to start a business wasn't a bad deal. It was worth it to me and I added on from there.

My friend in the next community over runs a different type of daycare program that doesn't consume her entire downstairs. She actually lives in the areas she also uses to work and it looks great as well! We have different clients who want different things.

As long as your environment is safe, clean, and inviting then I don't think you'll have any issues!

[Starburst]

The provider I used to work for one of her ex husbands worked in construction and he built/ added on almost like an appartment for her daycare that was attached to her house (since it has its own kitchen and bathroom with a tub she could leagally rent out that entire area as a one bedroom attached appartment if she wanted to) and she already had a 4 bedroom house to begin with and since she lives alone (her kids are grown up) she uses all the room exept hers as daycare space but other than the bedrooms and the daycare addition area you would never be able to tell that she runs a daycare in her house- her living rooms and dining rooms look like an average home. I have never seen anything like it before. I hope one day I will be able to have a house like hers. Below is a sketch of the floor plan; all of the light green rooms in the back of the house are part of the addition.

[Blackcat31]

As long as your environment is safe, clean, and inviting then I don't think you'll have any issues!

Other than the safe and clean elements, I prefer clients to choose me for me and the quality of services I offer.

If someone chose to pass me by due to the fact that my child care home is older or not state of the art, then I honestly wouldn't want them as clients.

If they value the cosmetics verses the substance.....then I assume the issues they will have are not things I would ever want to deal with.

Pass.

[Evansmom]

Other than the safe and clean elements, I prefer clients to choose me for me and the quality of services I offer.

If someone chose to pass me by due to the fact that my child care home is older or not state of the art, then I honestly wouldn't want them as clients.

If they value the cosmetics verses the substance.....then I assume the issues they will have are not things I would ever want to deal with.

Pass.

This is absolutely true too. I've learned that the people that are looking for something I don't offer aren't the ones I want to work with anyway. It was hard for me to accept that in the beginning because I wanted to attract clients simply because I needed income. That is important yes, but ultimately you want to work with someone who wants to work with you and those are the clients you have long term.

[MissAnn]

Other than the safe and clean elements, I prefer clients to choose me for me and the quality of services I offer.

If someone chose to pass me by due to the fact that my child care home is older or not state of the art, then I honestly wouldn't want them as clients.

If they value the cosmetics verses the substance.....then I assume the issues they will have are not things I would ever want to deal with.

Pass.

I agree! My carpet is clean but stained. I try to cover up the spots that were NOT created by the daycare kids. I can't afford to buy new carpet so for now I am stuck. I have never had anyone turn me down based on my carpet stains. In fact I can only think of one person in 5 years who did not enroll after visiting here.....(it was the mom who told me her husbands sperm count).....I would not have enrolled them any way!

[Angelsj]

Other than the safe and clean elements, I prefer clients to choose me for me and the quality of services I offer.

If someone chose to pass me by due to the fact that my child care home is older or not state of the art, then I honestly wouldn't want them as clients.

If they value the cosmetics verses the substance.....then I assume the issues they will have are not things I would ever want to deal with.

Pass.

Exactly. I live in an older 6 bedroom home. It looks nice, but it looks like a HOME that has multiple children living in it. I do not have "centers"," but I do have creative children that make their own. I have had kids rearrange the kitchen and doll stuff into the living room and make themselves a home with babies,etc, and one of them goes to "work" (complete with doctor outfit) in the other rooms. Pretty cute.

Yesterday, they had blankets strewn across the living room floor for the "ocean" and pillows for a bridge. Just like my older kids did when they lived here.

I did have a lady come through and tell me it didn't "look" like a daycare, yet she was asking for a place to drop her child one day a week where he could play with other kids, and did NOT want me to teach him preschool stuff as that was "her job." Um, WHAT??!

[crazydaycarelady]

I have looked at some of those "perfect" dc pictures also but I always wonder how they do it. Maybe they don't have mixed ages like I do but when I see things like an art center that is available to the kids all the time I know I could never have that. Or the awesome shelves with the books all displayed. I have board books down for the kids to help themselves but the others I have to get down because the little kids ruin them. Those perfect rooms just seem out of touch with reality!

[just_peachy]

I can tell you one thing for sure. Out of the half dozen-ish daycares I remember going to as a kid, not a single one had anything on any of you. I have good memories of maybe 1, decent memories of a couple, and the rest...

That's why I do what I do.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I have looked at some of those "perfect" dc pictures also but I always wonder how they do it. Maybe they don't have mixed ages like I do but when I see things like an art center that is available to the kids all the time I know I could never have that. Or the awesome shelves with the books all displayed. I have board books down for the kids to help themselves but the others I have to get down because the little kids ruin them. Those perfect rooms just seem out of touch with reality!

My art supplies are open for the children to use but I only have children ages 2.5 to 5 and the 2.5-year-old is an exception. I provide care for ages 3-5. If one wants to do something, they all want to do it so we tend to do art as a group (although, sometimes one will want to continue playing so we may not have the entire group).

I keep hard cover books and board books available for the children at all times. There are a ton (in the hundreds...). Softcover books are in thematic unit boxes that I read to them since those tend to get really crazy looking if I put them out.

I love organization and keep my place of business organized and clean. The children have center time and it can get "messy" looking if you were to walk in then with toys on the floor (although they typically do a great job of putting things back), but that's about as crazy looking as it gets beyond the normal art time mess at their designated small tables.