Cheap Nap & Cubby Options

[LaLa1923]

I'm not sure what egg crate is but whatever you make just remember that sometimes children have 'accidents' and pee on them.

Laurel

They're made to fit on top of your mattress to make it softer. .

Know a few providers who make their own and they really hold up.

[Cradle2crayons]

The kinder mats at my local Walmart are only five bucks.

But my brand new local Fred's has them year round and they are five bucks too.

That's what I offer my kiddos.

I don't have requirements though.

Have you looked at amazon or Walmart.com

[LoraJenkins]

I bought some folding cots at Wal-Mart 2 years ago. They are Regalo brand and are holding up pretty well. They cost around $25 each. Crib sheets fit them perfectly.

As far as cubbies, I use a cube system I found at Home Depot with canvas bins. The children each have their own colored bin. Works great for us.

[Leigh]

Hi Everyone

I am in the process of opening my own home daycare (my size of place the state says I can have up to 4 kids at a time) and am stuck on nap time. I have tried to find those Red & Blue kinder mats, but walmart does not sell them anymore- at least not cheap (they are like $15). My state only requires, for a home center that each child be given an "individual mat or cot to sleep". And it leaves room for leeway. My question is several.

Cots are really expensive, and it seems the mats are too.... When I was in Kindergarten, our school had these thick braided rugs they gave us, and it was OK because they could be washed- I know fabric is OK as kids can have mat sheets, their own blankets etc.

How do you handle naptime? My budget is obviously low, but the local dollar general has those thick braided rugs for $5 each...... they are about 1/4 inch thick.. I wonder?

Also, cubbies- since each child is required to have their own space, I wonder if those Fabric cubes placed on a bookshelf would suffice?

Thanks

Walmart and Amazon.com both sell cots for less than $25. I require parents of children over 12 months to provide their own cots. I'll purchase them for them, but they pay me back for them. I would NOT force a kid to sleep on a rug-get them a real cot. I don't do mats, either-the cots are the way to go, in my opinion. There are fold-up cots or stackable ones in this price range.

Just saw that you can't require parents to provide them (dumb rule, IMO), but you COULD charge parents a $25 supply fee to cover them.

[Nebula]

Just saw that you can't require parents to provide them (dumb rule, IMO), but you COULD charge parents a $25 supply fee to cover them.

Love it! Or charge an enrollment fee that would cover that

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

If I were just starting, that is what I would do. After seeing how poorly even the expensive mats hold up - I wouldn't want to invest in them again. I, personally, would buy cots if I had to do it all over again. I LOATHE stacking mats at the end of each day - I would much rather deal with cots that can't fold and aren't floppy.

Our state has regulations about the thickness and materials they are made out of. So I had to keep those in mind.

I have had cots since the beginning and they WERE pretty expensive but are completely worth it, in my opinion.

[KDC]

A nearby church of mine was closing their preschool, I was able to get three cots for $15 bucks! I bought cheap $5 twin fitted sheets from Walmart, and found three color large fleece blankets for a steal at Meijer. Someone closing their at home daycare donated 2 pack n plays to me, and I just purchased the play yard sheets. The cots are large and clunky, but they can be stacked or stood up in the closet under the stairs. I like the idea of getting an enrollment fee and using those funds to purchase them... that would make things much easier for you financially.

[Nebula]

Would something like this work???

https://www.foamcenter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=FQUAL

Then I could just get my own vinyl and cover over it....

[youretooloud]

Would something like this work???

https://www.foamcenter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=FQUAL

Then I could just get my own vinyl and cover over it....

I think it would cost nearly as much as it would to buy real ones at a store. If you wait a few more weeks, Walmart will have theirs out in the school supply section.

[youretooloud]

I just searched for a while, and it looks like Discount School supply still has the best price. Anywhere from $11-$17 each.

[coolconfidentme]

Also, cubbies- since each child is required to have their own space, I wonder if those Fabric cubes placed on a bookshelf would suffice?

Thanks

Colorful milk crates laying on their side & mounted on the wall will work.

[Nebula]

I got the cubbies sorted..

I think the option is to wait until walmart has them out with their school supplies.

Or use these- which when placed with a sheet seem like they would be comfortable: