Where to put gate for room with a step-down

[missheather]

Hello everyone!
I am in the process of getting my house in order to get my Small Family Daycare license Central California.
I have a question regarding where to put a babygate. We have a "bonus room" which is the only room that is carpeted so I was hoping to use this as a smaller children (infant and toddler) playroom area. The only issue is that it has two steps that go down into the room. Where would I put the baby gate? On the top or the bottom?
Thank you so much!

[Angelsj]

Hello everyone!
I am in the process of getting my house in order to get my Small Family Daycare license Central California.
I have a question regarding where to put a babygate. We have a "bonus room" which is the only room that is carpeted so I was hoping to use this as a smaller children (infant and toddler) playroom area. The only issue is that it has two steps that go down into the room. Where would I put the baby gate? On the top or the bottom?
Thank you so much!

Put it closest to the babies. I had to put a gate two steps up and I am forever plucking babies down from those steps. They climb up and hold the gate and rock, trying to pull it down. It wouldn't kill them to fall those two steps, but it would not be comfortable for them either.

[Heidi]

I would go with the top, and put some of those soft foam mats at the bottom. It then become a gross-motor area that you didn't pay extra for.

Just make sure that gate is really, really secure so they can't pull it down.

[Crystal]

At the bottom. The licensor might object to it being at the top because the infants can roll off of the steps.