Is It Just My Group????

[Crazy8]

I tried reorganizing my playroom last month (posted about it here) but really finding that with my small, long room there aren't many options. But I tried a few things in different spots and I swear, every time I turn my back someone is pushing something out of place. Moving chairs (upholstered kid size chair, not just the table chairs although they are moving them all across the room too). Climbing on EVERYTHING that is not supposed to be climbed on. 13 month old just moved the sling style bookcase out from wall and before I could walk over to push it back he was hanging on the back of it!!!! The toy kitchen was against wall and next thing I know its slid 3 ft down the wall. Toy bins are dumped everywhere and then crushed (the fabric bins with the bottoms that come out so they can collapse). I have my ears on them every second and my eyes on them 95% of the time, but still, all I have to do is change and diaper and they are doing something they shouldn't.

I see all these pretty playroom pictures and I just wonder if its just me and my group (all under 3 yrs old, the biggest culprits are 13m-18m). I want the playroom to be pretty AND functional. I want sections that don't get moved all over the place because they aren't bolted flat to the wall (don't worry, not tipping hazard stuff, those are bolted!).

Is it me, is it my young group or is it unrealistic pinterest pictures??? ::

[midaycare]

Mine move stuff all over but I guess it doesn't bother me. They use stuff from one section of the playroom and bring it to another - which allows them to play in completely new and different ways.

I have one who is 14 months and loves to dump. I don't mind. I dump the baskets myself sometimes. But I don't have that many baskets out at a time. The biggest pain in the butt is my kitchen area. Within 2 minutes the food is everywhere.

[Mom o Col]

No, maam! Not just your group...mine too. They love to move the chairs away from the table to play train, plane, and bus, or pretend they are at story time. They insist on moving the toy bins which are meant to stay where they are all over the house. They simply must drag out the nap cots anytime they think they can get away with it. They all too frequently do what I call the "dump and run" where they dump a toy bin (or 5, or 6) just for the fun of it and not to play with what was inside. Busy little beavers they are.

[Crazy8]

Mine move stuff all over but I guess it doesn't bother me. They use stuff from one section of the playroom and bring it to another - which allows them to play in completely new and different ways.

I have one who is 14 months and loves to dump. I don't mind. I dump the baskets myself sometimes. But I don't have that many baskets out at a time. The biggest pain in the butt is my kitchen area. Within 2 minutes the food is everywhere.

I wouldn't mind if they used things from one section in another but they aren't USING anything… they are just dumping and moving on and dumping again and again until every darn toy is on the floor. Its the furniture moving and climbing (bookcase, cubbies, kitchen, table, chairs) that really has me annoyed lately. Like why can't you take a book out of the bookcase and sit in the chair and read it…. no, they throw ALL the books onto the floor and then climb on the bookcase instead. I am really trying to teach them how to play correctly and I've been doing daycare for 13 years so its not new to me, but this group just isn't getting it and its getting on my last nerve but like I said, this is probably the youngest group I've had. I like the little ones but I think not having 2-3 older ones in the mix is hard!!

[taylorw1210]

I wouldn't mind if they used things from one section in another but they aren't USING anything… they are just dumping and moving on and dumping again and again until every darn toy is on the floor. Its the furniture moving and climbing (bookcase, cubbies, kitchen, table, chairs) that really has me annoyed lately. Like why can't you take a book out of the bookcase and sit in the chair and read it…. no, they throw ALL the books onto the floor and then climb on the bookcase instead. I am really trying to teach them how to play correctly and I've been doing daycare for 13 years so its not new to me, but this group just isn't getting it and its getting on my last nerve but like I said, this is probably the youngest group I've had. I like the little ones but I think not having 2-3 older ones in the mix is hard!!

The bolded is exactly how I feel right now. I lost several preschool aged kiddos this year and have replaced with a young crowd, naturally, for the higher retention rate. Having a group that is 2 & under has thrown me for a loop!

We have been dealing with the same toy issue. I have a lot of smaller type toys that the toddlers aren't doing well with (toy food, figurines, small blocks, etc.) that I think I'm going to store away and only take out occasionally. I would like to replace those items with bigger things (was considering bringing in a play house or slide for the winter) that are not as easy to dump & run, and will allow them to get more physical with.

[Heidi]

I wouldn't mind if they used things from one section in another but they aren't USING anything… they are just dumping and moving on and dumping again and again until every darn toy is on the floor. Its the furniture moving and climbing (bookcase, cubbies, kitchen, table, chairs) that really has me annoyed lately. Like why can't you take a book out of the bookcase and sit in the chair and read it…. no, they throw ALL the books onto the floor and then climb on the bookcase instead. I am really trying to teach them how to play correctly and I've been doing daycare for 13 years so its not new to me, but this group just isn't getting it and its getting on my last nerve but like I said, this is probably the youngest group I've had. I like the little ones but I think not having 2-3 older ones in the mix is hard!!

Mine are 13m-21m (4 of them), and yes, there is a lot of that. Mostly my 15mo who is "The Hulk" and can even move some of my adult furniture. I also don't mind some dumping, but not dump, drag, AND throw.

Those Pinterest play rooms are for 3 yo's, I think. ONE 3 yo!::

[melilley]

All of my kids do that too. They don't really move furniture, but are always dumping and running. I think it just comes with the territory of having 2 and unders! I have 1-11 mo. old, two 2 yo (inc. ds) who are full time and then 2-1 year olds and two newly turned 3 year olds who are p/t so I usually have 4 that are 2 and under everyday.

I let them dump, but when it's time to transition to doing something else or if it's too messy to walk, I have them help me clean up. It takes a really long time because even though I model cleaning and/or sing about cleaning up, it seems to fall on deaf ears. So, I either take their hand under mine and have them clean up a few toys and eventually they (not all the time) will pick up. Or I make a game of it and we "race" to clean up or I'll say "WOW! L really wants to go outside, look at all the toys that he is picking up". That usually works, surprisingly even with the younger ones. I do, however, end up doing most of the work, but at least we do it everyday and hopefully they'll catch on...hopefully.

[TickleMonster]

Dont worry my group does it too. Mine are all 2 and under and the toy boxes and mega block bins are all empty within 30 mins of everyones arrival! I have a hard time keeping the littlest ones out of the cubbies and from pulling the books out of the bookcase. My daycare area always seems to be messy and cluttered but I figure thats just kids. They usually dump the toybox and then proceed to climb IN it! And the chairs are always scattered about the room. Go figure!! LOL

[melilley]

We have been dealing with the same toy issue. I have a lot of smaller type toys that the toddlers aren't doing well with (toy food, figurines, small blocks, etc.) that I think I'm going to store away and only take out occasionally. I would like to replace those items with bigger things (was considering bringing in a play house or slide for the winter) that are not as easy to dump & run, and will allow them to get more physical with.

I do the same. I'll leave some of the smaller toys out and also rotate some, but a lot of my toys are bigger.

[melilley]

Now that I think about it, I do have one of those toy bin things that hold around 9 bins. There are a lot of smaller toys in there and they don't seem to really dump those anymore. Hmmm. Maybe they are just used to it being there and it doesn't interest them anymore.?

[Josiegirl]

You'd think I'd weigh 98 lbs. by now with all the picking up of toys I do all day.
I think the worst part of dumping is that kids can't walk safely anywhere.
So yeh, my playroom ends up the same way, even though I feel like I'm constantly following them around with a shovel.

[Crazy8]

well at least I'm not alone!! :: :: ::

I had 3 sets of those cubbies (2 sets of 6 and 1 set of 9) and took the 9 out last month. I really need to get a bookcase or something to hold some larger toys. I thought of putting something to climb on in there but afraid that may just make it worse!
I wanted to set up more of an infant area but it seems they all go in that area too so unless I put a play yard up I think I'll just nix that idea.

[SignMeUp]

My vinyl couch for little kids is velcroed to the floor and wall happyface
They don't even try to move it anymore ::
It really was all about breaking the habit, and luckily I had to do nothing, except stick on the heavy duty velcro.

When my little kids dump too much, I do a couple of things: Put all the bins up except for a couple. Kids can ask for things they want to actually play with.
Teach the toddlers how to put things IN They do really really really like to put things IN especially if everyone claps for them and smiles a lot ::

[NightOwl]

For the things I don't want moved, I put a mat underneath. One of my square, foam mats that you can link together, kwim? Those little ****ers have a no slip grip on the bottom and won't allow sliding.

For toy bins I don't want dumped, I use industrial strength velcro to velcro them to the shelves. This has been a huge life saver!

[melilley]

For the things I don't want moved, I put a mat underneath. One of my square, foam mats that you can link together, kwim? Those little ****ers have a no slip grip on the bottom and won't allow sliding.

For toy bins I don't want dumped, I use industrial strength velcro to velcro them to the shelves. This has been a huge life saver!

Good suggestions!
Do you have carpet? I have those foam tiles down in my reading area (on carpet) and am ready to throw them in the garbage! The kids are constantly taking them apart and eating them!