Best Use of Daycare Space

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  • lovemykidstoo
    Daycare.com Member
    • Aug 2012
    • 4740

    Best Use of Daycare Space

    We are looking for a new home and selling ours and I'm having such a hard time envisioning a new daycare room. Right now I use our formal dining room as the daycare room and then the kids can take toys wherever, but that is our main play space. Some of the homes aren't set up like I have now, so it might happen that i need to use our formal living room as a daycare space. The problem is, this space is immediately walking into the house and there really is no way to close it off so it's not the first thing you see is a bunch of toys. Most of the basements dont' have egress windows either and I dont' want the expense of putting one in, so a basement space isn't an option. I'm thinking of some sort of storage/entertainment center to keep toys in that can close during the evening and just look like regular furniture. Does anyone have spaces like this and if you do, can you post pics? Thanks!
  • melilley
    Daycare.com Member
    • Oct 2012
    • 5155

    #2
    Originally posted by lovemykidstoo
    We are looking for a new home and selling ours and I'm having such a hard time envisioning a new daycare room. Right now I use our formal dining room as the daycare room and then the kids can take toys wherever, but that is our main play space. Some of the homes aren't set up like I have now, so it might happen that i need to use our formal living room as a daycare space. The problem is, this space is immediately walking into the house and there really is no way to close it off so it's not the first thing you see is a bunch of toys. Most of the basements dont' have egress windows either and I dont' want the expense of putting one in, so a basement space isn't an option. I'm thinking of some sort of storage/entertainment center to keep toys in that can close during the evening and just look like regular furniture. Does anyone have spaces like this and if you do, can you post pics? Thanks!
    Do they have a family room too?
    I use our living room as the main daycare room and it's right when you walk in the front door. I set the room up for the kids and it's all pretty much open. If you only have a living room, I see how it would be hard to set it up without seeing every toy.

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    • TaylorTots
      Daycare.com Member
      • Dec 2013
      • 609

      #3
      We currently run out of the living room. I tried to keep it looking like regular furniture instead of daycare toys everywhere, but I gave in recently as I didn't like the way it looked and just went to all daycare living room furniture/toys, it works better. I do not like it though and as our own kids age, we will move just to have a more separate daycare space.

      Comment

      • lovemykidstoo
        Daycare.com Member
        • Aug 2012
        • 4740

        #4
        Click image for larger version

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        I was looking at something like this for the toys. This could be turned the other way during non-daycare hours and have normal decor put on top. The one house we are looking at just has the one living room, so it would be very hard to have toys out all over. But, if I could do something like this and turn it, that would work I think.


        Shoot, can't get the picture to upload. I'll keep trying.

        http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/ca..._ikea/18706-2/ Can't get the right page, but it's the 9th row down. The white storage shelf with pink boxes in them. Their called Trofast. They have different colors.

        Comment

        • Baby Beluga
          Daycare.com Member
          • Aug 2014
          • 3891

          #5
          Your picture loaded

          I think finding a storage solution to keep all items in one room is great. But, would you want to turn that unit around every day twice a day? It might break a lot faster being moved so frequently.

          What is your decor style? You could do something like this and it wouldn't have to be turned around.

          Browse our full range of products from dressing tables to complete modern kitchens. Click here to find the right IKEA product for you. Browse online and in-store today!


          Or you could do something like this. It could be an all in one unit for your TV and DC supplies. (they make baskets and doors to fit in the cubby spaces to hide what is stored inside).

          Browse IKEA's huge selection of TV and media storage units to find the right combination to perfectly match rooms of all sizes at affordable prices


          Also, never underestimate shelves on the wall with pretty baskets and storage ottomans

          Comment

          • lovemykidstoo
            Daycare.com Member
            • Aug 2012
            • 4740

            #6
            Originally posted by Baby Beluga
            Your picture loaded

            I think finding a storage solution to keep all items in one room is great. But, would you want to turn that unit around every day twice a day? It might break a lot faster being moved so frequently.

            What is your decor style? You could do something like this and it wouldn't have to be turned around.

            Browse our full range of products from dressing tables to complete modern kitchens. Click here to find the right IKEA product for you. Browse online and in-store today!


            Or you could do something like this. It could be an all in one unit for your TV and DC supplies. (they make baskets and doors to fit in the cubby spaces to hide what is stored inside).

            Browse IKEA's huge selection of TV and media storage units to find the right combination to perfectly match rooms of all sizes at affordable prices


            Also, never underestimate shelves on the wall with pretty baskets and storage ottomans
            I like both of those options. That would fit in with my decor style for sure. The only other thing I woudl need to figure out is my big stuff like the kitchen refrigerator and stove and my round table that they do things on.

            Comment

            • nothingwithoutjoy
              Daycare.com Member
              • May 2012
              • 1042

              #7
              We don't really have a formal living room in our house. Our main room is more like a family room, but like the house you're looking at, it's the one you walk in to and it's our main living space. I incorporate toys right into it. It works because 1) we don't have many toys, 2) I keep extras in the basement and rotate, and 3) I organize the toys in a beautiful way that I don't mind looking at all the time. Here's an example shelf in that room. I also keep a very few things in my kitchen. That's also where I keep my kitchen set. Good luck with the house!

              Comment

              • lovemykidstoo
                Daycare.com Member
                • Aug 2012
                • 4740

                #8
                Originally posted by nothingwithoutjoy
                We don't really have a formal living room in our house. Our main room is more like a family room, but like the house you're looking at, it's the one you walk in to and it's our main living space. I incorporate toys right into it. It works because 1) we don't have many toys, 2) I keep extras in the basement and rotate, and 3) I organize the toys in a beautiful way that I don't mind looking at all the time. Here's an example shelf in that room. I also keep a very few things in my kitchen. That's also where I keep my kitchen set. Good luck with the house!

                Would love to see your pics of your setup, but it won't let me see them.

                Comment

                • nothingwithoutjoy
                  Daycare.com Member
                  • May 2012
                  • 1042

                  #9
                  Originally posted by lovemykidstoo
                  Would love to see your pics of your setup, but it won't let me see them.
                  Oops...I'd made the photos private, I guess. I changed them to public; maybe you can see them now.

                  Looking at those makes me realize how much has changed in 8 years! I was teaching infants and toddlers then. Now I have preschool-kindergarten. I will post some updated photos soon. (I need to do a good declutter-and-organize first!)

                  Comment

                  • lovemykidstoo
                    Daycare.com Member
                    • Aug 2012
                    • 4740

                    #10
                    Originally posted by nothingwithoutjoy
                    Oops...I'd made the photos private, I guess. I changed them to public; maybe you can see them now.

                    Looking at those makes me realize how much has changed in 8 years! I was teaching infants and toddlers then. Now I have preschool-kindergarten. I will post some updated photos soon. (I need to do a good declutter-and-organize first!)
                    Very nice and organized! It's funny, we have extremely similar kitchens!! Play kitchens I mean.

                    Comment

                    • nothingwithoutjoy
                      Daycare.com Member
                      • May 2012
                      • 1042

                      #11
                      Originally posted by lovemykidstoo
                      Very nice and organized! It's funny, we have extremely similar kitchens!! Play kitchens I mean.
                      Thank you. :-)

                      I was so lucky; I scored that kitchen for $10 at a tag sale!

                      Comment

                      • lovemykidstoo
                        Daycare.com Member
                        • Aug 2012
                        • 4740

                        #12
                        Originally posted by nothingwithoutjoy
                        Thank you. :-)

                        I was so lucky; I scored that kitchen for $10 at a tag sale!
                        That is lucky. They're expensive because they're built so well. I got the kitchen part and then I also bought a refrigerator to match it from my neighbor for $15.00. I was so happy!! The kids love it

                        Comment

                        • lovemykidstoo
                          Daycare.com Member
                          • Aug 2012
                          • 4740

                          #13
                          Still looking at these ideas. If my daycare space needs to be a space that my family uses too, I want it to function both ways. I found these benches that I could easily put nice baskets in for toys and you wouldn't even be able to see them. http://www.homedecorators.com/detail...471&aid=ba.tst

                          Comment

                          • lovemykidstoo
                            Daycare.com Member
                            • Aug 2012
                            • 4740

                            #14
                            This fold down table would be really cool too. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page it shows you what it looks like when the table is folded up. I could put pictures of my family on the bottom of the table so that when it's folded up against the wall, it looks like part of my decor. http://diyworktable.blogspot.com/%22

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                            • Unregistered

                              #15
                              Check out the blog No Small Potatoes. She does an incredible job of arranging her child care space in her living space.

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