Multiple Age Group Setting

[MommyMuffin]

For those of you who have infants - toddlers and preschoolers, could you give me some advice.

The hardest part of my day is organizing space for each age group.

For infants: I need a safe place (no older children can get to)with an area to put a pnp and a bit of floor space for playing and room for a glider.

My biggest problem with toddlers is that they get into everything (by nature) and make a mess so fast. I need an area with a few selected toys that I can rotate. Also no low shelves or toys to climb on. I have all boys!

Preschooler: they hate when the toddlers take their puzzle pieces or destroy their projects, they also cant do many art projects independently while toddlers walk by and steal their crayons.

I need a set up to accomadate all this. I have 2 fairly large rooms to work with. My only thought was to take my gates and section off areas but 1) they are hard to climb over 2) I want the preschoolers to be as independent as they want. 3) I dont want the kids to feel like they are caged.

any advice or ideas out there? equiptment to buy?

[DCMom]

I have 14 kids, ranging from 8 months to 8 years this summer. 3 are under two; 8 are preschool and 4 are school aged.

I re-arrange my space a lot especially when I have under twos, but I don't use barriers. Everyone can get at everything. I do segregate the babies with furniture arrangement and rubber floor squares (visual) though ~ the other kids know that they are not allowed in that area.

http://daycarematch.com/prov_location_properties.asp?LID=16990&grpid=6

Picture #3 is my 'infant' area. Once they start crawling, I re arrange the furniture and they have access to the whole basement. I block off my hall with a gate at times to keep them out of the art supplies, but other than that, the older kids and younger kids play together.

[Meeko]

I have separate areas for the kids, IF I need to divide them up. I try and keep them together "family" style if I can. My infants have their own room (the master bedroom of this house). The living room is our "outdoor" room with cabin and slides and "outside" murals. Just off the entry is the den. Here are the legos, blocks, toy drawers etc for the toddlers. Down the hallway is a bedroom that has been converted into a media room and getaway space for my schoolies. Here there are toys with smaller parts etc, books, videos etc.

You said you had a few rooms you can use. Definately use one for the babies. They need to be protected from being trampled! Then maybe divide one of the other rooms into younger/older?? I do use a bunch of gates. I have the ones from Walmart (only about $12, I think) They are high enough to contain the kids and yet I can step over them easily (I am only 5 ft tall) Most other gates are too high for me to get over without feeling like I am mountaineering.

The good thing is....try something and if you don't like it...change it! I still re-arrange as my needs change.

[Country Kids]

I have separate areas for the kids, IF I need to divide them up. I try and keep them together "family" style if I can. My infants have their own room (the master bedroom of this house). The living room is our "outdoor" room with cabin and slides and "outside" murals. Just off the entry is the den. Here are the legos, blocks, toy drawers etc for the toddlers. Down the hallway is a bedroom that has been converted into a media room and getaway space for my schoolies. Here there are toys with smaller parts etc, books, videos etc.

You said you had a few rooms you can use. Definately use one for the babies. They need to be protected from being trampled! Then maybe divide one of the other rooms into younger/older?? I do use a bunch of gates. I have the ones from Walmart (only about $12, I think) They are high enough to contain the kids and yet I can step over them easily (I am only 5 ft tall) Most other gates are too high for me to get over without feeling like I am mountaineering.

The good thing is....try something and if you don't like it...change it! I still re-arrange as my needs change.

Your set up sounds wonderful and fun! Do you have a helper? If not how are you able to do all the seperating? That would be hard for me because I'm it and all the kiddow have to be together.

[Meeko]

Your set up sounds wonderful and fun! Do you have a helper? If not how are you able to do all the seperating? That would be hard for me because I'm it and all the kiddow have to be together.

Yes, we are group day care. My adult son is my usual helper, but my husband and daughter also take turns. We are licensed for 16. (only 4 can be under age 2)

[Unregistered]

round tables?

My only suggestion is using round tables - the school kind that would seat like 8 kids and usually they have adjustable legs. Then you can have crayon caddies in the center where little arms won't reach.

Otherwise, look for ways to polarize the rooms - one end of one is babies, the other end of the other is big kids - and use attractors - visual or other to keep people where you want them.

[anya]

I have mostly toddlers and had a smaller pre-crawling baby join us in the midst of a buncha 18 month olds in the last 6 months. I bought one of those superyard gates http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2266978 to put the infant in when I needed to change a diaper, use the restroom, etc. I had some infant toys in there for him, of course toddlers had to drop their toys in for him as well, haha and a playmat, etc. It worked out really well! It takes up space but as he started crawling more and seeming to hold his own pretty well (which he is really good at) I just store it in the basement. I have my own baby on the way in Sept and plan on doing the same. As for preschoolers, is there a taller kitchen table or something they can sit at and do their projects that the toddlers can't get to? That's the kind of thing I've heard recommended in the past.. Just something high they can work on things on and store their projects away from little hands! Good luck!