SHARING YOUR CHILDCARE SPACE WITH THE FAMILY
Many providers struggle with a lack of space. Using your home as your childcare business can be a challenge for most providers. It can be hard to balance using the same space for your family and your childcare business.
Some providers have been able to set up a play area in their basement or garage that separates the childcare from the family living area. However, most childcare providers have to share their childcare space with their family living areas. This requires being very organized and creative.
Most providers use their living rooms and kitchens for their childcare area. Providers and family members do not want to see their home cluttered with toys, highchairs, craft supplies, changing tables, cots or mats, paperwork, and other childcare supplies when the children are not there. What can you do to make the transition from childcare area to family area during non-childcare hours.
Here are some tips:
ENTRY:
Install decorative hooks on the wall for the children to hang their coats and backpacks. In addition, if there is room put a small bookcase against the wall where the children can put their shoes or boots. Not only does this keep everything organized during the childcare hours, it is empty and uncluttered when the children leave.
LIVING ROOM:
A tall cabinet with many shelves can be used to store your childcare equipment. There are many inexpensive options. Furniture stores have decorative cabinets that are an attractive piece of furniture when the doors are closed. Unfinished furniture stores offer tall cabinets that can be painted to match your décor.
On lower shelves use bins that hold toys that the children can have easy access to. On higher shelves use bins that hold child activities that you want to control, such as puzzles, games, Legos, balls, crayons, markers and other craft supplies. On the top shelves use bins to hold your baby supplies such as diapers, wipes, creams etc.
Organize paperwork that you may need to access quickly or when a licensor or monitor comes for an inspection. This may include children’s contact information in case of emergency, attendance sheets, menus, copies of forms you need parents to make out and any other information you may need to access quickly. (for other information such as all financial records and receipts can be stored in a file cabinet in another location.). Office supply stores have a variety of folders binders, and other filing supplies that you can use to organize and store on the top shelf of your cabinet.
There are bookshelves that are sold at school supply stores that joined with hinges which allow you to open the bookshelves to expand the space during childcare hours and fold the shelves closed when not in use. Books and toys can be stored in bins that the children can easily access. At the end of the day simply fold the shelves closed. Many are made of wood and look like a piece of furniture when closed.
ALWAYS SECURE BOOKSHELVES AND OTHER LARGE FURNITURE THAT CHILDREN CAN PULL OVER SECURELY TO THE WALLS. NEVER PUT A TV ON A BOOKSHELF OR FURNITURE THAT CAN TIP OVER ON CHILDREN. SECURE TVS TO THE WALL.
KITCHEN:
Purchase highchairs that can be folded up easily when you are not using them. Use your kitchen table for crafts, puzzles, games, cooking with the children and other hands-on supervised activities. For puzzles and Legos use the cookie sheet method.
Cookie Sheet Method: Purchase a deep cookie sheet for each child. Let them decorate it with stickers. When doing puzzles, Legos or any activity with a lot pieces that could get lost or land on the floor, have the child use their cookie sheet. It makes clean up so much easier.
BATHROOM:
Make sure you have shelves or cabinets that are out of reach of the children for medicines, cleaning products, curling irons etc.
CHANGING TABLE:
Purchase a changing table with drawers instead of open shelves. Changes of clothes for each child, diapers, wipes, etc. can be put in these drawers and the area will look neat and organized.
SLEEPING MATS:
Sleeping mats can take up a lot of room. Some providers have found a good place to stack them is in the laundry room, or a spare bedroom or even tucked behind the couch. Teach the children how to take out their own mats and spread out their blanket and pillow. After nap have them close up their blankets and put their mats away.
COFFEE TABLES:
Coffee table are just the right height for children to do puzzles and play games together. Finding an attractive and durable coffee table that can washed off each day, can be a good investment. Coffee tables with draws underneath can be used to store blankets, toys, books etc. Coffee tables with a shelf underneath can store items in baskets or bins. Coffee tables that are open underneath make a great hiding spot for children to crawl under. A blanket over the top make a great cave. Look for a coffee table that has rounded edges they are safer than square edges.
There are many benches that have storage inside. This is great spot to store dress-up clothes, hats, and pretend items.
A coat closet in your entry way makes a wonderful puppet theater or quiet area for the children.
Puppet area: Suspend a suspension curtain rod about three feet high in the doorway and hang a curtain to the floor. This makes a fun puppet theater.
Quiet area. Paint the inside of a coat closet with a soothing color ( or if you are handy paint clouds or flowers. Put a bean bag chair, fuzzy pillow and a basket of books for a quiet reading area for children.
Hire your older children to put away highchairs, children’s furniture and anything not closed in a cabinet into a closet (the one you use for a puppet theater), storage area, garage, spare bedroom etc. every Friday night and bring it out on Monday morning. You could give them a small allowance or have a special family outing once a month as payment for their doing this chore.
KEEP YOU OWN CHILDREN PERSONAL BELONGINGS SAFE:
It is important to teach our children to share. However, it is also not fair to your child if their toys get broken while the childcare child’s toy stays safe in their home. Give each of your children a box with a lock. Hardware stores have many different options, (tool boxes of all sizes, fishing boxes, and other boxes that can be locked with a simple padlock. (depending on the child, give one key to the child and keep the other key in case they lose it or use a combination lock). Instruct your children that if they have special toys or possession’s they do not want to share they need to put it in the box. If your children’s possessions are left in the childcare area they may be used, broken or lost, so it their responsibility, not yours, to put it in the box.