What are the must haves?

[skippy]

Hi this is my first post. I am ending my mat leave soon and want to take in a couple of children in my very tiny home. Can you please advise me on the bare minimum I need to buy/have to care for and entertain young children? I have a few infant toys and that's it.

[mom-in-alberta]

A number of high chairs or strapped booster seats. Playpens, cots or nap mats. I recommend baby gates at the top of stairs if you don't have already and will be dealing with smaller toddlers. I didn't always use them with my kids, but when you have 4-6 you are keeping an eye on, it's nice to be able to trust that they are staying within certain boundaries. Gender neutral toys that are age-appropriate for the kids you will be looking to care for. Think building blocks, balls, puzzles, some figurines or dolls, etc. Start with the basics and add a little at a time.
ALL of this can be purchased second hand. Just look for good deals at local consignment shops, on kijiji or what have you, or at garage sales. Let friends and family know that you are on the hunt for these items, and you will probably get some donated to you!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Open-ended materials .... when I choose an addition to the playroom I look at it and ask myself to think up at least three different ways children might be able to 'explore' with the item.

So for example rather than buying those 'Fisher Price' type farm, garages, airports, fire stations where it is 'decorated and designed to make noises' specifically for that ONE use and therefore pushes their mind towards that one way of thinking so you end up having to have SIX of the big bulky things stored somewhere plus all their 'props' .... I purchased a large 'wooden doll house' from Michaels that are intended to be 'painted' but just stained it PLAIN ... and than I have farm animals, community helpers figurines, vehicles, doll house accessories that can be used with that ONE piece in my house .... so the doll house NEVER comes out of the playroom - it is a staple for them but the children will use that house in 1000 different ways depending on their interests .... it has even been the 'dinosaur cave' with the boys and a puppet theatre that they hide behind and pop up the puppets from the top for their show .... the plain structure affords for much more imagination ;)

I notice that you are in Ontario .... so my other suggestion is to find your local Ontario Early Years Centre and inquire about their toy lending program and than JOIN cause you can right off any membership fee as a business expense ... I know the one in my home town is AMAZING and has lots of the 'larger' items that instead of purchasing and having to store you can borrow for 3 weeks at a time and than rotate out ... they also have 'kits' where there are items for circle time, book nook, science and other 'learning prompts' around particular topics of discovery the children might be interested in.

My playroom has 5 main 'areas' :


The dramatic play corner with the kitchen and accessories, small table, dress up props for variety of themes of play from home, office, community helpers, animals and so forth.

The doll house and block corner ... variety of blocks and doll house and building accessories such as vehicles, animals, dolls and furniture, variety of indoor balls for use with blocks if we build 'ramps' with them.

The creative / sensory table .... area of the room where we do creative art, play dough, sensory bin exploration and so forth

The book nook .... quiet area of the playroom with the books and puppets and felt board story items

The 'floor toy shelves' .... puzzles, musical instruments, Mr Potato head, widgets, magnetos, wooden 'maze' that you can race balls, small cars and other objects down, open ended material bins so one that has REAL cameras, binoculars, cellphones, flashlights that I get from family when they 'break' rather than tossing them, another has a variety of fabric scarves in for either dress up or creative dance or playing peekaboo with babies, etc.


Outside I also opted for open ended materials

So I sold off almost all of my ride on or sit on toys and instead bought some 'pop up crates' from Canadian tire that open up and look like a plastic box and than at the Value Village I slowly created a collection of steering wheels, joysticks, keyboards and other props that the children can combine with the crates to create whatever 'sit on' toys they desire ... and awesome thing is that the crates all fold up and one crate can hold all the props and get tucked into my shed but when out for the kids they can create a half dozen 'vehicles' for their play that are DIFFERENT everyday .... have a bin of outdoor scarves and other 'accessories' and they can add color and so forth to their vehicles and they can spend hours playing with these ONE set of materials ;)

[playfelt]

Reggio for the crates are you meaning the ones that look like rectangular milk crates when unfolded - that is a great idea inside or out.

[Inspired by Reggio]

Reggio for the crates are you meaning the ones that look like rectangular milk crates when unfolded - that is a great idea inside or out.

Yes ... these ... although I waited for them to go on sale cause a couple of a times a year they go 60% off and I would buy a couple at a time ... I have them for both inside in the playroom and outside in the yard.

http://reviews.canadiantire .ca/9045/0424474P/no-large-collapsible-tote-reviews/reviews.htm

[Momof4]

When I started in the business it was for my grandson and I grew slowly. I started out with NOTHING! So you can do this. I agree that proper eating places with boosters, proper sleeping places depending on the age of the child were my first purchases and a baby gate. Then strollers, wagons and ways to travel around outside are important for some of us. Creative mediums such as washable markers and paper, home-made playdo, dollar store puzzles and other little games will be cheap for starting out and can provide a little variety.

Then I started buying good quality toys and good quality creative mediums. I started googling craft ideas and get books from the library weekly and my home is now overflowing with daycare items 4 short years later and I'm trying to get rid of some if it!

[Play and Learn]

To save on money, I have the parents provide the pack n' plays, and I provide the cots. That way I don't have to store 3-4 playpens!

[Momof4]

Oh yes, play and learn is right, I forgot about that. When I took on my third family I didn't have money at the time to run out and buy another playpen and they did provide one and left it here and just took it when they needed it for the weekend. It was great! I had families bring their own sippy cups and bibs in the beginning too until I built up a good supply of necessities like that too. Just let the families know you are accumulating items slowly and hopefully you will find wonderful people to work with as I did. Thanks for taking me back to the beginning ladies. You made me sit back and realize I've come a long way baby!