Eating arrangements

I am wanting to rearrange my daycare eating setup. Until recently I have had all the kids at our kitchen table, with some in booster seats as needed. I am wanting to do something different as I am getting tired of lifting the kids up into their booster seats (they're getting heavy!), and the constant cleaning of my table has ruined it - I have started using waterproof table clothes but those are getting worn out fast too.

I have an older crew, (three 2 year olds, two 4 year olds and a 5 year old), and I have no plans on ever taking any child under 2 years old again.

So my ideal setup would be for all of them to be at a kids size table - but I have the problems of not having a great deal of space (my kitchen is small and my playroom is long and narrow), needing to fit atleast 6 kids and not wanting to spend much money.

I was pondering the idea of mounting a long narrow table top on the wall, but
I am afraid of the commitment of doing so.

Ideas anyone?

I love my wall mounted table. I like that I was able to install it at exactly the height I wanted, and I like that it drops down if I ever don't want it set up for some reason.
I am sure if I ever took it down, the holes would be an eyesore. However, renovating our kitchen is in our long term plans, so I'm not worried about holes in the walls at this point.

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Originally Posted by superfun

I love my wall mounted table. I like that I was able to install it at exactly the height I wanted, and I like that it drops down if I ever don't want it set up for some reason.
I am sure if I ever took it down, the holes would be an eyesore. However, renovating our kitchen is in our long term plans, so I'm not worried about holes in the walls at this point.

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Did you buy a premade table, or is yours homemade?

I absolutely love my table and chairs from ikea. The table is a coffee table but it's wider than normal. I got it for $30 but I believe they are $25 now. I have 4 of their kritter chairs ($20 but now $15). You could easily fit all 6....2 on each side and 1 at the ends

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Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys

I absolutely love my table and chairs from ikea. The table is a coffee table but it's wider than normal. I got it for $30 but I believe they are $25 now. I have 4 of their kritter chairs ($20 but now $15). You could easily fit all 6....2 on each side and 1 at the ends

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I remember you have that set up, was thinking of you when I wrote the original post! LOL

How do you find the height on the coffee table? One of my concerns is it being too short for my older kids. My super tall 5 year old daughter doesn't fit the kiddie size furniture anymore - though she is off to full time kindergarten in a week, so she won't be around much during the day anymore. :-(

I used a pre made one (actually two), from Ikea. But it wouldn't be very hard to make one if you had the time. Now I'm dreaming of a homemade one of the dimensions I want.

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Originally Posted by superfun

I used a pre made one (actually two), from Ikea. But it wouldn't be very hard to make one if you had the time. Now I'm dreaming of a homemade one of the dimensions I want.

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So you find those Ikea wall mounted table sturdy enough? I had considered those a long time ago, but was worried about how they would hold up.

I have my eating area in my daycare space as I have daycare all in my basement (except for right now during renovations). When downstairs I have a wooden table I got from a clothing store when it closed down. my husband cut off the legs to make it short for the kids. I have child sized chairs that I bought from an office supply store. they were expensive ($30 each) but they are the hard plastic kind with metal legs like in schools, they have a 25 year warranty.

I wouldn't have any issues with mounting a table on the wall, my only concern would be having to constantly clean the wall. I had mine against the wall for awhile and they seem to always put their dirty hands all over the walls. once I moved it away from the wall and have kids on both sides it is fine.

Right now we are upstairs and yep my table is done as well( as well as my couch! microfibre and drool do not go together well!) Cannot wait to get the basement finished and back downstairs! Likely a couple months yet.

I think I would do a wall mounted in that situation . I don't use any of my personal home things in my dayhome . I really love setting things up and organizing and reorganizing lol
I drive my husband crazy as I'm changing things all the time ( and making him help )
Right now I'm using the ikea round table but I'm finding for crafts there's not a lot of room ! Had all of mine gluing noodles on to n letter and everyone was covered in glue !
I'm big into messes so it doesn't bother me mess wise just that papers were getting glued together !
I'm considering getting a huge table made so that everyone can have space but so far I haven't found anything big enough ( other than ordering a actual preschool table )!

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Originally Posted by AmandaKDT

I remember you have that set up, was thinking of you when I wrote the original post! LOL

How do you find the height on the coffee table? One of my concerns is it being too short for my older kids. My super tall 5 year old daughter doesn't fit the kiddie size furniture anymore - though she is off to full time kindergarten in a week, so she won't be around much during the day anymore. :-(

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lol...I think I've mentioned it a few times! haha. I really really like it though and it's perfect for the kids I have had and currently have. The youngest that sits at it is 15 months (started at 12/13 months though) and the oldest I have had at it was a 7 year old. I have the 4 kritter chairs plus 2 of those blue and metal chairs from schools. He sat in a blue chair and I think it's about an inch shorter though.

I don't know how to upload a picture here but if you want to PM me your email or cell number, I can take a picture of it for you

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Originally Posted by Secondtimearound

I think I would do a wall mounted in that situation . I don't use any of my personal home things in my dayhome . I really love setting things up and organizing and reorganizing lol
I drive my husband crazy as I'm changing things all the time ( and making him help )
Right now I'm using the ikea round table but I'm finding for crafts there's not a lot of room ! Had all of mine gluing noodles on to n letter and everyone was covered in glue !
I'm big into messes so it doesn't bother me mess wise just that papers were getting glued together !
I'm considering getting a huge table made so that everyone can have space but so far I haven't found anything big enough ( other than ordering a actual preschool table )!

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LOL my fiance is the exact same way!! He gets so annoyed with me for constantly changing things. But as the time goes on you find new ways and new things that will work better haha. Today I cleaned out my playpen collection...I had 6! I only use 2 lol. Kept one for a spare and am selling 3. He was happy :)

Yep, they've been great for me. I have been using them for a year so far. I don't know if my hubby did anything special when he installed them. But I haven't had a single complaint so far.

Canadian Tire and I'm sure other places have children's tables that collapse down just like the adult tables where the legs fold under. Get chairs that stack and it would be easy to put out and away each day.

Exactly 5lm !!! I keep telling him my playroom is evolving !!! Today I decided to be thrifty and used milk crates ( on sides) for shoe cubbies under their jacket/backpack hooks . Jury is out on that idea right now , I can't decide if it looks cute or messy !! But had him tie wrap them all together , he mumbled a lot about how this prob will change and we will have 7 milk crates ....... Blah blah !! Lol

Well just got back from Ikea, I bought the larger sized Lack coffee table and some kid stools to use a kids table. I wanted the wall mounted tables, but it just cost too much for right now. Set it all up and it looks really good, I just plan on putting lockable caster wheels on the bottom as well.

So it will be a multipurpose table - eating, play table, art table...should be good! No more kids at the kitchen table, I'm happy!

Good for you !! I love it when it all comes together !!

secondtimearound...I think it would look really cute! I would probably spray paint the crates though to make it look nicer and not like milk crates though lol. I have hooks on the wall for their jackets at kid height and than a boot tray under it. I hate how the boots look messy though...I kinda like the crate idea!!

Amanda...glad you found something you like! I use my table for all those reasons too. It is so nice to have a kid height table :)

I took a white shoe organizer (just a two level shelf kinda thing) and traced the soles of different pairs of shoes on the top of it with permanent marker. So when the kids arrive they take their shoes and match them up with the shoe prints. The kids love it and it keeps the shoe area looking neat.