Play area " too small"

[Spixie33]

Good idea Skysue.
One of the coolest spaces where I have seen pics of sample daycare rooms was at http://www.daycareavailabledirectory.com/ Right on the home page there are some awesome layouts that I can only dream of.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I agree with Judy ... I worked in centre care and a room with TEN children playing in it would only be 350 square feet and in that space would be a counter with cupboards and a sink and changing area, several high chairs and a child size table and chairs, sand/water table and other big 'bulky' daycare style furniture .... so you have a space for FIVE children that is 144 square feet that is comparable to a centre regulations because your space does not also include the 'eating area' and 'changing area' it is JUST the play area .... as you mentioned you also use your kitchen and other areas of the home through out the day, the backyard and so forth.

I would not let a parent discourage you about your space at all - instead take this as a lesson learned in how to SELL that your home offers MORE space than children in a regulated setting would be exposed to

A 12 x 12 space for a home childcare has lots of potential for sure ... one of the best peice of advise I can give is that when choosing materials for that space to make it most functional is to ask yourself 'how many DIFFERENT ways can the children use this piece of furniture or material' and if there are not multiple imaginative ways to use it than it is not ideal in a small space!

I have a small space myself and for example when I started out I had this plastic 'baby cradle' which the children did enjoy - however because of its design it could only be used as a CRADLE and took up a lot of space for just that one purpose - so I sold it and instead when to Canadian Tire and bought some of these collapsible 'crates' .... in the space that the 'cradle' took up I can store 6 of these crates ... which the children use as 'cradles' for the baby by putting pillows and blankets in them ... but because of their design the children can actually SIT in them too and therefore can be used as trains, planes, auto mobiles, Santa's sleigh and so forth - they were a way better investment.

During an interview I will have one set up as a 'cradle' and the remained slide under my craft table out of the way ... but can than explain to parent that the benefit of 'open ended materials' is that while it might not look like there are HORDES of equipment in the room that the 'play themes' are as endless as their imaginations!