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Starting to feel at home...
Need advice on daycare set-up
For those of you that use their upstairs during food prep/eating, pick-up/drop-off and napping how do you use your space so that your main floor does not get overrun by toys. I currently use an ikea shelf with basket storage, and would like to stick to toys that fit only in that unit.
I have the option of turning a spare bedroom into a play-room during these times, but wonder if the kids would just wander back into the living room and not want to stay in there.
Do any of you do this, have a room on their main floor for the kids to play in besides your living room?
I do worry about supervision. I have a video monitor I use in there during nap time, but would that suffice during other times when I have to be out of the room, such as prepping food?
What about using it during pick-up/drop-off and the living room for food prep?
I would love any suggestions!!!
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I have to bring the kids to the main floor in order to do meal prep and I keep them underfoot or closeby while I make lunch or clean up from meals or prep. We also craft on the main floor.
The kids seem to love the change of scenery. I set up a few toys in the living room like blocks, cars, a dollhouse and a grocery cart. Half the kids tend to be in the kitchen with me and want to see what I am doing and asking me questions about our meals or telling me something about themselves. Sometimes I will put music on for them or put out a special toy on the coffee table i.e a puzzle.
I am not sure they would stay somewhere where they can't see you and anyone under 2 will likely cry if you are out of sight.
I think you probably like to keep your main living area like your own house and not a daycare centre. I don't necessarily want my whole house having a daycare look so I don't have any toys in my dining room and I keep my hallway looking like a normal hallway and try to minimize the toys in the main level too....but it is unavoidable to have toys around when you need those 20 minutes to prep meals or clean up after them.
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Starting to feel at home...
I also use my main floor kitchen/dining room/great room for food prep and meals and arts and crafts. I have a play room in my basement with big toys and keep the noisy ones down there too. I have found that we spend more time upstairs than down because of the time spend with food prep and clean up.
I have quiet toys upstairs (puzzles, train, books, duplo, blocks, cars and trucks) plus my daughters bedroom is just off the great room so all her own big girls toys are in there. I sometimes bring up or rotate toys from the playroom to change things up. I also allow more physical activity in the playroom and expect upstairs play to be quieter and more focused based on the toys I have chosen for upstairs.
You will need to keep the kids in your sight when doing all food prep and clean up, and it does take longer than you might expect because there are always a lot of interruptions. They will also want to be close by you so I don't think it would work to expect them to play in a spare room while you are making food.
We clean up the toys a few times a day so the room is not a mess. But because my own children, 1 1/2 and 4 1/2 are always playing in the great room during non-daycare times, I am used to there being toys around. Just a part of life with little ones
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