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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Wish List For A Bathroom Catered To Daycare?
bluemoose_mom 05:46 PM 06-13-2012
We have an unfinished bathroom in the house we bought, it's downstairs right next to where the main daycare area is. Right now it is unusable. We will be finishing it in the next 3 or 4 months...what would be on your wish list if you could build a bathroom from scratch (that is daycare centered)?

We want it to be on the cheaper side. We have to build walls, but the sink, toilet, and shower can't be moved from where they are (they are getting replaced however). I just opened my daycare, and don't have the experience yet to know what is NEEDED, not just wanted. I would really want a small sink so the kids could turn on and off the water without a step stool, but...well, is it needed?
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Springdaze 05:54 PM 06-13-2012
Short sinks would be good, lots of storage, I bought a changing table like the ones in stores a few years ago that I am in love with! you can also get short toilets.
oh and if you can, get the faucets that shut off on their own.
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GretasLittleFriends 08:56 PM 06-13-2012
An automatic toilet paper dispenser (or the ones like you see at rest areas) that only allow a child to take a little bit of toilet paper, not half the roll to clog the toilet with.

Ok, more seriously, they make toilet seats that have built in child sized seats that flip into the lid.

Similar to this one, but I'm sure you can find them a LOT cheaper than this particular website.

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SilverSabre25 05:02 AM 06-14-2012
I like what Greta posted. I didn't know they made automatic toilet paper things! I've never seen that! I need that for my DH

I also like the kind of seat that Great posted. Very handy!

I would also want an automatic faucet, and possibly automatic soap dispenser. A wall-mounted paper towel dispenser, too.

A wall-mounted changing table.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 05:31 AM 06-14-2012
Originally Posted by GretasLittleFriends:
An automatic toilet paper dispenser (or the ones like you see at rest areas) that only allow a child to take a little bit of toilet paper, not half the roll to clog the toilet with.

Ok, more seriously, they make toilet seats that have built in child sized seats that flip into the lid.

Similar to this one, but I'm sure you can find them a LOT cheaper than this particular website.
They sell those at Lowes for about $40 with the no slam lid. You have to push the lid down (it's lightweight and won't pinch fingers). Get one!
A small toilet isn't necessary. You can find a step stool with ease for $4 at Ikea or $7 at Walmart.

An automatic faucet would be nice. I would not get a child-sized sink. My 2-year-olds have a passion for washing their hands often (I had a tall step stool). So, I replaced the tall step stool with a lower one so that they could not reach the faucet without help. I don't need them washing their hands every 15 minutes and playing in the water.

I don't have my changing table in the bathroom (and LOVE it) because I want to be able to see the other children (who are still playing) when I change a 2-year-old who isn't potty learning.

I don't use paper towels with my 2, 3, 4, and 5-year-old's because we would go through too many. They use a hand towel that is safety pinned (to the other side of the towel) on the towel holder. It is a dark color, and changed daily.
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DaisyMamma 06:25 AM 06-14-2012
Originally Posted by GretasLittleFriends:
Ok, more seriously, they make toilet seats that have built in child sized seats that flip into the lid.

Similar to this one, but I'm sure you can find them a LOT cheaper than this particular website.
I have one of those lids. I got it NEW off ebay for $10!
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Childminder 12:25 PM 06-14-2012
We just built my dream day care bathroom.

*It has a seat like mentioned above that I found from Amazon for $25.99 and no shipping. (btw, I just scored two(2) from a Salvation Army store for $10 for my other bathrooms.)
*A wooden wall mounted diaper changer with cubbies for diapers that I found on craigslist for $25.
*Auto faucet from a garage sale - two(2) new in box for $10.
*Auto paper towel dispenser from craigslist for $10
*Handicap sink from craigslist for $60 - I really like that they can get close to the water and soap dispenser, easy clean, and the stool slides easily under it plus DH mounted on the low side for ease of access.
* Auto soap dispenser from Costco - does not mount to wall but DH adapted it to do so.
*Older/new toilet that flushes with more water from craigslist for $10 - we did not want a watersaver toilet with the kids because of the problems they have created with clogging them over the years.
*Travertine tile, you guessed it from craigslist, that we got for $80 and did all the work ourselves. Love the darker natural color that does not show the dirt and splashes and is so easy to clean and goes up the walls too.

I read this back and it looks like such a brag list. But we completely remodeled our basement into a dedicated day care space and bought almost every thing from either craigslist, repocast.com, or garage sales. So much so that we call our basement "Craig". lol
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jojosmommy 12:28 PM 06-14-2012
Only one wish, It cleans itself!
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e.j. 03:58 PM 06-14-2012
Originally Posted by jojosmommy:
Only one wish, It cleans itself!
I was thinking the same thing.
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countrymom 06:40 PM 06-14-2012
I have a powder room that is centrally located (I have another bathroom off the toy room but that one is off limits its a 5 piece they don't need to go in there)

I have that toilet seat, I bought it at menards for 10 dollars. I really recommend it. I think I'm going to get an automatic faucet (don't tell dh we are already remodelling another bathroom upstairs that belongs to my kids) I find that the soap depsensers vary. I have the lysol no touch and I like it, but I find the foam soap so much easier for the kids because its not thick so they aren't in the bathroom forever. Its still a grown up bathroom that is tweaked a bit for the kids.
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bluemoose_mom 06:57 PM 06-14-2012
I wished I could find one that cleans itself.

These are some good suggestions. An auto soap wouldn't be a bad idea. Auto faucet sounds cool...but probably not happening unless I can find it cheap. I will have a paper towel dispenser (the person who said they use a clothe towel...we can't use clothe unless we have a separate one for each child) and would really like a lower sink and a big sink. I'm not sure if their is room, and I'm not sure if DH will agree, as it would look funny when we sell the house. We shall see. The toilet seat however...I think I will go for that.

Thanks everyone!
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Kiki 07:17 PM 06-14-2012
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I find that the soap depsensers vary. I have the lysol no touch and I like it, but I find the foam soap so much easier for the kids because its not thick so they aren't in the bathroom forever.
Are you able to use foam soap in that dispenser? I really want a no touch one, but I agree, foam soap is so much easier for them. I currently just use Soft Soap, and get the big re-fill bottles.

The only other things on my wish list for a bathroom would be the paper towel dispenser, and a built in changing table. It would be so nice to get it all done in the same room!
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bluemoose_mom 08:32 PM 06-14-2012
I can't decide if I want a separate, built in diaper changing area with storage, or to just extend the sink area and put a mat right next to the sink? I'm leaning towards a separate, built in diaper changing area...but that all depends on how much room we have.
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Blackcat31 06:29 AM 06-15-2012
Originally Posted by jojosmommy:
Only one wish, It cleans itself!
Originally Posted by bluemoose_mom:
I wished I could find one that cleans itself.

Thanks everyone!
Well, 'Hygiseat' makes a self-cleaning toilet! In awesome colors too! http://www.autosanit.com/indexeng.html

There is also a kind of funny youtube video of a self-cleaning toilet but I don't think posting the actual link here is appropriate since the video contains some "adult-only" activity but you are certainly welcome to search "Swedish Self-Cleaning Toilet" on Youtube and see the video yourself.
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bluemoose_mom 11:16 AM 06-15-2012
Thanks blackcat for the giggle---I think I'll pass on the video however!
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Michael 02:33 PM 06-15-2012
Here's a couple picture ideas:



We also had a previous thread on toilet paper depensers: https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15596
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Abigail 09:03 PM 06-15-2012
For being on a budget I would recommend getting a lower sink WITH storage underneath. I have all two year olds right now and they can't reach the handle to turn on the water or off so if they're washing their hands I have to turn on and off and it's OLD. I have a stepstool but I have an extra-tall vanity that came in that bathroom when we bought the house. I'm guilty for springing for the child-size 10" toilet for $350. My previous experience in a large group was that so many kids fell off the toilet while trying to step down on the stool and the stool flipped and hit them between the legs.

I do have a paper towel dispenser, MANUAL to save energy and the automatics make the kids want to play in their and keep 'em coming if you know what I mean by the hand/sensor activated ones. The manual dispenser came from Sam's Club for $25 and the papertowels that have lasted us nearly half a year (only four kids use the paper towels right now) costed only $30. Very handy and I'm required to use paper towels in the bathroom not handtowels per licensing rules.

For the toddler-adult toilet seats I bought one for upstairs just because even though kids don't use it but it was only $25 or less at Menards. It is magnetic to where the child seat stays hooked in the lid so you don't touch it unless you need to lower it. The seat cover closes SLOWLY to. Company has complimented it, ha ha.

The daycare-only bathroom is standard small sized so the changing table is in the main room. When I have someone to hire and work with me I will try using it in the bathroom since someone can be watching the other kids because it would be convenient to have all the mess in one room. I do want to get foam soap and a lower vanity that would make me happy. In a perfect bathroom I would also have the lower-half of the walls tiled to be able to spray with bleach-water to sanitize.
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