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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Small Center - How Do These Groupings Sound
Stepping 12:10 PM 01-07-2014
I'm meeting with an architect next week and she wants to know what my groupings will be for each classroom. I'm trying to create a calm environment that isn't too full, fulfills DCFS requirements but is profitable.

How do these groups sound?

First floor - 0-18 mos, 8 children & 2 teachers
First or second floor - 18-36 mos, 10 children & 2 teachers
Second floor - 3-4 year olds, 10 children 1.5 teachers
Second or third floor, 4-5 year olds, 10 children & 1.5 teachers

I'm not sure of the layout yet but wanted to hear thoughts about children being in second and third floors. Each room will be approx 500-600 sq ft and I could probably get a couple of extra kids in each room but then I would need an extra teacher so I'm not sure it's worth it.

Would you group differently?
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Blackcat31 12:23 PM 01-07-2014
The age groups would depend on what your state classifies each age...kwim?

In my state a child is an infant until 12 months.

At 12 months, they become a toddler.

I would never have a walking, mobile toddler age 18 months in the same room as infants ....kwim?

I think you can bigger age spanned age groups for older kids but I think it's really important to give the floor age babies enough SAFE space that the mobile and walking toddlers aren't walking and/or climbing on them.

I'd split your infant group into two groups. Maybe 0-8 month and then 9-18 months or something like that.
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butterfly 12:24 PM 01-07-2014
Do you have to build up? I think I'd prefer a center with rooms on the same level.

I'd also prefer to keep the under 1 age group separate from the 12month plus. Since they usually require different equipment, food, bottles, etc. But then again, it depends upon how many under the age of 1 you are allowed and the staff to child ratio. And I think 8 babies to 2 teachers is a lot - if they are truly babies. But here we are only allowed 2 babies per adult...

If you need to do separate floors, I'd look at doing the preschoolers on the same floor and the babies and toddlers on the same floor.

Do you have outdoor space? It may be easier to keep the bigger kids on the bottom floor to allow easier access to outdoor time...
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Unregistered 12:27 PM 01-07-2014
I like the two floor concept better. Are you going to have an elevator to make it accessible for those that can't go up the steps? Bathrooms on each level?
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Stepping 12:41 PM 01-07-2014
Thanks for the input everyone.

DCFS classifies an infant under 15 mos here. I was worried about putting 15- 36 mos in one room and how a 15 month old would get upstairs if they end up on the second floor. I'll check with the architect to see if I can split the younger group into two rooms, maybe with a movable petition?

I'm not building from scratch, we own a lovely old church building which we're converting. We can't build out, only up as we have to stay within the original footprint.

We have great access to outdoor space and I really wanted the preschool to be on the ground floor so we could have a true indoor/outdoor classroom but we can't put none walkers above the ground floor in illinois.

Ideally, I would concentrate on 18mos + age group but all the demand here is for babies.

There will be bathrooms in each level but no elevator.
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itlw8 02:54 PM 01-07-2014
I thought you had to have an elevator or ramp for it to be handicap accessible.
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Stepping 03:57 PM 01-07-2014
There will be ramps to meet Ada guidelines.

There are other daycare centers in the area on more than one floor without an elevator so it's definitely doable.

I was more concerned about the age splits, for reasons that black cat highlighted, I may need to look at them again.
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TaylorTots 06:00 PM 01-07-2014
My only concern would be fire drills/fire exits for the 2nd and 3rd floors. If you put 18-36 months on a 2nd or 3rd floor, how are 2 teachers going to get 10 toddlers down the stairs in a hurry and organized fashion?

Same concern with the 3-4 group. I know many 3 year olds (and 4 year olds) that would have issues getting down the stairs in a fire without hurting themselves or others (pushing/tripping/etc).

I think the 4-5 year olds would be fine with a non-first floor and 1.5 teachers for such an emergency exit - I taught prek and feel that they could handle such a responsibility.

Just my thoughts Good luck!

ETA: didnt read about the ramps from above post - that may negate my post
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Stepping 08:55 AM 01-08-2014
Ok, I looked at it again. How does this sound?

Ground floor - 0-15 mos, 8 children two adults (this fits DCFS requirements)
Ground floor - 15-23 mos 8 children two adults (ratio is more than minimum requirement)
Second floor - 2 & 3's (not sure of group size yet)
Second floor - 3's & 4's

Or I could just do preschool. I would live to hear from those that are preschool only. How easy is it to fill the spots?
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butterfly 09:02 AM 01-08-2014
Originally Posted by Stepping:
Ok, I looked at it again. How does this sound?

Ground floor - 0-15 mos, 8 children two adults (this fits DCFS requirements)
Ground floor - 15-23 mos 8 children two adults (ratio is more than minimum requirement)
Second floor - 2 & 3's (not sure of group size yet)
Second floor - 3's & 4's

Or I could just do preschool. I would live to hear from those that are preschool only. How easy is it to fill the spots?
Preschool would be great!!! Especially in a church building. Most of the preschools here are in churches and do awesome. If you wanted you could have one floor for 4/5 year old preschoolers and 3 yr olds on another floor. Or use one floor for gross motor type stuff and have the classrooms on the other floor. I love preschoolers and prefer them to infants, so I'd vote for doing preschool.
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Stepping 09:34 AM 01-08-2014
I know, I love preschool too.

We are not affiliated with the church, we bought an old church building to rehab.

I'm leaning towards doing 15mos + so that I don't have to worry about DCFS infant regs.

This is exciting! I just need to stop procrastinating
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itlw8 09:58 AM 01-08-2014
It is hard to make a profit on infants because of the ratio needed . You could have the 1st floor as a mixed age area that leads to the outdoors and then on the 2nd and 3rd floor each group could have their own dedicated space for circle time, crafts, activities that younger children could get hurt or ruin like long term projects.

so maybe you had unit blocks in the rooms but in the large area you have those large blocks. I always wanted the big wood ones.
You could do both preschool and childcare. the morning can be both and then the preschool only leave before lunch and the extended care remain. If you see a big need for the preschool only you could add an afternoon class later and drop the extended care. Then the teachers would get a true lunch hour break. always room to grow and change.
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Stepping 11:23 AM 01-08-2014
Originally Posted by itlw8:
It is hard to make a profit on infants because of the ratio needed . You could have the 1st floor as a mixed age area that leads to the outdoors and then on the 2nd and 3rd floor each group could have their own dedicated space for circle time, crafts, activities that younger children could get hurt or ruin like long term projects.

so maybe you had unit blocks in the rooms but in the large area you have those large blocks. I always wanted the big wood ones.
You could do both preschool and childcare. the morning can be both and then the preschool only leave before lunch and the extended care remain. If you see a big need for the preschool only you could add an afternoon class later and drop the extended care. Then the teachers would get a true lunch hour break. always room to grow and change.
I love the idea of having a large mixed age group downstairs so that everyone has direct access to outside.

We could spend the mornings downstairs and then go to our own rooms for nap time etc

Great idea, thanks
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Tags:daycare center, group size, teacher ratio
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