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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Question For Those Who Have Separate/Designated Play Area...
mamac 09:44 AM 03-16-2013
What kind of an area do you have for yourself while you're watching the kids? What kind of seating, if any, do you have? Chair? Sofa? I am trying to design my basement dc space and I just realized that I haven't thought about a space for me to hang out in. What does everyone else do?

My basement will be used for everything except meals, naps and manipulatives. (playroom upstairs for that)
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EntropyControlSpecialist 11:13 AM 03-16-2013
I have window benches and a glider in the Circle Time area. However, I mostly sit on the floor with them.
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nanglgrl 11:18 AM 03-16-2013
I have a glider but I'm pretty short so the chairs at the kid table are comfy for me.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 11:19 AM 03-16-2013
Originally Posted by nanglgrl:
I have a glider but I'm pretty short so the chairs at the kid table are comfy for me.
I sit there, too, at meals.
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blandino 11:44 AM 03-16-2013
I have a couch in the main play area. Children are allowed to sit on it provided that they are on their bottoms. We also have two office chairs in each play room, that are for "adults only" that I sit in when I need some personal space and don't want munchkin's all over me. But usually I am on the couch and on the floor.
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melilley 11:52 AM 03-16-2013
I just sit with them on the floor or in the child chairs at the table that I have. I like to be at their level most of the time. At nap I do sit on my couch in my family room (my daycare space is in my living room at the front of the house).... if I get a chance.
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frgsonmysox 12:05 PM 03-16-2013
we converted my library into the daycare room, but it's still set up as a library. So we have two couches in the daycare room. It's difficult for me to sit on the floor because of a connective tissue disorder I have. The parents don't mind
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jenn 12:15 PM 03-16-2013
I have a small couch (love seat). I got tired of digging toys out from under it and took the legs off. The kids don't get on it, that's not really a rule, they just usually don't get on it.
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mamac 02:25 PM 03-16-2013
Originally Posted by nanglgrl:
I have a glider but I'm pretty short so the chairs at the kid table are comfy for me.
This is what I do with my own two whenever we do crafts at their table. I could sit on them all day if I had to because they are almost my size. and very comfy.
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littleblossoms 02:40 PM 03-16-2013
I have a sofa chair
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mamac 02:42 PM 03-16-2013
Originally Posted by melilley:
I just sit with them on the floor or in the child chairs at the table that I have. I like to be at their level most of the time. At nap I do sit on my couch in my family room (my daycare space is in my living room at the front of the house).... if I get a chance.
Originally Posted by frgsonmysox:
we converted my library into the daycare room, but it's still set up as a library. So we have two couches in the daycare room. It's difficult for me to sit on the floor because of a connective tissue disorder I have. The parents don't mind
I think I will be doing a combination of both sitting on the floor with them and sitting on something off the floor. I love being at their level but I can't sit for very long due to arthritis. I'm debating on getting a glider in case I have any infants vs. going with a small sofa that could be used for special movie days. (if I decide to put a tv down there) I'm just not sure if I want to take up that much space with a piece of furniture. I've never been very good with designing anything. I know what I like, I just can't seem to put it all together.
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6colleen 03:30 PM 03-16-2013
I have something similar to this chair. I think I only paid 70.00 for it 4 years ago. It is very sturdy and comfortable, and easily folds out of the way.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Foldable-Cam...-/280724682711
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 05:09 PM 03-16-2013
I have a glider in the playroom so I can sit at nap time and rock kidos.
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countrymom 05:23 PM 03-16-2013
Originally Posted by nanglgrl:
I have a glider but I'm pretty short so the chairs at the kid table are comfy for me.
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
I sit there, too, at meals.
I know exactly what you ladies mean because I use them too, and because I'm short.
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LK5kids 08:18 PM 03-16-2013
I have an upholstered rocker and footstool.
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SilverSabre25 08:28 PM 03-16-2013
Timely post, I've been wondering about this myself, in reshaping my daycare room/plotting my future switch in focus. I'm thinking I'll try to get one of those gliders that looks like an armchair, for circle time and just chilling while the kiddos play.
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Patches 09:41 PM 03-16-2013
I have a loveseat and 2 gliders. I would like to get rid of the love seat because it takes up so much space (something I don't have a lot of) but it doubles as my desk. I always do my paperwork there
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melilley 10:11 PM 03-16-2013
Originally Posted by mamac:
I think I will be doing a combination of both sitting on the floor with them and sitting on something off the floor. I love being at their level but I can't sit for very long due to arthritis. I'm debating on getting a glider in case I have any infants vs. going with a small sofa that could be used for special movie days. (if I decide to put a tv down there) I'm just not sure if I want to take up that much space with a piece of furniture. I've never been very good with designing anything. I know what I like, I just can't seem to put it all together.
It does get uncomfortable sitting on the floor, I couldn't imagine having to do it with arthritis, not to mention constantly getting up and down (I have a rambunctious 18 mo. old). I'm with you on the designing thing-I have great ideas, but when they are put together, well, it doesn't look so great..lol
A glider sounds great, they're comfortable and aren't very big!
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MamaBearCanada 05:16 AM 03-17-2013
I have 2 couches that the kids are allowed to read/relax on but not play on and I use cushions or a beanbag when I sit on the floor. Gives me some back support but allows me to be at their level.
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snbauser 05:42 AM 03-17-2013
I have several different seats depending on what I am doing and where I am. I can sit on my couch and see the kids when they are playing because we have an open floor plan. For circle time or when I am reading to the kids I usually sit on a teachers cube similar to this except mine is multi-colored http://www.kaplanco.com/store/trans/...22|0&PID=70061. When I am sitting on the floor I sit in a backjack chair because I have a bad back - http://www.kaplanco.com/store/trans/...%7C0&PID=85305 . Sometimes I sit in the kids chairs at the table and sometimes I bring over the teachers cube. I also have this if I want to sit higher up in the classroom - http://www.kaplanco.com/store/trans/...1|0&PID=39699P Not sure if mine is that height but it is a teachers chair and it matches the kids chairs.
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daycarediva 07:01 AM 03-17-2013
I sit at the preschool table with them for meals, snacks and activities. When doing paperwork, I sit at a teachers desk with a computer type chair.
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Blackcat31 07:15 AM 03-17-2013
I guess I have never thought about this before but I don't have a personal or teacher space.

I sit at the preschool table when I eat lunch but other than sitting on the floor for activities and such, I stand all day.

I do have a file cabinet where I keep my paperwork and such but other than that, I don't have a designated space for me.

There are NO adult pieces of furniture in the whole house...not even a stool.
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nanglgrl 11:36 AM 03-17-2013
I had to give a deposition regarding my late father's estate last year and I refused to take off work for it. They arranged to come to my house during nap to take the deposition after I had o.k.'d it with my clients. Picture this: a court reporter, insurance guy and 3 lawyers sitting at the child sized table in my basement. All of them with the exception if the court reporter were built like football players. The looks on their faces when they realized that was where we would be sitting were priceless.

I do my interviews at that table and often forget that "regular" sized people or tall people do not fit it as comfortably as I do.
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KnoxMom 10:35 AM 03-22-2013
Bean bag chairs that match the decor!
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Texasjeepgirl 11:13 AM 03-22-2013
glider rocker
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frgsonmysox 11:17 AM 03-22-2013
I'm converting my office into another room for daycare and will be breaking my library couches. One in the library one in my office, plus my desk in my office too.
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itlw8 11:24 AM 03-22-2013
love seat and a chair. It has been years since getting up off the floor was easy and after 2 knee replacements I can not kneel so it is harder to get up off the floor.
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WImom 11:49 AM 03-22-2013
I sit on the floor during playtime. I have an desk chair and a tube type foot stool I sit on as well. Sometimes I'll sit on the little kid chairs but not for too long or my back will hurt.
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mamac 01:35 PM 03-22-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I guess I have never thought about this before but I don't have a personal or teacher space.

I sit at the preschool table when I eat lunch but other than sitting on the floor for activities and such, I stand all day.

I do have a file cabinet where I keep my paperwork and such but other than that, I don't have a designated space for me.

There are NO adult pieces of furniture in the whole house...not even a stool.
At first I was wondering how you could manage living with no adult furniture but then I remembered you had a separate house just for daycare, right? (RIGHT?!) lol.
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mamac 01:35 PM 03-22-2013
Originally Posted by nanglgrl:
I had to give a deposition regarding my late father's estate last year and I refused to take off work for it. They arranged to come to my house during nap to take the deposition after I had o.k.'d it with my clients. Picture this: a court reporter, insurance guy and 3 lawyers sitting at the child sized table in my basement. All of them with the exception if the court reporter were built like football players. The looks on their faces when they realized that was where we would be sitting were priceless.

I do my interviews at that table and often forget that "regular" sized people or tall people do not fit it as comfortably as I do.

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frgsonmysox 01:52 PM 03-22-2013
I would love to have a separate home for daycare, but.... alas, it's not an option. I envy those of you who do!
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HomeMADE 05:26 PM 03-22-2013
I have a couch in the playroom, and right around the corner from the playroom is my computer so I have a wooden office chair that roles.

However when I am with them I mostly sit on the floor. I am tall 5'11 so the floor is really the best place for me.
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mema 05:48 PM 03-22-2013
I have a couch and a rocker, but only because it is also our families living room at night and weekends. I would love to get rid of the couch for more space and just keep the chair, but pretty sure the family wouldn't like having to sit on the floor at night.
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sharlan 06:34 PM 03-22-2013
I have sofas in the family room (toddler toys and tv) and living room (manipulatives and puzzles), rocking chair in the playroom (most toys and books). I use the regular sized table and chairs in the dining room (crafts and school).
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Springdaze 06:12 PM 03-24-2013
I either sit in a folding chair or kids chair. I had my own table for a while, but it became a sh*t magnet and I got rid of it. I tend to be cluttery and I hate it!
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Blackcat31 08:02 AM 03-25-2013
Originally Posted by mamac:
At first I was wondering how you could manage living with no adult furniture but then I remembered you had a separate house just for daycare, right? (RIGHT?!) lol.
LOL! yes, I have a separate house for child care.

It is kind of funny though when I think about it because I do spend way more time here than I do at home.

I must be used to the floors and little chairs because even at home when sitting down, I am usually on the floor.

It's just DH and I at home now so even when we eat dinner, we both sit on the floor around the coffee table and then when I watch TV at night, I am still sitting on the floor.
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MNMum 09:40 AM 03-25-2013
We are finishing our basement right now. There will be a glider rocker. Also, we purchased used cabinets for the kitchen off of craigslist. They came with a "kitchen" desk, so this will be put in down there. We may eventually get a couch down there. Otherwise, I'm 5'3'' and also fit fine in the toddler chairs!
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Tags:separate areas, separate building for daycare
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