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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Half Walls vs. Full Walls
ummie 07:17 AM 04-27-2011
Is there any advantages to half walls (about 4-5 feet high) vs. full walls (to the ceiling)?
daycare 01:24 PM 04-27-2011
in what regards? for what purpose?
WDW 01:27 PM 04-27-2011
Maybe from your kitchen to your toy room, so you could see the kiddos while you cook lunch... but I wouldn't want my daycare room visible to my kitchen all the time either. 
Stacy214 06:19 PM 04-27-2011
My floor plan is somewhat open however i have a wall that blocks my view into my living room from my kitchen....so, I'm knocking it out, lol...well the the whole wall but half wall. So I vote half wall
Abigail 07:03 PM 04-27-2011
Originally Posted by ummie:
Is there any advantages to half walls (about 4-5 feet high) vs. full walls (to the ceiling)?
I plan on building half height walls to section off an infant-only area for daytime play. I could use extremely wide baby gates or just have one of those gated play areas, but I prefer to build a half wall and leave a wide enough opening for a normal gate as the entrance. If you are building one, consider having a glass section that starts a few inches from the bottom and have it go a few inches from the top and about 2-3 feet long (or however long you want). I've seen this before and it "opens" up the area a little and still looks wonderful. You can also build a half wall to create a sleeping area and have curtains hang above it to make it more private. Then you can change the colors of the curtains if you want to have yellow, then later decide on blue or green, etc.Is there any advantages to half walls (about 4-5 feet high) vs. full walls (to the ceiling)?
ummie 08:41 AM 04-29-2011
So this would be for the whole daycare.
Someone told me this would create a more open space and teachers could look over each classroom (while one is in the bathroom or whatever).
The disadvantage (what I can think of) is naptime. I'd have 3 rooms, 1-2 yr olds, 2-3 and 3-4.
Do you guys have experience with half walls?
Would you say the number of full wall daycare centers you've seen outnumber half wall?
thanks!!!
Someone told me this would create a more open space and teachers could look over each classroom (while one is in the bathroom or whatever).
The disadvantage (what I can think of) is naptime. I'd have 3 rooms, 1-2 yr olds, 2-3 and 3-4.
Do you guys have experience with half walls?
Would you say the number of full wall daycare centers you've seen outnumber half wall?
thanks!!!
Abigail 09:38 PM 04-30-2011
I've only seen one daycare PHOTO, not in person of a center with just one classroom that was open in the center of the building with half walls so on every side was pretty much a hallway to another classroom.
I don't like the idea of all 1/2 walls, but maybe just some. Do you have a basement for tornado warnings? You'd lose a lot of building structure security with fewer full walls. You're going to have a LOT of noise and hear a LOT of crying/screaming bounce from one child to another just because they hear someone else doing it.
If you're just looking for a more open feel, you also need to consider the placement and size of the items in each room. The larger items need to be far from the door/entrance and you don't want to have too much clutter. You also need to consider the color of the walls and the carpet and the lighting. Have brighter lights, and lighter walls and carpet to make the room feel larger as well. Add a mirror in every room opposite the wall of the exterior window for an open look as well.
I don't like the idea of all 1/2 walls, but maybe just some. Do you have a basement for tornado warnings? You'd lose a lot of building structure security with fewer full walls. You're going to have a LOT of noise and hear a LOT of crying/screaming bounce from one child to another just because they hear someone else doing it.
If you're just looking for a more open feel, you also need to consider the placement and size of the items in each room. The larger items need to be far from the door/entrance and you don't want to have too much clutter. You also need to consider the color of the walls and the carpet and the lighting. Have brighter lights, and lighter walls and carpet to make the room feel larger as well. Add a mirror in every room opposite the wall of the exterior window for an open look as well.
Cat Herder 04:07 PM 05-01-2011
I have half walls but I only keep 6 infants/young toddlers and 1 adult. It enables me to be in "one" large room with everyone, as required by law, but keeps them from injuring one another since they each have a safe playspace with age specific furnishings and toys. 
There is also one large central playspace so we can all be together for reading time/circle time when we like.
It can be a problem at naptime if one is not a good sleeper, just keep that in mind.
I am not allowed to separate them, so I just have to deal with it.
If you have a better naptime option, take it....
There is also one large central playspace so we can all be together for reading time/circle time when we like.
It can be a problem at naptime if one is not a good sleeper, just keep that in mind.
I am not allowed to separate them, so I just have to deal with it. If you have a better naptime option, take it....