Playroom Set Up

[mim]

I am just now getting into the interest of having certain play centers in the playroom. I want it to feel more professional and not just like a home that I am having kids come to. I have a 4 level split home. so when you walk in the front door its my living room (playroom) then kitchen/dining. Then off the kitchen, down the stairs is my family room, or from the living room you can go upstairs to the bedrooms. So the dc playroom is the main living room right in the door it's about 120sq ft. the kitchen has 2 kids size tables w/chairs and a bunch of other clutter like a dc shelf unit w/paint, paper, fine motor etc. filing cabinets for paperwork, and the family room is just for nap.

Sorry so long but my question is how would you set up the playroom w/center areas. its not a huge room and it only has 2 1/2 walls to use w/2 corners. Currently I have a shelf unit with random toys, small wood blocks, animals, people, and a few imaginext houses.

TIA

[cheerfuldom]

Can you post pics of what you have right now? It is hard to imagine what you are working with from just a description

[mim]

I think I attached pics. Not quite sure. Thanks

Sorry did a double pic of one wall, just different months.
in the kitchen there is now a shelf right below the window like the one in the playroom

[SilverSabre25]

I LOVE these shelves for room dividing






Easily found at Target, pretty affordable as these things go. I think the ones I have were much cheaper than that but I don't remember.

I like my playroom set up to be variable and dynamic. Cute little area rugs can also help define areas and add play space (like a road rug for driving cars on)

[mim]

Is there a back on them or are they through. Is it the ones for the cloth bins?

For room diving, how do you keep them from getting climbed on. I tried to put my shelf side ways from the wall and the kids would lean over them to see and I was terrified they were going to fall over. Also kids try to play with toys on the top and end up driving cars off or knocking blocks down onto others heads playing on the other side. Any suggestion is helpful. Thanks

[SilverSabre25]

Originally Posted by mim

Is there a back on them or are they through. Is it the ones for the cloth bins?

For room diving, how do you keep them from getting climbed on. I tried to put my shelf side ways from the wall and the kids would lean over them to see and I was terrified they were going to fall over. Also kids try to play with toys on the top and end up driving cars off or knocking blocks down onto others heads playing on the other side. Any suggestion is helpful. Thanks

You supervise and teach them not to climb. But at worst it's a 2ft fall, not too much (re your worry about them falling over). You can teach them not to play on top of the shelf, or you can give them the freedom to and deal with the "fall"out (haha yay puns)--i.e driving cars on them is okay but building blocks needs to be done on the floor, kwim?

For the back, you can get a piece of 2ftx3ft wood and screw it onto the back, or anything else that's 2ftx3ft. Fabric could even work if you wanted. I don't use the fabric bins; I use plastic shoeboxes and the boxes that are one size up, or I just set toys in the cubes depending on the toy. They fit PERFECTLY in the spaces, and it helps with crowding and stuff.

[jenboo]

Here is what my set up looks like. I also have a small space but have set up some centers. I use rugs and shelves to define the centers. It takes a little but of energy at first to teach them not to climb but it usually doesn't take long. Then it is so much easier when you get one new kids because the others have already stopped climbing.

[permanentvacation]

Jenboo,

I like the idea of using different colored area rugs for the different areas.

[jenboo]

Originally Posted by permanentvacation

Jenboo,

I like the idea of using different colored area rugs for the different areas.

Thanks!!!! It adds a little color and the kids love it!
"I play on orange rug"

[mim]

Jenboo,

Your space looks great and really roomy. You said you have a small space too, so to get a better idea, how big would you say it is long and wide?

[nothingwithoutjoy]

The simplest way to get started with creating different centers would be to move the shelves from under the window and in the playroom so that they jut out into the room--then you have three separate areas right away. If you're concerned about them tipping, you can still bolt them to the wall--just line it up with a stud and use an L-bracket. Another way to stop tipping would be to attach the shelves to each other in an L-shape (again, using an L-bracket screwed to the tops of them). Then one end of the L could be against the wall and the other shelf could be out in the room and you'd have a little private nook between them.

You can also create separate areas with fabric--curtains hung from the ceiling, for example. Or artwork hung as a screen from the ceiling, one below another. Here are some nice examples.

[jenboo]

Originally Posted by mim

Jenboo,

Your space looks great and really roomy. You said you have a small space too, so to get a better idea, how big would you say it is long and wide?

17.5 feet by 12.5 feet.
That doesn't include the kitchen since the kids don't go in there.

It's larger than your space but still pretty small in my opinion.
You also have your tables in the kitchen which opens up more space for centers.

[mim]

Thank you all. You have given me some great ideas. I appreciate your help, but one more ??? how and where do you store your playdoh and accessories, paint, brushes, stamps, stickers, pipecleaners, glitter, sequins, pasta, beans, beads, buttons, ............ and so on

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Originally Posted by mim

Thank you all. You have given me some great ideas. I appreciate your help, but one more ??? how and where do you store your playdoh and accessories, paint, brushes, stamps, stickers, pipecleaners, glitter, sequins, pasta, beans, beads, buttons, ............ and so on

We have a studio (see here). In the classroom, we set up a studio space with an L-shaped shelf around a circular table.

[jenboo]

because my DCK are all young, I store it all on a shelf that I have up high on the wall (its 5'7" high). You can see the shelf in the first picture above the blue rug.
When i had older children, I put all the art supplies on the big shelf gray shelf with the fish and other stuff

[AmyKidsCo]

I don't divide my space much because I want to give the children as much space for moving as I can (I've got 2 12mo olds - one crawling and one toddling - and 3 2yr olds - all are clumsy and fall over their own feet) and my space isn't big to begin with!

My photos are out of date - I moved the shelf in the middle under the windows, got rid of the plastic kitchen, and put a smaller shelf under the side window. All that's in the middle of the room is the table and chairs.

[midaycare]

Originally Posted by mim

Thank you all. You have given me some great ideas. I appreciate your help, but one more ??? how and where do you store your playdoh and accessories, paint, brushes, stamps, stickers, pipecleaners, glitter, sequins, pasta, beans, beads, buttons, ............ and so on

I have a cheap solution - buy an over the door shoe rack. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Whitmor-6082-1...or+shoe+holder

You can separate everything and keep it high enough so the dcks can't reach it. My paint has an entire row, scissors are in one pocket, glitter glue in one pocket, popsicle sticks in one pocket, googly eyes in one pocket, etc. For things like crayons, markers, and playdoh I use a small plastic box with a tight lid.

[AmyKidsCo]

I have those plastic drawers on a shelf under the ceiling - you can see the bottom of them in my second photo. The doorway to the dining room is on the far left off the photo - the shelf goes all the way across there too.

[MOM OF 4]

Originally Posted by mim

I am just now getting into the interest of having certain play centers in the playroom. I want it to feel more professional and not just like a home that I am having kids come to. I have a 4 level split home. so when you walk in the front door its my living room (playroom) then kitchen/dining. Then off the kitchen, down the stairs is my family room, or from the living room you can go upstairs to the bedrooms. So the dc playroom is the main living room right in the door it's about 120sq ft. the kitchen has 2 kids size tables w/chairs and a bunch of other clutter like a dc shelf unit w/paint, paper, fine motor etc. filing cabinets for paperwork, and the family room is just for nap.

Sorry so long but my question is how would you set up the playroom w/center areas. its not a huge room and it only has 2 1/2 walls to use w/2 corners. Currently I have a shelf unit with random toys, small wood blocks, animals, people, and a few imaginext houses.

TIA

I had a bookshelf and I faced the rear toward the wall, and made that area a dressup center. On the other side was the books/table and arts center. On the other side, was another bookshlelf and a couch and TV which was the 'quiet" area. On the wall by the couch, I had another bookshelf for freeplay/toys and also the CD player for music time. It was a small space but it worked out.

[Josiegirl]

I like the idea of centers but it seems that by the end of the week, it all is so disorganized and strewn about, the centers kinda disappear.

I have SA's here this summer who, when they get bored, they love to rearrange so I let them have at it.

I have a weird shaped room, it's about 30' by 8' and my computer area takes up a few feet in the end of that. I have 3 huge shelves plus a couple smaller shelves lining one side and windows line the rest of the room. But because I'm by myself here, I also use the kitchen and living room a lot too.

I am not crazy about making center areas. For dress-up and play-house, yes. For blocks, yes. But for science and art, lots of the items are not appropriate for all age groups, like I have in my daycare.
I always have those items available in baskets, to be used when I want to use it, or when kids ask. But not in centers that are always set up.
To me it seems like organizations are trying to make us into facilities like centers, instead of being a homier version of daycare.

[jenboo]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am not crazy about making center areas. For dress-up and play-house, yes. For blocks, yes. But for science and art, lots of the items are not appropriate for all age groups, like I have in my daycare.
I always have those items available in baskets, to be used when I want to use it, or when kids ask. But not in centers that are always set up.
To me it seems like organizations are trying to make us into facilities like centers, instead of being a homier version of daycare.

I just made a few centers that are appropriate for the younger ages I have now. I change them up depending on the ages I have. That's the best part, there are no rules, I can do what I want.
My centers don't get mixed together. My oldest DCB is 2.5 and everyone knows where the toys go.

I think being set up like a facility vs home is dependent on the person. I don't feel pressure to be set up like facility. It's what I chose. I wanted to look very professional with a designated daycare space... I wanted to look like a facility but in my home.