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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Christmas Tree Barrier
HappyEverAfter 05:55 PM 11-08-2017
Ok, so I am very much looking forward to putting up a huge (artificial) Christmas tree this year! It will be in my living room where the kiddos spend about 25% of their day. Two children are non mobile infants so I'm not concerned about them but my other two are mobile: one walker and one new crawler/pull upper. My concern is not the ornaments, they're not breakable and I'll use string instead of hooks to hang them but I do worry about the tree getting pulled down or the crawler chewing on it. I know I will need some sort of barrier around the bottom of the tree to keep little hands off it. So far my only idea is to place a play yard gate around it. I'd love to have a prettier option. What do you all do to keep those trees from being touched?
jenboo 07:22 PM 11-08-2017
Play yard gate. We have a white one
DaveA 03:55 AM 11-09-2017
Originally Posted by jenboo:
Play yard gate. We have a white one
Same thing. It works well and is easy to move out of the way if needed.Play yard gate. We have a white one
Cat Herder 04:03 AM 11-09-2017
I tell them no.
I also give them a basket of non-breakable ornaments to decorate their own small tree in home living.
I also give them a basket of non-breakable ornaments to decorate their own small tree in home living.
Jupadia 04:39 AM 11-09-2017
My dk kids are not exposed to my tree. But my kids are taught not to play with it (age 4 and almost 2). Younger one was good last year this year we will have to re teach him.
Dk kids have a felt tree on the wall the cam play with and rearrange felt cut out ornaments on.
Dk kids have a felt tree on the wall the cam play with and rearrange felt cut out ornaments on.
lovemykidstoo 05:17 AM 11-09-2017
I have seen some people do the playards around it.
We spend a huge amount of time in our living room and my kids have only broken 2 ornaments over the past 17 years. They know I am not dealing with them playing with my tree and they don't try.
We spend a huge amount of time in our living room and my kids have only broken 2 ornaments over the past 17 years. They know I am not dealing with them playing with my tree and they don't try.
Blackcat31 06:21 AM 11-09-2017
I'd spend time teaching them to just not touch it.
I use a blanket to teach the kids about boundaries.
I do this from day one.
I am then able to use the blanket for everything else any time I need a barrier or visual that says "Don't touch!"
I use a blanket to teach the kids about boundaries.
I do this from day one.
I am then able to use the blanket for everything else any time I need a barrier or visual that says "Don't touch!"
Meeko 06:58 AM 11-09-2017
Our tree isn't where the little ones have direct access, and so I don't block it... but I have a provider friend who bought PET gates (shorter) and wrapped Christmas fabric around them. Looked like the tree was surrounded by big gifts. It was enough to keep her crawlers away from the tree. She had the tree raised on a stand so none of it was blocked from view.
Farmerswife 07:04 AM 11-09-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I'd spend time teaching them to just not touch it.
I use a blanket to teach the kids about boundaries.
I do this from day one.
I am then able to use the blanket for everything else any time I need a barrier or visual that says "Don't touch!"
I have a gate in my play room to keep big kids and little kids separated. I rinse and repeat until I'm blue in the face for the 1 yr old not to touch the gate. She does not listen! How do you do it???I'd spend time teaching them to just not touch it.
I use a blanket to teach the kids about boundaries.
I do this from day one.
I am then able to use the blanket for everything else any time I need a barrier or visual that says "Don't touch!"
Blackcat31 09:25 AM 11-09-2017
Originally Posted by Farmerswife:
I have a gate in my play room to keep big kids and little kids separated. I rinse and repeat until I'm blue in the face for the 1 yr old not to touch the gate. She does not listen! How do you do it???
It's definitely a process and one that can be exhausting with some kids... I have a gate in my play room to keep big kids and little kids separated. I rinse and repeat until I'm blue in the face for the 1 yr old not to touch the gate. She does not listen! How do you do it???
I learned how to create boundaries and how to teach kids about not touching gates here
hwichlaz 10:29 AM 11-09-2017
Before I had my playroom gated off I used a fireplace gate. I have two of them. One around my fireplace and one around my BBQ outside. I put the BBQ in the shed for the winter, which frees up the BBQ gate for other uses at just the right time of year.
HappyEverAfter 10:45 AM 11-09-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I'd spend time teaching them to just not touch it.
I use a blanket to teach the kids about boundaries.
I do this from day one.
I am then able to use the blanket for everything else any time I need a barrier or visual that says "Don't touch!"
Ooohh, I like this idea! I have gates in the playroom and eating area and they're taught never to touch those so I think this blanket idea may work wonders for teaching them not to touch the tree!I'd spend time teaching them to just not touch it.
I use a blanket to teach the kids about boundaries.
I do this from day one.
I am then able to use the blanket for everything else any time I need a barrier or visual that says "Don't touch!"
Mom2Two 11:48 AM 11-09-2017
In past years we have just not put up the tree until we say goodbye to the dck on the last day they're here before Christmas. But it really puts a damper on the season--I love Christmas trees!
We could try the play fence (we have one), but our front room is pretty small. I was thinking to get a smaller tree or two that we could put up in higher places until I start my Christmas break.
We could try the play fence (we have one), but our front room is pretty small. I was thinking to get a smaller tree or two that we could put up in higher places until I start my Christmas break.
Miss A 01:38 PM 11-09-2017
I'll be putting ours up with a play yard surrounding it. My DS-1 is the worst listener, and I know he will be the worst of them all if it was left out in the open. It won't be the prettiest, but it will be safe!
TheMisplacedMidwestMom 02:20 PM 11-09-2017
HappyEverAfter 08:02 PM 11-09-2017
Originally Posted by TheMisplacedMidwestMom:
😂😂😂 well, that would work!
flying_babyb 12:44 AM 11-12-2017
I chase them around saying "ETT!" while doing the NO sign. Its used year round for anything thats a NO! works nice cause its not a intrusive sound
lovemykidstoo 06:49 AM 11-12-2017
Originally Posted by TheMisplacedMidwestMom:
Has anyone wrapped their tree like this to store for the rest of the year? Wonder how that would work. We got an artificial one last year and thought, why am I taking everthing off. Can't I just take it to the basement like it is?
Meeko 06:41 PM 11-14-2017
reminds me of a video I saw on You Tube a while back. A couple had their tree on a platform on casters. It rolled away into a big closet. Took about 30 seconds to get it out again and plug it in! 