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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>An Affordable Way To Set Up Infant Outdoor Play Area??
rjskids 11:08 AM 09-07-2011
I am in a bind with my back yard 
It is underconstruction and of course during my most FAVORITE time of the year to be outside! I have a really nice, newly poured patio but I have no grass area. We are slowly building a garage probably won't have any grass planted till next year. All my full time kids are under 2 years old so they really don't require a lot of climbing equipment but would like to just be able to "hang out" outside with them. But I can't keep them on the patio!! I looked into those paneled play yards and some foam tiles and it would cost me probably $150 dollars to make the area large enough for my 4 kids. I'm just not sure if I want or CAN fork out that money considering by spring all these kids will be walking and running and be able to play in my (hopefully) nice green yard. I've looked on craiglist for any used ones but no luck. Any suggestions on making a comfortable area for my babies to play and stay contained??
It is underconstruction and of course during my most FAVORITE time of the year to be outside! I have a really nice, newly poured patio but I have no grass area. We are slowly building a garage probably won't have any grass planted till next year. All my full time kids are under 2 years old so they really don't require a lot of climbing equipment but would like to just be able to "hang out" outside with them. But I can't keep them on the patio!! I looked into those paneled play yards and some foam tiles and it would cost me probably $150 dollars to make the area large enough for my 4 kids. I'm just not sure if I want or CAN fork out that money considering by spring all these kids will be walking and running and be able to play in my (hopefully) nice green yard. I've looked on craiglist for any used ones but no luck. Any suggestions on making a comfortable area for my babies to play and stay contained??
Cat Herder 11:11 AM 09-07-2011
Resin wading pools and a big ole' bag of ball pit balls. 
AnythingsPossible 12:05 PM 09-07-2011
Not sure exactly what you are wanting to do, fence in your patio or fence in a seperate area? Regardless of which one you are looking at, my licensor on numerous occasions has suggested using snow fence to section off an area for the little ones. My husband refuses to do it because he thinks it looks cheap, but if you are looking for a temporary, easy, cost effective solution, I would go for it. I tried getting a screen tent, but it had no bottom to it, so I then took 2 sheets, sewed them together and pinned them to the bottom. It wasn't an effective solution and I think I used it twice through the summer.
Our local large daycare uses this in the summer to enclose their large pool they put out.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...cStoreNum=6002
Our local large daycare uses this in the summer to enclose their large pool they put out.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...cStoreNum=6002
SandeeAR 12:09 PM 09-07-2011
Looking for a temporary fix? Why not use that orange mesh, like constrution areas do. Put up a few stack and set up a "cage" as big as you need for now. If the ground is a problem, go to the paint aisle and get a couple of canvas tarps. I got one for my baby area. It was 5 x 10 and was $5-6.