Floor Space Per Child

[Meyou]

I've recently divided my main room into big and little kid areas because of some toy issues. It's working well other than the unhappy 16 month old.

Right now they aren't in the playroom more than a couple of hours per day but as winter approaches they'll be in there more and more. I'm a little concerned my areas are too small.

The little kid area is 12'x4' with one small bookshelf and 6 larger toys along the wall on the floor. There is also a little tykes playhouse which doesn't really alter the usable play space since it's 4' wide and tucks nicely at one end. There will be two kids in there most of the time. 16 months and 2.3 years.

The big kid area is 12'x6' with a small table and two chairs in a corner, one small bookcase and a narrow dresser at one end. There are 6 larger toys along the wall on the floor here too. Most of the time there will be 3 kids in this space.

Sound good? I can take pics if that helps.

[Meyou]

https://www.daycare.com/forum/album.php?albumid=35

Pics

[Heidi]

Not a huge room, but it looks really cute!

[Meyou]

Thanks. It's not their only inside play space. They have another 150 sq feet outside this room as well but I keep the toys in here.

[Cat Herder]

It would be hard to answer without knowing your rules and regs for "usable space".

Here, everywhere there is furniture (to include playhouses, bookshelves, tables, toy boxes, chairs, etc) is deducted from the "usable space" per child (36 sq ft). Yes, the inspector makes me hold the measuring tape every time.

So for 6 kids I am required a minimum of 216sq feet of clear, unobstructed, floor space.

We also have minimum requirements for toys, furniture, etc. so you can't loophole it by just plopping them down in an empty room. Sadly, I'd bet it had to be put in writing because someone actually tried at some point or another...

[Meyou]

I'm not liscensed so no reg's really although I follow most of them. I can't take any more children with a liscense here so I've never bothered. I just want the kids to have enough space and have not feel crowded and closed in this winter. We get stuck inside much more than they're used to for about 4 months.

I have 150 sq feet of unobstructed floor space for them outside the playroom door and then an additional 131 sq feet inside the playroom minus the furniture and toys which accounts for 20 sq feet so about 110 left. I keep all the toys in the playroom but let them drag stuff out to the other area. It's a common area for my family space as well so I keep it neutral looking so we don't have to "live" in a daycare.

Soooo...270 available total and 5 children, 6 after 3 pm when my 7 year oold gets home. According to your regs my baby area is too small but I could shift it another foot and be fine.


ETA: I just checked our reg's and it's 30 sq feet per child in a facility but there is nothing about family day homes.

[Cat Herder]

I like your room.

It looks like a fun way to spend a day.

I think the 16 month old will catch on in no time.

[2ndFamilyDC]

I think the space is just fine. Like someone said in another thread on here, we grew up with very limited space to play in and we turned out just fine. :: The pictures you posted showed a cute area, good job.

[dave4him]

Very cute pictures. I dont know much about the space issue yet but looks good to me. Im still working on my own creative juices... they arent kicking in as well