How Often Do You Change Your Daycare Setup?

[BumbleBee]

I just finished moving shelves around to help with the flow of the daycare area. This is the 2nd time I've done this since I opened 6 months ago. The first time was over Christmas break when I create a "littles" area and a "big kid" area. Is this to much change in a short period of time?

I have an L shaped dc area and when I opened it was set up like a preschool with centers then a small area (10 x 10 ft) w/sa stuff. I had 1 sa at the time so it worked well. Then I started 2 crawling babies and another sa and after a few weeks of trying to make it work I made the littles area & the big kid area (split 1/2 & 1/2).

Then I added a 16 month old and he chilled in the littles area w/the 2 babies who were beginning to walk. It worked well. THEN I started a 2.5 yo & a 4 yo and really had no "preschool area." The 4 yo & 2.5 yo are too old for the littles area and to young for the sa area (the 4 yo is okay w/most of the sa stuff but not all).

So NOW I've basically split it into 3rds with a sa area, a preschool area, and a baby area.

Back to my question-how often do you change your setup?

[daycarediva]

Once a month.

I only take 2-5's, no babies. I do have 2 sa'ers, but I have a separate area off of my daycare space.

I do different centers, rotate out toys, rearrange, once per month with the new theme. Keeps it fresh, for me & the kids.

[EchoMom]

As often as the modd strikes me! I'm a CHRONIC furtniture rearranger! I mean CHRONIC! I move SOMETHING at least once a week. And a big change, probably at least monthly. Including my whole house not just daycare room.

[Sprouts]

LOL! I'm so happy I am not the only one! I change about once a month, especially when I have some really good coffee!
I have a "baby" side and a big kid side (2.5-5yrs) I am in similar dilemma.

[MsLaura529]

First off - sounds like your business is going really well!! So, congrats on that

Second - I haven't even had my license finalized yet, and I've move the daycare area around about 3 times hahaha.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I've moved my items around about once a month. I think I have finally found what works for me, so big changes haven't happened in about two.

[DayCareDiva30]

I change my room around every few months. My room is set up more like a preschool class, with a large cubby and classroom shelves, so it's hard to figure out where to put the large furniture sometimes.

[originalkat]

I move things a bit every 6 months or so.

[Heidi]

As often as the modd strikes me! I'm a CHRONIC furtniture rearranger! I mean CHRONIC! I move SOMETHING at least once a week. And a big change, probably at least monthly. Including my whole house not just daycare room.

So happy to hear that...my dh thinks I'm a little nuts!

[SilverSabre25]

As frequently as necessary to keep the myself and the kids happy and entertained. When someone moves on to a new developmental stage, when a new kid starts, when I decide the chaos is too much, when I'm bored or they're bored, when I notice that things haven't been played with lately...

just rearranged last weekend and again this weekend.

[SquirrellyMama]

I've changed the set up twice in 6 months. I think I might start doing it more often. I don't have a lot of space to work with since I use all of my house. I can't really change around the whole house.

I have a small daycare room that has toys and books. They generally take toys out of that room which is in the basement and bring it upstairs where there is lot of natural light.

K

[littlemissmuffet]

I haven't changed anything since we moved into our current home 3 years ago, ! I take kiddos 12 months through 5 years and I have age appropriate toys for everyone between but I don't have a "baby side" and "big kid side" to my playroom - it's just one large open area with shelving and baskets filled with toys... the kids find the ones that work for them and that's it.

[jessrlee]

Recently it has been weekly ! I am renovating everything so as I buy and redo it gets more organized. Today I put a wire shelf in the kitchen for pantry, and installed hooks for coats and bags . Hopefully soon it won't be very often

[jessrlee]

Recently it has been weekly ! I am renovating everything so as I buy and redo it gets more organized. Today I put a wire shelf in the kitchen for pantry, and installed hooks for coats and bags . Hopefully soon it won't be very often

[nanglgrl]

I used to rearrange once a month but now it's rare that I move anything. My space is exactly what I always pictured and it couldn't work any better for the children. Everything runs smoothly, they never act bored and they is never an out of control mess. All of my little clients are between 16 months and 3 right now so maybe that has something to do with it.