Guest Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 Ladies I need a little help if you dont mind and it got me thinking. I have worked with children for the last ten years but in a nursery, I then took two years off when my son was born and now I have started childminding. I have found getting my living room to look like a home as well as a setting very hard. We rent our property and we do not have a large amount of room. At the moment I have three small units which are slowly filling with toys but need to make the area more welcoming to the children. Any tips?
Guest Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 Colourful rugs and cushions that can be put away when the children go home? or one of those foamy jigsaw mat whatsits with the alphabet or numbers on it?
Upsy Daisy Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 Perhaps you should have a look at the Communication Friendly Spaces approach. http://www.elizabethjarmantraining.co.uk/i...=2&Itemid=6 The muted colours, cushions and rugs may be a bit easier to incorporate into your living space and there's good theory behind it too.
Guest Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 Just remember this is YOUR HOME. Parents will have chosen you because you have a home environment. Ladies I need a little help if you dont mind and it got me thinking. I have worked with children for the last ten years but in a nursery, I then took two years off when my son was born and now I have started childminding. I have found getting my living room to look like a home as well as a setting very hard. We rent our property and we do not have a large amount of room. At the moment I have three small units which are slowly filling with toys but need to make the area more welcoming to the children. Any tips?
HoneyPancakes Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 Feel your pain Daisy but why do you think parents would want more for their children than you offer your own? You've made a happy place for your child, if you have an objective look around you'll probably see that other children will be happy and welcome there too. You are the best 'toy' they're going to have. I am a messy puppy and have struggled to find balance between 'too much' and 'not enough'. Planning is the key to everything. When children have too much choice they often don't play effectively with anything. If given the choice of two things that your observations have suggested will interest them, and are developmentally appropriate, then there's a fair bet they'll be happy and engaged. That's why - if I was starting out again - I'd be using the toy library. One of the best (and tidiest) Childminders I know (Outstanding says Mrs O (and me)) works on this principle and her setting is lovely. I have a nice soft rug, and a big pile of cushions for the 'cosy' area but if I were starting out again I'd have a little sofa and floor rug (like a home really!!). The cushions somehow don't give enough spatial definition so the more boisterous ones jump into a pile of cushions and hit the wall (with their head as often as not!). A little pop up tent can be folded away easily (when you know how!), as can the airing rail with a sheet over it!!! I've seen your posts, and you are really creative and resourceful. I'm sure you have a lovely setting. Honey
Guest Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 See this is why I love this site and all of you. After a morning of painting, sticking and chasing the arguing toddlers around, I have sat down to ready your messages and they have totally given me the up lift I need. Honey I will give the children's centre a call to find out about the toy library (i think our is on the first tuesday of the week so I have missed this months). I have some money spare so I'm going on the search for a little sofa but right now I'm going to do some light reading thanks to upsy daisy. Thank you again ladies for your kind words and advice! Adele
Guest Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 We've recently bought sofa and chairs from Morleys furniture. Children and adults are loving them.
Guest Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 We've recently bought sofa and chairs from Morleys furniture. Children and adults are loving them. [/quote They look lovely! I only have £40 to spend though:-(
Upsy Daisy Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 What is it that you think the room needs to make it more child-friendly? Would you like to upload a photo?
Upsy Daisy Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 So you have a good unit for children to select resources from independently. There's a nice clean space to use them without too many distractions. You could stretch some light fabric across to make a den if the children enjoy that. I might consider adding a couple of cushions or small beanbags for children to relax on and I don't know if that's a storage heater but, if so, you may need to think about covering it. Apart from that I think it's far more about laying out you resources in attractive ways to encourage the children to interact with them.
Guest Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 Thank you Yeap It is a storage heater I have a cover in the garage so I must dig that out now its getting colder. x
Upsy Daisy Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 I think you've got it all covered and will have a lovely home-based setting to welcome children into. Remember that you are the most important resource.
HoneyPancakes Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 I'd be looking at some little tables. Car boot sales for them. Ofsted are going to be looking for mark-making areas and a table with changing resources. I would leave the chairs at the sale though. Train sets and cars can go around table legs but the chairs just get in the road. Many children aren't ready to sit up for long anyway. The other thing about tables is that small-world play and games can be contained. Somebody can be working on the floor and somebody on the table. My own boys are 'floor workers' and it DRIVES ME NUTS'. I leave the Christmas lights up all year round - Fills that big space with something fun. Doesn't make sense in the Summer, but they're starting to ask when the lights will be on again - looking forward to the clocks going back. And....get out of the house if they're fighting. Give them something different to think about. Happy setting up. Honey
Guest Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 They have nice little tables at ikea for £5. I bought one for my classroom a few weeks ago and it's come in really handy
finleysmaid Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 if you are looking for a way to keep small items together you might like to consider making some floor bags....all you need is a circular piece of material (fairly heavy duty) make some holes around the edge and run a piece of cord around it (running stitch style) the children play on the circle with their toys and when you are finished you pull the two ends of the cord to create a bag with all the little bits inside!
Guest Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 spooky my dad picked me a ikea table and chairs up today lol. I have also ordered a childrens bean bag lounger on ebay today so Im looking forward to that arriving, I just need to get a few cheap cushions to go with it. xxx
waveawand Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 Hiya dizzydaisy, Just been reading your thread and thought of a few things really hope they give you something to think on - , 1st could you put up some shelves /noticeboard type thing for their artwork ? 2nd Are the floor units stackable to free some space for a dressing up basket or story corner box/ play kitchen? Just off the top of my head and Im presuming its heat resistant , the cover for the radiator could it include some sort of wipeboard/mark making tool, you know those magnetised things they can chalk or draw on ? Or even make a touchy feely type thing to hang up..... hopefully it has given you some thoughts
Guest Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 if you are looking for a way to keep small items together you might like to consider making some floor bags....all you need is a circular piece of material (fairly heavy duty) make some holes around the edge and run a piece of cord around it (running stitch style) the children play on the circle with their toys and when you are finished you pull the two ends of the cord to create a bag with all the little bits inside! I am absolutely no good at things like this, is there somewhere you can buy stuff like this?
Guest Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 Hiya dizzydaisy, Just been reading your thread and thought of a few things really hope they give you something to think on - , 1st could you put up some shelves /noticeboard type thing for their artwork ? 2nd Are the floor units stackable to free some space for a dressing up basket or story corner box/ play kitchen? Just off the top of my head and Im presuming its heat resistant , the cover for the radiator could it include some sort of wipeboard/mark making tool, you know those magnetised things they can chalk or draw on ? Or even make a touchy feely type thing to hang up..... hopefully it has given you some thoughts I think once I get the heat guard up I could put something on the front. The units do stack up so thats a good idea to free up some more space. We aren't allowed to put up shelves but I was thinking maybe of getting some pin boards which I could take down if I wanted to. I also have some wood which I have put on the back of the sofa. Now reading your posts I am thinking of putting different knobs on it to hang things from. I was also think of buying a huge canvas the children could decorate together to hang on the wall. Yesterday we were busy making a colour hanging display to put up this week too . eeek child care is soooo exciting. I'm so glad to be back into it. xx
waveawand Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 only just getting used to your avatar by the way !!! Glad the thoughts prompted a few ideas !
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