Infant Room Decorating Ideas For Daycare

What Are The Priorities Of Daycare Floor Plan Designs

The safety and cleanliness of your child care centre should be at the top of your priority list when it comes to the daycare floor plan design process.

Ways to create a safe and clean environment include:

• Creating appropriate fencing doors or barriers to ensure no strangers can get into the premise.
• Building an open-plan floor design that allows carers to be able to see ALL children at all times.
• Using age-appropriate equipment
• Putting away items in an organised manner, e.g. having a located lockers for bags and jackets.
• Make sure rooms are kept tidy and toys are put away to eliminate trip hazards.
• Baby proofing cupboards that contain cleaning products or other harmful items
• Rooms should be well light at all times
• Proper air conditioners and ventilation should be installed.

There will always be more measures you can take to create a safe and clean environment for your children. However, the main idea we want to communicate is that your childcare floor plan and room design should make it easier to put these safety and hygienic measures in place.

A good daycare floor plan design will go a long way towards enhancing the experience of the children. Creating such a design is, indeed, an easy thing to do, so long as you take the needs of the children into consideration.

You have to ensure that every daycare floor plan design feature is well thought out. If you ever feel stuck, dont hesitate to hire experts, as they are experienced in creating the best daycare floor plan designs.

Designing Spaces For Infants And Toddlers That Support Positive Relationships

Thoughtfully designing child care settings means setting up an environment that promotes respectful and responsive relationships, which are so important to infants and toddlers growth and development. You can design settings to support relationship-building between children and caregivers, families and children, caregivers and families, caregivers and their colleagues, and children and their peers.

The following are several ways you can make sure that the environment promotes relationship development. As you look at this list, consider the following questions: What are you already doing and how is it working? What ideas would improve your environment and provide more support for relationship development? What ideas do you have that are not listed that you might share with other child care providers?

First Steps Essentials To Consider In A Baby/toddler Environment

Environments can affect the behaviour of both the child and the educator so it is important to put a little time in at the beginning of each month or week to assess current developmental needs, stages, verbal and non verbal cues,new children, relationships and space then make changes as needed. This will make things a whole lot easier as you progress and also provide opportunities for ongoing reflection and planning.

Before you convince yourself this is all going to be to difficult though let’s take a quick look at some of the absolute essentials I believe you should consider and reflect upon when thinking about setting up spaces for this age group.

• Are you approaching the space with the possibility of it becoming the third teacher’ rather than just a place to change nappies, feed and sleep?

• Take a close look at the current furniture being used is it safe and hygienic as well as welcoming?
• Is there plenty of open space for baby to roll around, pull to stand, cruise or practice first steps? Think about ages and stages currently occupying this space whether in a family day care or centre environment.

Shared by Amy Crombie Capalaba Kids Early Learning Centre

• Is there the security of familiar and regular educators, furnishings and also simple activities that support and encourage confidence, trust and a willingness to explore and learn?

The Woodland Child

Shared by Janelle Duncan Curious By Nature Family Day Care

Read Also: Indian Wedding Decoration Items Online

What Free Daycare Floor Plan Creators Can I Use

There are a handful of free online tools you can use to help you create a floor plan for your childcare center:

• Community Playthings provides three-dimensional views of sample classrooms to help you better visualize your space.
• Lakeshore Learning sells specialized products and furniture for early education centers and offers free design, delivery, and installation with orders of $10,000 or more.
• Kaplan Early Learning Company offers a free interactive tool that allows you to build a classroom from scratch or start with a sample classroom.

Please note that these tools might work best for in-home or smaller daycare programs. If you need to create building plans for larger facilities, you should consider hiring a draftsman or an architect.

How Do I Start Planning The Interior Design Of My Daycare Center

The first step to designing the rooms in your childcare center is to carefully consider the children you serve and what their needs are based on their age. The decor and furnishings that you use should be functional, developmentally appropriate, and able to facilitate a wide range of activities and learning.

Here are a few of the most common elements needed for daycare centers, broken down by age group.

Also Check: Eco Prim Grip Floor And Decor

Creating Spaces For Infants And Toddlers That Support Their Development

• Allow for safe freedom of movement.Movement supports childrens growth by allowing them to practice physical skills, develop thinking skills, and practice independence . As you prepare a safe environment that allows infants and toddlers to move around freely, you help them fully explore the space and do what comes naturally to them, including crawling, scooting, running, climbing, jumping, and walking. As you reflect on creating a space that allows for this safe freedom of movement, consider the following:
• Make sure floors are clean and not slippery and offer a safe place for infants and toddlers to land if they fall.
• Find safe spaces for infants and toddlers to explore movement at all levels of development and avoid placing them in restrictive devices, such as swings, bouncy seats, or high chairs. These devices restrict natural movement, preventing children from using their muscles to roll, scoot, and pull themselves up.
• Arrange furniture so that there are clear pathways for children to easily make their way through the room.
• Use low shelves, dividers, and other furniture that allow you to easily see over them and monitor children in all areas of the room at all times.
• Create safe opportunities for different kinds of movement by providing furniture and equipment that allow infants and toddlers to crawl through, climb on, jump off, and pull up. For toddlers, provide opportunities for vertical movements, such as slopes, stairs, or small ladders.

Designing Spaces For Infants And Toddlers That Are Responsive To Their Individual Needs

It is important to respond to individual infants and toddlers by adjusting the environment to each childs unique preferences, interests, and needs. Consider these examples:

Manuel has just started to crawl and is happy to be moving around the room. He enthusiastically explores every inch of the classroom throughout the day. His teacher, Ms. Kara, notices that he is starting to reach up to grab the toy shelves as though he might want to pull himself up to a standing position. Looking around the room, she realizes that there arent many things for Manuel to grab onto and pull himself up. She decides to take some sturdy bins, which have been previously used for book storage, flip them upside down, and move them to various places around the room. Now Manual has several places where he can happily pull himself to a standing position and see the room from this exciting new point of view.

As you reflect on these examples, consider your infant and toddler setting. Think about the following:

• How do you adapt your environment when infants and toddlers interests and developmental needs change?
• How do you adapt your environment to support how infants and toddlers in your care like to go to sleep?
• How do you adapt your environment to support individual sleep schedules?
• How do you partner with parents to consider ways to adapt the environment to meet the needs of infants and toddlers?

Also Check: Decorative Cutting Board Wall Mount

Creating Spaces For Infants And Toddlers That Ensure Safety And Promote Health

One of the most important considerations when designing any space for infants and toddlers is to ensure young childrens health and safety. Safe settings ensure that infants and toddlers can explore freely, which in turn supports their developing sense of self. It also supports you as a caregiver. Instead of spending most of your time monitoring infants and toddlers to keep them safe, you have more opportunities to interact with and respond to them. A healthy environment decreases the possibility of contracting and spreading illness and enhances infants and toddlers overall well-being .

Keeping your environment safe and healthy for infants and toddlers involves many details. Using a checklist to do regular health and safety assessments can help you keep track of these details. This Health and Safety Screener from the Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was developed for Head Start programs. However, it can be used in any early childhood program. In center-based child care programs, you can discuss what you learn from checklists with your program director as you work together to consider changes to the environment. If you are an assistant in a family child care home, you can discuss your reflections with the main provider as you work together to ensure that the environment promotes health and safety.

Day Care Infant Room Safety Rules

Making space for babies is about more than developing infant room decorating ideas for day cares. Each state sets guidelines and regulations for infant rooms and other parts of your business. When it comes to safety, many of them are common sense. In California, for example, your day care must meet several standards to pass its pre-opening inspection:

• Fireplaces, stoves and heaters are screened off for safety.
• All knives and sharp utensils are inaccessible.
• Medications, shampoo and other toxic items are inaccessible.
• You don’t leave small, swallowable items lying around.
• Your property can pass a fire inspection.
• Stairs must be barricaded from crawling or toddling children.

North Carolina Child Care recommends that you keep the area free of plastic bags that could wind up over an infant’s face. Toxic plants are banned from any child care area. You must also check the area daily for broken toys or debris that might injure an infant. Electrical outlets must be covered with safety plugs. Furniture, cribs and everything else should be free of lead paint, splinters and sharp edges.

Don’t Miss: Country Dining Room Wall Decor

Toddler Room Ideas That Will Make You Wish You Were A Kid

Written by Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Feb 8, 2019

Your baby is growing into an energetic and playful toddler and its time to update their bedroom to suit their needs. When designing a room for a toddler, its important to create a space that will inspire creativity and encourage your kids curiosity. Your kid isnt a baby anymore, but not quite a big kid either. So, youll want to consider safety, functionality and how well the room will grow with your child.

Choosing The Right Furniture

• Health & SafetyFor the safety of your center, all furniture should be sturdy and unable to topple, with rounded corners and cabinets anchored to the wall. Storage for child use should be deep and open-faced, since doors could trap fingers or swing into others. Teacher furniture, on the other hand, needs to allow staff to lock potentially hazardous items out of sight and out of reach.
• Color and AestheticsFurniture made from natural materials like wood is more hygienic and durable, and contributes a homelike atmosphere to your center. Attractive, friendly colors add visual appeal, but keep in mind that themes with bright primary colors might be a bit too jarring for quiet activity zones.
• Quality and DurabilityFlimsy furniture is a safety hazard and will need to be frequently replaced, costing more money in the long run. Work with vendors selling high-quality furniture made from non-toxic materials, who provide warranties and replacement parts. Furniture should always be clean and in good condition.
• Size & ErgonomicsFurniture should be fitted to childrens size and reach to allow easy tidying and prevent climbing and digging.

Don’t Miss: The Colony Floor And Decor

Action Steps To Help You Design Playful Learning Spaces For Baby And Toddler

When thinking about creating new spaces for babies and toddlers or reinvigorating current learning areas reflecting upon the following considerations will help you to identify where you might need to start and the materials and resources you need to make it happen. Remember that the process is ongoing so you can take small steps towards a big change there is no need to let it overwhelm you.

• Take regular observations of children currently in care to gain a through understanding of their likes, dislikes, individual needs, strengths, developmental requirements and family culture.

• Get down on the floor regularly to view the learning environment from the perspective of a baby and toddler because you might be surprised at what you discover. Often we create a space that we feel is meeting needs and yet when we put ourselves in the children’s shoes it’s a different story!

The Woodland Child

• If you work with other team members discuss wellbeing requirements, needs and wishlists.
• Think about storage and how to incorporate different textures, smells, home comforts, nature and soft furnishings alongside hygiene requirements and essential nurturing spaces.

• Consider lighting and explore alternatives to harsh bright lights that can overstimulate. Perhaps incorporate lamps, downlights, lampshades or material draped to soften where possible.

1. Shared by Sarah Hart

2. Shared by Poppy Kerakas

3. Shared by Poppy Kerakas

4. Shared by Rochelle Hesketh

1. Shared by Sarah Hart

A Burst Of Color Inspiring Childcare Spaces

Heres a space featured on HGTV. I love the burst of color throughout. There is great storage in the unit with the use of bins to corral everything. The soft tiles make the space safe for even a very young child to crawl and tumble on. Finally, the tissue pom-poms hanging from the ceiling give the room a fun festive feeling. Bonus: Those are so easy and inexpensive to make.

Read Also: App For Home Decor Design

Open Areas For Activities

You will want to include open areas for activities in your daycare layout. Think of the needs of the children and accommodate the areas appropriately.

Use rugs and floor mats for these spaces. What colors do you want to have in your daycare? The color scheme you choose is important for the ambiance of the space.

While you are designing these open areas, dont forget to add cozy places. Consider a cozy corner that a child can escape to if he is feeling ill or wants some quiet time away from the other activities. Fill this area with pillows and soft blankets.

Creative Baby Room Themes

Written by Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Mar 11, 2022

When a newborn is on the way, there is no need to add extra stress. However, sorting through baby room ideas, colors, or artwork for your babys nursery can be time-consuming. You need to make sure your child is comfortable and safe, but you also want to provide a visually stimulating environment that will help nurture their development.

Don’t Miss: Installation Made Easy Floor And Decor

Daycare Room Setup Ideas

There could be hundreds of variations that would work great and inspire daycare in the space you have. You just have to be creative in how you set it up. People are always asking me to see my daycare spaces, so I thought I would do a blog post about it and share mine.

I also asked a bunch of home daycare provider friends to share links to pictures of their spaces that inspire daycare so you can check them out as well. There are a ton of great ideas in here!

When I first started daycare in my home 25 years ago, I thought I needed every cool toy and gadget. I spent all my time and money trying to get the best toys and everything else. Over time I have realized, less is more.

I have a super tiny house and storing a ton of extra stuff is not feasible in here. When I put out a ton of toys for the kids, they actually just throw them all around and act up. When I just keep out a few things, they are creative and get along well.

Its important to present them with new things, so I packed all of my toys that were in sets into big plastic totes and put them up on these shelves. Every week, whoever is chosen as the star of the day on Monday gets to choose the special toy for the week. I set the tote out and the kids can use it each day to inspire daycare play. Then on Friday, we put it up and the next Monday a different star chooses a different special toy. It works really well for us.