Should I have a playroom

[Minstrel]

Just trying to plan ahead....
I have a living room and a separate dining room at the mo. Both rooms are big enough but not massive. i'm not sure whether to get rid of the large dining table and turn into a dedicated playroom? i could get a fold out table for use at mealtimes or would it be better to keep them as they are and let the children and toys (and mess!! ) go where they please?

Does everyone have playrooms? what would ofsted prefer?

Thanks for your opinions...

Love Amanda x

[Ripeberry]

Hi Minstrel, i've got the same query as well!
I have a living room that opens up into a dinning room with a big round table that takes up half the room!
I had a word with my ICP teacher and she said that as long as the table takes up ALL the space in the room then there is no problem.
She also said to remember that you house is still your HOME so you don't need to make big changes to it, just make sure it is clean and safe.
I'm lucky to have an extension on the house, but it won't be usable all year round as it is single glazed and gets cold in winter (no heating).
We may have to try and get a heater fitted somehow and attach it to the wall.
Also need to sort out a water leak, just hope OFSTED don't do a pre-reg inspection when it's pouring with rain!

[Ripeberry]

Doh! meant to say "As long as the table does NOT take up all the space"

[Mollymop]

I haven't got a playroom, but I wish I had!!

I don't think ofsted want you to have a playroom or prefer you to have one, after all we are not nurseries.

I would love to have a playroom though!

[katickles]

I don't have a playroom as such but do try & keep the bulk of everything in my conservatory.

This does also join onto my kitchen though but there is a main area round the corner (very hard to discribe!!), that i use.

I have my lounge & Dining room but wanted to keep my dining room for us, my adults room so when we have friends for dinner i don't feel like i'm sat at work.

I would love a playroom but we just haven't got that extra room

[Minstrel]

Thanks for all your quick replys!
We don't even use our table at the mo- naughty and just eat off our laps! but i know i will with mindees and older ones homework. I'd also like to put all the toys away in one place and not sit in the chaos of an evening. BUT as has already been said- i dont want my house to look like the inside of a nursery!

[ajs]

when we moved in we turned the dining room to a playroom for my kids they've since moved out the room and the mindees have moved in, it's great as i can keep all the toys in one room all of the posters can stay up

[littlesprogs]

I have a playroom that is attached to my kitchen. This means that the mindees have no reason to go into my lounge which i like because it can stay as a family room! However i do let mindees sleep on my sofa but i dont allow toys to be taken into the lounge at all. All the toys must stay in the playroom this makes it easier to tidy at the end of the day and means ican escape to my lounge at the end of the day.

[Minstrel]

i think thats seeming like a good idea. close the door and contain the mess! Plus it leads off my kitchen so would be able to see them whilst preparing lunch or clearing up etc. Now have to broach the subject with OH.....

[Twinkles]

We turned our dining room into a playroom. We eat in the kitchen usually and it's only at Christmas that we clear out the playroom and use it to eat in.
I really appreciate having a room that I can put all the childrens artwork etc. Sometimes after a busy day I just shut the door on the mess. The children only go into the lounge to watch tv and then it's only the older ones.
You could cope without a playroom but it makes life easier to have one.

[Minstrel]

Also... (sorry another Q!) i have bare floorboards. is this ok? they are sanded and varnished etc but i read somewhere on here( sorry cant remember where) that someone got told off for having no carpet- risk of splinters? i have two LO and never got a splinter! do i have to cover them up? hope not they are my pride and joy- took us days to do..

[Twinkles]

Risk assess the floorboards. They are checked for possible splinters , they are regularly maintained , the children wear slippers etc . As long as they can see you've looked at and minimised the risks i don't think there will be a problem.

[charleyfarley]

We turned our dining room into a playroom just after xmas, best thing I did.

Luckily for me we do have a storeroom which was origionally the toyroom so now the table and some of the chairs are stored in there. The other chairs are in the attic bedroom.

We only ever used the table at xmas as we also eat off our laps so we will swap it over for then. I sit children at the coffee table for their meals though.

I get to put everything to do with minding in there and without the rest of the house looking like a nursery.

Carol xx

[Chimps Childminding]

I also use my dining room as a playroom (although I would love a proper playroom) That way everything doesn't have to be put away every evening just the toys tidied (posters, paintings etc. stay on the walls until the end of the week when the children take them home). Having said that it is still looking more and more like a nursery!

[miffy]

I don't think it matters to Ofsted whether you have a playroom or not.

I'd love one though - oh to be able to shut the door on the mess each night!

Miffy xx

[sarah707]

I added a conservatory last year ... wonderful inventions!

But no, Ofsted don't give a hoot ... so long as you prove you are meeting the needs of the children

[Noodles]

we had our garage converted into a dedicated playroom and its the best thing we have ever done. All the toys are in there which means when my own older kids and dh come in on an afternoon and i still have mindees the rest of the house is free from mess

[tulip0803]

I don't have a playroom. I have also got seperate dining and living rooms. I plan to use both at different times but mainly the dining room. I was a minder before and had a lounge/diner (again no playroom). As long as you can show that there is space for the children to play it's fine. Pushing all furniture against walls makes more useable floor space.

If you don't need a dining room you could make it a dedicated play room. I would love to do this but DH is attatched to the dining room!

I have floorboards in my living room and as long as you say you regularly inspect and check for splinters it should be fine and if you have a rug make sure you have non-slip stuff on the back of it.

[Minstrel]

thanks evryone for all the advice.think i'm gonna go for a separate playroom. if it doesn't work out i can always change it back into a dining room.

thank guys xx
amanda

[Pauline]

Ofsted won't expect you to have a playroom so it's up to you.

Our inspector said that we had the best of both worlds, a playroom for the children to display their work and do their own thing and a nice 'homely' lounge where they could feel at home and chill out.