how is your home set up for minding

[Elkie Mawdsley]

Hello everyone. I'm in the process of registering at the moment, and was wondering how child minding will work in my home.

We do not have a seperate playroom, so mostly the lo's will be in the lounge diner. The room is quite long, and has 4 sofas in a u shape dividing the lounge side from the dining area where the table is.

I'll be moving one of the sofas to the side of the room when I have los so there will be plenty of space.

Just wondering on what to do about all the things I will need to display, such as multiculteral etc?
How are you all set up?

[Karen1]

Hi

I don't have as much space as you, but have an old dresser and use this for displaying certificates, and notice board. Also use this to put register on each day. Basket of wipes, tissues etc. inside are all the art craft stuff. Bookshelf has all books on it including multicultural books, another cupboard has multicultural puzzles and games for all. I don't have separate sections for that, it all gets lumped in with the other stuff, so children don't see it as any different.
The notice board, I just ensure caters for all. I don't have posters up as it is my home. Everyone does it differently though. Good luck.

[hectors house]

Will all your toys, resources, arts & craft boxes be in your lounge all the time?, some people who have limited space indoors store some of their boxes in another room eg: under the bed or in a box with a lid in the shed or garage, so they can rotate the toys from time to time according to the children's interests or ages.

You can display your certificates, (Ofsted, insurance & Ofsted parents poster) on a notice board in your hall (if you have one) or on a hook in the lounge so you can take it down at weekends.

You don't have to have multi cultural posters etc on the walls, you can have toys, dolls, cooking equipment & play food, books that show different ways of life.

Don't be too tempted to move all your furniture to the sides of the room - I have recently turned a coffee table round by 90 degrees so it isn't against the wall, this has made a cosy book corner beside the sofa and the children love having a space just for them (although sometimes they do let me in to read them a story).

[Glitter]

I try to make sure most of my child minding stuff goes away at the end of the day (or at least is out of sight) as I don't want to feel like I live in a nursery.

My notice board, pushchairs and car seats are in the porch which I only use for mindees to come in, everyone else uses the back door.

I have a large cupboard for all my minding resources, and a rule that if it won't fit in the cupboard I can not buy it. I keep a basket with books in next to the sofa and toy boxes in the corner of the room. If children want a different toy out of the cupboard they can have a look through my photos of my toys to show me what they want.

I don't have any posters or permanent displays on the walls. I have a large piece of cardboard covered in wrapping paper and I stick displays on this. It then fits behind the toy cupboard in the evenings out of site. As Karen1 said all my multicultural resources are mixed in with everything else.

[auntie lisa]

I have a big window in my dinning room area I use as a notice/display board. All toys are in toy box's or toy units and labeled peopled animals etc but also put shelving in my under stairs cupboard and store my craft bits and things they sometimes play with under there. I have multicultural day and month display too.

[Elkie Mawdsley]

Thank you for the replies, all are very helpful. I think I will be keeping some storage boxes in garage and rotate them a bit as dont really have space inside.

I've got double doors on the dining area side, great idea to use this as a display area

I plan on having a unit in the hallway with some books and toys on as well as the toy box in the lounge - gives a bit more indoor storage space.