What do you do?

[child_friendly]

I was wondering where everyone puts their activity/ craft things, toys, books, anything the children use and play with? I have limited storage and space and am trying to think where i am going to put things.

Also i am thinking of giving the children their own shoe rack space, coat peg and someone to put their things, but i don't have anywhere to put their things etc. Anyone else have this problem? Is there anyway around it?

What do you do with regards to storage, space, equipment, toys etc?

Any advice will be greatly received. Thanx in advance.

[Natternic]

i dont have a playroom so wish i did, so i use large wooden toy boxes from ikea which at the end of the day i can close the lid and we use it as a side table converting my lounge back to MY lounge. I also rotate the toys, I store most in my sons large built in wardrobe and there are still toys to come out of the loft yet. maybe you could rotate toys using loft space?

As for coats and belongings they have their own coat rack which has there name tags on (which can be changed for different children every day. YOu say you dont have anywhere for their belongings, but where do you put your coats and shoes? hth

[Zumba-mum]

I am lucky to have a play room but having said that with our big table in there it doesn't leave much space. I bought some unit from Ikea with have box size holes and like the other post said toy's in the kids room and rotate them. Another was round is if you have a shed in your garden or a garage to store them in then you could take pictures and put it in a book or album then children can chose what they would like to play with. HTH

[kellib]

I'm lucky in that I have a massive storage cupboard in my hall. It was just filled with crap before but during the Christmas holidays I cleared it all out and filled it with everything I use for childminding, toys, highchairs, boxes of nappies/wipes, single buggy, double buggy, travel cot etc.

I take a selection of toys out on a Monday and put them away again on a Friday night so at the weekend the house is back to being mine! The kids know where the toys are stored so if they want a particular one that isn't out they just need to ask.

[child_friendly]

Am living in a newly built house which is rented so am not allowed to use the loft and am not allowed to have a shed etc. Yea can rotate toys around i guess. We do have coat pegs but would'nt be at child height but will use those instead and do have a very small area for shoes. Im sure i'll get use to it and will change things as i go along.

[kellib]

Am living in a newly built house which is rented so am not allowed to use the loft and am not allowed to have a shed etc. Yea can rotate toys around i guess. We do have coat pegs but would'nt be at child height but will use those instead and do have a very small area for shoes. Im sure i'll get use to it and will change things as i go along.

I think that's the main thing, when I first started in September I had ALL the toys out in my living room which was great for the kids and it actually helped me get business as the Mum loved how accessible the toys were etc but I found I just couldn't live with it, it's bad enough with my son's toys out never mind baby stuff too!!

That's when I got my bum in gear and sorted my cupboards out.

[Sharon01]

I intent to work with my mother-in-law who is already a registered childminder. I find she hangs the coats over the double put chair she keeps or on a hook behind the door. As for the toy box we have a box from argos it is the £30 one and comes in a few colours, its spacious but is low to the ground so acts as a great seat for the children too, also it has no sharp edges so it safe- heres a link to the one we have- http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9313107/Trail/searchtext%3EOTTOMAN.htm