How to organise little ones things!!

[smurfette]

Would love some ideas on how to keep little ones things organised! I am quite new to Childminding and one of my mindees is a baby - so she comes with lots of stuff but she always seems to go home without something! Bottles and stuff is fine as in the fridge, but it's toys, her teething bracelet (which will not stay on!) etc which she is playing with, takes into her cot etc. She always seems to be picked up a bit early (I know lucky me!) so never seem to be able to have packed her up properly!

Do you go around all day after them picking up their stuff to put in their bag, use boxes for each child or what?! Mum seems happy with the care and she and child are lovely but mum is always texting saying she is missing something and I don't want to turn her off!!

[caz3007]

Perrhaps you could suggest mum brings one familiar toy from home and you have things she can play with whilst with you.

I dont encourage the bringing of toys from home, but sometimes one 3 year old does (cos parents wont say no) so they go on my special shelf as soon as I can and then I pop them in a carrier with his coat on the table close to collection time.

If the parent insists on bringing toys from home then perhaps she has to accept that sometimes things get forgotten. Perhaps a policy to all parents is in order laying out how you arent encouraging bringing of toys and that if you notice when you clear up that one is left by mistake then you will pop it on the shelf/in the box by the front door for parent to collect next time

[Toothfairy]

For the baby I look after, I have a box with her name on and inside I keep her nappies, wipes, cream, sun cream, spare clothes, vests, muslin cloths, bibs etc and the box is locked away in my cupboard.

If she brings a toy with her I put it with her coat so I don't forget it at home time and she just plays with my toys.

I also have bottles, dummies and teething ring which are kept at my house and I sterilize them each night.

I just send things home when they get worn out or out grown

This means that the parents only have to remember to bring the baby each day and I only need to remember to send home the baby and the odd toy

[miss mopple]

Mine all have drawers by the front door and any bits go in there during the day to take home at night.

[Chimps Childminding]

I try and put things away in the childs bag(asap) so it doesn't get forgotten. But someone nearly always ends up leaving something behind Not usually a problem unless its a comforter that the child won't go to bed without These I definately try and put away as soon as I can!!

[PixiePetal]

I have plastic lidded boxes on a shelf in the playroom with their names stuck on for nappies, spare set of clothes etc. Use my own wipes,sun cream,nappy sacks so no need to bring those. Try and keep it to minimum for parent to bring then less to lose!

I try to discourage toys and bits and pieces - I have a 4yr old who brings a handbag full of 'tat' every time - nothing precious but drivers me nuts and try and keep it hanging on the coat peg. More often than not I find a stray toy after she has gone - they wait till the following visit to collect.

[lma]

I have 2 of those plastic sets of drawers in the passageway. They're the ones with 6 drawers in each which are all big enough to put letters, toys, etc in. Each child has their own special drawer with their name and photograph on and I teach each child early on that what is in each childs drawer is private and we do not go in other peoples drawers.The reason I have 12 drawers is because I have a few part timers and after schoolers and there's still a couple left for me to keep my bits and bobs (junk) in.

A friend of mine has a looooong row of coat hooks in her passageway and each child has their photo above their hook and anything they need to take home goes in a carrier bag on their peg and this works well for her.
Another minder I know doesnt have room for anything in her passageway as the stairs are facing the front door so she puts all the childres shoes all nice lined up the stairs and puts anything they need to take home in a bag under their shoes or next to them so parents know whatevers on that stair is their childs.

Its just finding a method that works well for you.

[christine e]

I'm just the same. Thinking of doing a checklist for each child and keeping it in their bag or at the front of daily diary.

Cx

[Helen Dempster]

I have drawstring bags hanging on the coat hooks for each child, with their name on, so I can put things in there so it's all together. I'm like the others though, I don't encourage toys etc being brought from home (too many arguments for one...and don't I have enough toys in my house!???) LOL

At the end of the day, do what's best for you, and the amount of room that you've got.

[Lady Haha]

Wow, I'm a bit disappointed that my oh so fantastic ideas aren't just mine!!! I have the named plastic shallow drawers (nine altogether) in the hall way too! I also have pegs for each child AND their shoes go neatly on the stairs (a step for each child!)

At least I'm covered!

[snufflepuff]

I have a plastic ikea box for each child. I used to keep them on top of a little sideboard in my hallway but it broke so now they go on the stairs. It's actually better this way because they are behind a stair gate so the children can't get to them and pull things out (also means I don't have to search their bags first thing to remove things they shouldn't get to like calpol or Mum's slimming pills!! because they can't get to them anyway.)
Obviously I wouldn't keep them there if the children used the stairs, wouldn't want them tripping.

[smurfette]

Hi all

Thank you so much for all your suggestions, I am working on being more organised and putting things in the bag again as soon as possible. Mum had a call from a crèche the other day when she was here and said to them and to me that she was very happy with the care lo gets here phew! It's just I am new to this! Also like the drawers idea have a set by the front door so think I will give that a go! Thanks so much!!

[littlestar]

In my porch at front door i have put up baskets each mindee has there own with name on it and anything they bring or are finished with goes in there mums no if they cant find something it will be in there its handy with changes of clothes each parent brings the weeks spares they go in there and stay there till fri home time. also holds sun cream comforters toys and nappy/wipes/pull ups.

[suzyjane73]

Yes, I discovered this problem last week on my second week of minding. I spent all day going round picking up, dummies, special blankets, special bottles/beakers, special own toy. I nearly had a heart attack because I though I had left the special blankie at playgroup but fortunately found it in the car.

One of the more experienced minders suggested what she does, which is take all their stuff off them when they come through the door and stick it in their bag. They can have it when they go home or need a nap. I tried this starting yesterday and it seems to be working so far even for the boy who usually lives with a dummy in his mouth. He asks for it but is fine when I say "It's gone!"

Thank you for your tips everyone!! It's stuff like this you didn't realise you would need to think about!

[nicoleon]

I keep all the kids' bags in the hall way next to their shoes. Everything goes in the bag when they come in the house and they very rarely want to get to their bag to get something out. Saying that, I did have to bring 'doggy' round to grandma's house the other day oh, and that day when I forgot mindee's coat...