Reworking my space

After numerous, numerous attempts to create the 'perfect' space...I think I am finally there.  It just FEELS good. And usually when I find a design that 'feels' good-I stick with it. 
As was the case in my last daycare house.  I changed and changed and changed..always to return to the one that felt 'right'. Always the same :)
So here is my space on the main floor. Through the big opening (which was french doors at one point but we removed them) is a large kitchen that thankfully has enough space for my 2x4 preschool table and six chairs.  And thankfully we have a dining room for our family to eat in :)
We have two fish, a hermit crab, and are considering a chinchilla.  It's debatable. And I have a dog of course. A maltipoo named Bailey who is six pounds of pure love :)
I moved my main centers to the basement-blocks, housekeeping, art, gross motor room is down there...etc. This is just kind of our 'holding space' at the beginning and end of each day.
I have manipulatives, babies, blocks, doll houses, soft toys, sensory table, puzzles, felt board, and a library with pillows (not pictured but is to the left).  I am not keeping a lot on the main floor.
The meat and potatoes is in the basement. Which is a work in progress.

Blank Slate

We have made our move back to the 'burbs and now it's time to start a new daycare, inside my home.

One very important lesson I have learned is that I will never, EVER, accumulate as many toys as I had, EVER again.  The fallout from the daycare house cleanout: Even after a major weeding out of toys months ago, and most recently numerous trips to the donation center with my station wagon loaded, a very successful garage sale, a major 'curb alert' involving the placement of at least 300 toys for free outside, selling all my large equipment on craigslist, we STILL had to rent a 14' Uhaul truck which we filled to capacity.

Thankfully my husband is wonderful and keeps his judgemental thoughts to himself.  :o)  I easily could have qualified for an episode of 'hoarders'.

So here I am with a blank slate.  I am posting pics of the 'before' as it looks this morning. 

At my entrance I am using the formal dining room.  It's actually a decent size, the one chair in this room (which will be removed) is oversize thus dwarfing the room.  The dimensions are 11x12.

Then there is the downstairs.  The main space is 20x10.  We are having a 3'x4' window installed in the living room so we are up to licensing code.    The room looks tiny in this pic, but to give it scale, each of the five shelves lined up along the wall is almost 3 feet wide.

Here is a view from the other direction. The door to the left is an 11 x 13 bedroom, which has an egress window so it is nice and bright.  The door to the right of that is the bathroom.

I have a lot of work to do but everything is on hold until the construction is complete on the window. 

Can't wait to post photos as I go along!

Erin

Pocket and Flip Chart Stand

I bought a couple of flip charts last year and have not hung them up yet because I didn't have a proper display.  I have seen the pocket chart stands in the early childhood catalogs but they are expensive and just too bulky. 

Last week I received a store fixture catalog from Robert Ham ( www.robertham.com) and found an insipring idea that has worked out super well for only $15.

It is a hook attached to a stem that telescopes from 36"-48" on a chrome base.  The product is intended for hanging clothing items.  However, I have found it works spectacularly well for hanging pocket and flip charts.

I attached the chart to a hanger using s hooks.  Because i have quite a few charts, storage is a breeze, I simply hang them from the rod in my closet and change out as needed.

I hope this idea is helpful!!

Erin

The Birthday Box

A child's birthday is the highlight of the year, so I strive to make it special.

First we have the Birthday Bag.  It consists of a Birthday Bear, two Birthday Books, a Birthday Puzzle, and a Birthday Coloring Page.

The Birthday child gets to bring the bag home for the night. 

I purchased the bag from Vista Print when they were having a special. I think I only paid for the shipping which was about $5.  Then I attached a tag saying what to bring back and what to keep.

Then there is the Birthday Box.  This is where I keep:

Decorations (Dollar Tree, twelve in a bag, four of three designs)

Birthday Crowns (Dollar Tree, birthday border that I measure/staple to fit child's head)

Birthday Cards (Dollar Tree)

Birthday Banner (made using my Cricut)

Birthday Sprays (Dollar Tree balloon weights, set on either side of Birthday Sign)

Birthday Sign (not pictured, it's an 8x11 clear plastic, free-standing picture frame that sets on top of the cubbies in entryway with a Happy Birthday (name) sign for all to see)

Birthday Bow (Dollar Tree, I am cheap so I reuse it for the gifts)

At afternoon snack we gather to sing Happy Birthday, open presents (I try to stay under $15), and have a special snack.

I think this has worked well so far. Plus-because I am hyper anal-simple storage and everything is where I need it when it's time.

Erin

Grocery Store Dramatic Play

Here is our Dramatic Play Center for the next three weeks:

Grocery Store

Pretend food and household items
Cash register
Pretend money
Credit Cards (donated plastic that come in the junk mail)
Reusable grocery bags
Plastic shopping basket
Purses and wallets (these are not pictured, they are on the shelf to the left with our dress up clothes, shoes, and hats)
Child sized aprons

The groceries have been stuffed with newspaper (so they don't collapse) and taped shut. I really like the frozen bag of Broccoli. My daughter saw that I was going to throw out the bag after lunch and suggested we keep it for the grocery store.

Erin

Science Center Magazines

I had this idea published in the Mailbox Magazine a couple years ago so technically it isn't mine anymore but still it's worth sharing....

In our Science Center I like to have at least three science mags to go with whatever activity I have in the area.  I had a subscription to Your Big Back Yard for several years and have kept every copy.  I tear apart the pages and place in three ring binder page protectors, from there they are filed individually.

I have three different binders that I keep out, I simply rotate the magazine contents.  It is a GREAT way to save your magazines from getting destroyed.  Even my little one year olds love to sit and read them but cannot tear the pages apart.

(for my older kids I have subscribed to High Five and also Hidden Pictures)

Hopefully this is useful!
Erin

Bye-bye paper towels!

In MN we have to have single use towels for every handwash. I have always used paper towels, which I cut into four pieces to save money.  We go through paper towels like crazy here.

My mentor and good friend Molly the Daycare Guru, has always used washcloths and suggested I do the same.  I had considered it but I will be honest, I don't like to work any more than I have to and an extra load of laundry each day sounds like work.  Plus, I figure with ten children here and handwashing before/after each meal/snack I would need sixty cloths each day which would be expensive to buy, so I set the idea aside.

Then it came to me: Fleece.  I purchased a little over a yard of fleece and with my rotary cutter and mat (if you sew you most likely have one of these) was able to cut out 127  5"x 5" squares. I put them in a shoe bin by the sink.  It only lasted two days so now I am making more to store in shoe bins on the shelf in the cupboard near the sink.

Pros: Inexpensive, they are small so a week's worth barely takes up half a load in the washing machine, and they dry in less than ten minutes.

Cons: None.  This has saved me a ton of money.  I wish I had tried this much sooner!

I hope this idea helps you save money too!

Erin