Planning your daycare room setup is an exciting moment. Maybe you've selected the furniture, but where does it go? Maximizing your daycare space with an effective floor plan creates a better learning environment for kids while also keeping them safe as they play.

If you are tasked with creating a daycare or childcare space that needs to combine functionality and fun, rest assured that Tot Mate is here to help. In this post, we will go over how to set up your commercial or home daycare space with basic layout ideas and creative furniture options.

Planning Your Daycare Room Layout

Before you start laying out the blueprints, here are a few steps you can do beforehand to maximize the space you have.

Assess the Space

First things first, you need to know how much space you’re working with. Measure the dimensions of your space and try to identify different zones you can set up. Perhaps you can have a changing station in one corner and a small library in another.

Keep in mind the age of the kids in your care. If you plan to work with primarily infants, you’ll need different zones than if you were working with toddlers or older kids.

Follow Licensing Regulations and Safety

To run a licensed daycare, your space needs to follow basic daycare and safety regulations. These regulations include spacing, fire exits, and safety features. The specifics vary depending on where you live, so be sure to research these regulations in your area and make sure your space is up to code.

Childproofing is another great way to keep your daycare space safe. Things like child locks for cabinets and securing down furniture can keep small children safe when they’re in your care.

Create a Flexible Layout

No two days are the same when you run a daycare. You may have different activities for different days, and you need to be able to adapt to the mood of the kids that day.

While having a layout blueprint is great for keeping things organized, this layout should not be rigid. Create a space that is flexible and can adapt to different group sizes and activities as the day goes on.

Ensure a Flow of Movement

A bunch of furniture goes into a childcare space, as well as a long list of daycare supplies. Make sure you create pathways and open spaces throughout your daycare so the kids don’t feel cramped. Easy movement makes the work easier for childcare providers while also keeping children safe as they run around.

In addition, a good flow of movement keeps both workers and children safe in the event of an emergency. Clutter-free pathways and exits keep your kids safe in the event they need to evacuate.

Key Areas in Your Daycare Room Setup

Whether you’re looking for home daycare room ideas or commercial space ideas, a zone system is a great place to start. You know the general areas you need to run a daycare, so start mapping out where you want those spaces to be. From there, you can build out the specific supplies you’ll need such as furniture. These zones can include a check-in area, a play area, a reading area, a craft area, and more!

Welcome/Check-In Area

The first area that parents and children should see when they walk into your daycare is a friendly welcome area. Families should feel comfortable in the space. Make sure you have a designated area where parents can sign in and out their children to make the process as smooth as possible.

Parents need to feel safe leaving their children in your care, and one way you can achieve this is with organization and security. This can include clear signage as well as visible and secure storage areas for personal items.

Activity and Play Area

The next area to map out is a fun play area for the children. Imaginative play is how children learn critical thinking and other important life skills, so it’s important you provide a space that promotes productive play.

Stock your play area with age-appropriate toys for the kids in your care. You can also do a couple of play stations with toys such as fake kitchens so the kids can have structured play.

Learning and Reading Nook

Play is not the only way kids learn. Older children learn from stories and reading age-appropriate books, so see if you can create a small library of books for them to pick from.

Keeping fun books encourages kids to read, and who doesn’t want their kid to read? This area can also double as a quiet corner or a learning corner where you can play specific learning games.

Pro Tip: Furnish this area with comfy chairs and storage options to encourage kids to read and keep their books neat and organized.

Arts and Crafts Zone

Kids love to create things and explore their creativity through arts and crafts. From coloring books to child-safe watercolor paints, create a space that lets kids explore art. Plus, it’s always nice for parents to get cute art projects from their kids when they pick them up.

This area should be set up so it’s organized and easy to clean. Look for furniture and storage options that make art supplies easily accessible while keeping curious hands away from the paints.

Nap and Resting Area

Little kids are full of energy, and it can sometimes feel like they’re bouncing off the walls. However, children need periodic naps to feel rested and help with brain development.

Design a quiet and cozy space where kids can rest if they’re tired or take a nap during nap time. Look for a dim and quiet area where kids can nap peacefully and wake up less crabby. Stock this area with cots, sleeping mats, and other napping supplies you may need.

Eating and Snack Area

Keep tummies full and energy levels high with scheduled snacks and lunches. Contain the mess of snack time with a designated eating area. This helps keep the crumbs and inevitable spills limited to one area, which you can set up to be able to handle the mess. Furnish the space with tables and chairs that are easy to clean, comfortable for the kids, and structurally safe.

Outdoor Space

If you have an outdoor space where children can safely run around—use it! Make sure the space is fenced off to keep the children safely contained, and that there aren’t any tripping hazards such as fallen branches.

If you don’t have an outdoor area for your daycare, you can just bring the outdoors inside. Create a small garden space in your daycare so children can learn about nature and watch plants grow. Greenery throughout your daycare also brightens up the space and makes it feel more lively.

Changing Area

Running a daycare means dealing with a lot of diapers. Set some space aside as a designated diaper-changing station and keep those supplies all in one area. Changing diapers can be a handful for childcare providers, so create an efficient space that is easy to clean.

Look for hygienic changing tables that can be quickly cleaned in between kids. This makes the process smoother for the daycare workers so they can focus on the kids throughout the day. Consider features like stairs and built-in storage when choosing a changing table for your daycare.

Choosing the Right Daycare Furniture and Storage Solutions

We’ve gone over the basic zones for a daycare center, but what do you put in those spaces? When you’re shopping for furniture pieces, there are a few things to keep in mind. Basic daycare furniture pieces should be child-sized, have storage options, and be built for child safety.

Child-Sized Furniture

All of the furniture in your daycare should not be adult-sized tables and chairs. While daycare workers need a place to sit, so do the children. Think about the age group of the kids in your care and look for furniture pieces that are the appropriate size for them.

Tot Mate has a daycare furniture collection that includes child-sized tables and chairs. Our furniture is built with child safety as the top priority, with quality materials designed to last.

Storage Solutions

Maximize your daycare space with storage options from Tot Mate. Our collection includes cabinets, shelves, and even mobile storage carts to create a flexible daycare space. Limited space doesn’t mean limited possibilities—keep your space organized with our efficient storage shelves and cabinets.

Safety Features

While on the lookout for daycare furniture, safety should be your top priority. Daycares can be chaotic, and you want furniture that can withstand the chaos and keep the children safe. Look for furniture pieces that have rounded edges, such as a curved table. Other safety features to look for include sturdy furniture, soft seating, anchored shelving, and locking storage cabinets.

Enhancing Learning and Development With Your Daycare Room Setup

Children are learning and developing new skills every day, and the setup of your daycare can impact how much they learn and grow. You want to create a space that is safe but also promotes fun learning and skill development. You can do this by using educational decor, engaging multiple senses, and stimulating curiosity and creativity.

Incorporate Educational Decor

The decorations in your daycare should balance fun with learning. Cute posters and plants create a colorful and fun environment, and throwing in some educational stuff makes learning fun.

Educational decorations should be appropriate for the learning stage of the children in your care. For example, you could get alphabet posters for children learning their letters.

Other educational decorations include posters with shapes, colors, and numbers.

Engage Multiple Senses

Children are sponges that absorb everything around them. They can retain information better when multiple senses are involved, such as feel and sound. Fulfilling these sensory-seeking behaviors improves brain development and helps children learn basic fine motor skills.

Sensory items you could incorporate into your daycare include textured mats, toys that play music, and dim lighting options such as lamps.

Stimulate Curiosity and Creativity

Little kids are new to the world and want to explore everything they can get their hands on. Encourage that curiosity and desire to learn with fun activities that give them the freedom to explore. These can include science experiments, educational books, and nature projects such as a group garden.

Arts and crafts are also a great way to encourage creativity and imagination. Age-appropriate crafts build fine motor skills and let children safely learn to express themselves.

Daycare Room Setup FAQs

What’s the best way to organize toys in a daycare room?

Toys take up a lot of space and create clutter in a daycare room. One way to keep these toys organized is with a bin system. Children can put their toys in the bin when they’re done, and the toys stay off the floor.

How to maximize space in a small daycare room?

If you’re working with limited daycare space, storage and multi-purpose furniture pieces will be your best friends. Look for storage options that are tall or wall-mounted to maximize space. Also, shop for multi-purpose furniture pieces, such as a cubby bench that offers both storage and seating.

How to make your daycare room unique?

Find a fun and colorful style for your daycare that matches you as a business owner. There is no other you out there, and that’s what will make your daycare stand out. Choose furniture pieces that create a unique and cohesive style while also keeping the children safe.