Once you've decided to take the leap and open your own daycare business, it's time to start sourcing your essential daycare supplies. Having your daycare well-stocked from day one can not only help you feel prepared when you first open your doors, but it can also help improve the functionality and comfort of your space for both your employees and the children in your care.

Just opening your new daycare business and feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry, we've got you covered. Below, we will go over the basic furniture, equipment, storage, play, learning, and sanitary supplies that you will need to get your business started on the right foot. We will also provide you with some shopping tips to help you find the right daycare supplies for your wants and needs. Plus, download our free Daycare Supplies Checklist below to keep track of everything!

Free Daycare Supplies Checklist

Furniture and Equipment

Choosing the right daycare furniture for your business involves more than just going to the store and choosing the first thing you see. You not only need tables and chairs for the adults, but you also need a whole set of furniture that is child-sized to accommodate all of the children you are taking care of.

It is also important to look into furniture pieces that are built with children in mind in order to keep them safe and prevent any accidental bumps or falls. The basic furniture pieces that you will need for your daycare include cribs and cots, changing tables and pads, children’s tables and chairs, as well as some additional miscellaneous pieces.

Cribs and Cots

Depending on the age bracket of the children you plan to house in your daycare, you will most likely need sleeping accommodations for midday naps. Cribs and cots are safe and affordable furniture pieces that are crucial in taking adequate care of children and keeping them safe.

Another crucial thing to keep in mind when shopping for a crib or cot is to look for ones that meet the strict safety standards for safe sleeping with infants and toddlers. Your main priority should be the safety of the children in your care and ensuring that you follow safe sleeping standards based on the age bracket of the children you plan to care for.

Changing Tables and Pads

Running a daycare means that you will be dealing with a lot of diapers daily. It is important to choose a changing table that is built durable and hygienic to make cleaning as easy for you as possible. Look for changing tables with safety features such as rails and easy-to-clean pads to keep the children safe while they are on the table. A bonus is to find one with storage built into it, that way you can keep your diaper-changing supplies within arm's reach of the table.

Totmate offers a wide selection of changing tables to meet your daycare’s needs, and they are designed with child safety as the first priority.

Children’s Tables and Chairs

Not only will you need tables and chairs for the adults coming through your daycare, but you will also need to find appropriate child-sized furniture. These pieces of furniture not only keep the children in your care comfortable while they play and color, but they can also keep them safe by preventing falls from adult-sized chairs and tables. Look for pieces that are durable and made of materials that are easy to clean such as plastic or wood.

Totmate’s online store has a whole collection of daycare tables and chairs that are designed with children in mind. They are easy to clean and are built to withstand the chaos of a daycare environment.

Additional Daycare Furniture

The list of daycare equipment can quickly begin to feel endless. Some additional pieces of daycare furniture that you will need can include the following:

• High Chairs
• Booster Seats
• Feeding Tables
• Step Stools
• Rocking Chairs
• Playpens
• Strollers
• Outdoor Play Equipment
• Plates, Cups, and Bowls

Daycare Storage Solutions

The list of supplies that you need to successfully start a daycare business seems to be never-ending, and all of these supplies take up a lot of space. Investing in a good storage system for these daycare supplies can help keep your business organized and running smoothly while also keeping the supplies out of the reach of curious little hands. Storage can not only minimize the clutter and keep the children in your daycare safe, but it can also improve the aesthetics of your space.

There is a long catalog of storage methods that you can implement in your daycare to maximize your space. Some daycare storage options can include cubbies and lockers, book and toy storage, and diaper storage.

Cubbies and Lockers

Not only do you need storage options for the daycare supplies that you need regularly, but you also need storage options for the supplies that the children bring from home every day. Cubbies and small lockers are great options that provide storage space for each child. They also allow young children to feel like they are helping when putting their stuff away at the beginning of the day and collecting it before they go home.

Try to look for cubbies that are made of a durable material and are easy for little children to access. Totmate has an online collection of daycare cubbies and lockers that are built to last.

Book and Toy Storage

Running a daycare means that you are inevitably going to have an ever-growing collection of books and toys to entertain the children and encourage active learning opportunities. Keeping these supplies organized and out of the way can not only save you the pain of stepping on a Lego, but it can also make it easier for the children to find the toys they are looking for and clean up after themselves.

Storage options for books and toys can include bins, shelves, and hanging cabinets. Try to find options that are easily accessible and built sturdy. Our online store offers both book and toy storage options that are easy to access for small children and built to last.

Diaper Storage

Diapers just come with the territory of running a successful daycare business, and you will go through a ton of them daily. Finding a way to safely store your stash of diapers can not only keep your changing areas neat and organized, but it can also keep your supplies in an easy-to-reach area even when your hands are full.

Hygienic storage options are also important when dealing with small children and diapers every day. Diaper storage options from our online shop have the option to come pre-built, so you can spend your time preparing for your daycare’s opening day instead of building furniture.

Play and Learning Supplies

Child care services are more than just taking in children and housing them during the 9 to 5 work week while their parents are at their jobs. Children need a fun and engaging environment, not only to keep them occupied but to help improve their cognitive development. Children are little sponges that absorb everything around them, and these early years create the cognitive foundation that they build on once they enter school.

Playing games is more than just playing for young children. Play is how they learn basic fine motor skills and cognitive problem-solving, and your daycare can create a safe learning environment for them to try new things and learn from them. Some play and learning supplies for your daycare can include toys, educational materials, as well as art supplies.

Toys

Children’s toys are meant to be engaging and stimulating so children can learn basic skills through pretend play and imagination. Different toys are appropriate for different age groups, choose ones that will work with the age group you intend to look after in your daycare space.

Be sure to look for toys that are durable, safe, and easy to clean. These types of toys are typically plastic with no small pieces of any kind. Choose toys that will keep the children safe while also allowing them to have fun.

Indoor Toys

• Coloring Supplies Like Crayons And Markers
• Board Games
• Puzzles
• Blocks
• Stuffed Animals and Dolls
• Costumes
• Dollhouses, Tents, and Play Kitchens
• Putty And Playdough

Outdoor Toys

• Helmets
• Sidewalk Chalk
• Balls and Ball Pumps
• Jump Ropes
• Hula Hoops
• Sandbox With Sand Toys
• Outdoor Playsets
• Bikes and Scooters

Books and Educational Materials

While the goal of your daycare is not to be a classroom, having educational materials as an option for the kids can help set your daycare apart from others in your area. They can create organic opportunities for the kids to engage in learning on their own and prepare them for when they enter kindergarten. Having books and workbooks can help to create a diverse and engaging learning and reading environment that will build those reading and writing skills.

Keeping your collection of books organized can help promote independent reading from the children and get them excited about reading. Bookshelves and book display options from Totmate are designed to be engaging for children and get them excited about a book and the idea of reading.

Educational materials can include:

• Math workbooks
• Age-appropriate science experiments
• Educational books
• Toys that can teach shapes, letters, numbers, or colors

Art Supplies

Art supplies such as crayons and colored pencils may not seem like a necessity at first, but they can be beneficial for the success of your daycare. They can not only help to keep the children entertained, but they can also work as an educational opportunity. Art also allows the children to create something tangible that they can take home with them and show their parents.

When shopping for art supplies, be sure to look for ones that are safe for children, non-toxic, and easy to wash out. Crayons and markers will inevitably end up drawing on arms and clothes, so be sure to choose supplies that do not stain and can be easily cleaned up.

Hygiene and Safety Supplies

After going over the fun and exciting daycare supplies like toys and furniture, it is important to point out the importance of hygiene and safety supplies that need to be in stock throughout your daycare. Keeping your daycare clean creates a safe environment for the children in your care, and that should be the primary goal of your daycare business.

Cleaning Supplies

Try to establish a cleaning schedule to keep your daycare spotless and free of germs. Be sure to select cleaning supplies that are safe for small children and non-toxic.

Basic daycare cleaning supplies should include:

• Disinfectant Wipes
• Window Cleaner
• Vacuum
• Dish Soap
• Trash Cans
• Multi-Surface Cleaners
• Sponges and Cleaning Cloths
• Brooms and Mops

Safety Supplies

In addition to cleaning supplies, there are also safety supplies that can come in handy in the event of an emergency. The safety of the children in your care should be your top priority, and this includes being prepared in the event of an emergency.

Some basic safety supplies for your daycare can include:

• First Aid Kits
• Medicine Storage Containers
• Smoke Detectors
• Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Emergency Signs
• Hand Sanitizer
• Disposable Gloves
• Fire Extinguishers
• Electrical Outlet Covers

Essential Daycare Supplies Checklist

Stocking your new daycare business with the necessary supplies and equipment can feel overwhelming, and you may be worried that you could forget something crucial. Use this list as a guide as you continue shopping to make sure everything is in order before the grand opening. Download the free PDF below so you can keep track!

Free Daycare Supplies Checklist

Are you in the middle of shopping for daycare supplies but not finding what you need? Totmate has an entire online collection of daycare furniture that is built with children in mind. With affordable shipping options and pre-built furniture pieces, we take care of some of the hassle that comes with furniture shopping so you can focus on getting your daycare up and on its feet.

Shop Daycare Furniture