No matter if you are at home or in childcare, a storage area plays an important part. A safe and accessible storage area can be a valuable resource in a childcare environment. It allows you to know where did you place the materials, especially if you have plenty of children who are at a young age.
Besides knowing where you have put the materials, a proper storage area can help your child build a good habit of placing back the things they took and keeping the place tidy. With the help of storage, it also allows you to rotate materials based on the interest and needs of the children.
A storage area allows you to store materials and props under a certain category. You can build the categories into the curriculum appropriately during the year. Another reason is that proper storage helps keep the child safe from dangerous or hazardous material by placing it at a inaccessible height. Here are some tips to help you set up a storage area.
Why Is Child Care Storage Important?
Many pieces of a jigsaw make up a successful classroom in child care. Organizing your childcare storage is one of the pieces that you need to use to complete the jigsaw.
Organizing conjures up an image of strict guidelines and neat classrooms. One key aspect is ensuring that all things have a place. By maintaining classroom management, teachers and children can allow classes to pass smoothly. One of the productive ways to maintain the management of a classroom is effective classroom storage.
Most people will need to be more aware of the classroom layout and design’s impact on the children. But an untidy environment definitely leads to discomfort, distraction, and overall lackluster activity.
A classroom with a proper storage area can be more inviting as the surface is kept clear and everything is stored where it belongs. It can increase efficiency as you won’t waste your time looking for things you don’t remember where you place it. You wouldn’t want to struggle to pull the class together just because you can’t find a whiteboard pen that suddenly disappeared.
A storage area in child care is imperative for presentation and productivity. It can maximize your childcare space, time management, and functionality. That is why you need a storage area in your childcare.
Location For Storage Area Options
Dedicating a location as a storage area can be a bit overwhelming. You may have many things to put aside, materials for the children, dangerous things you need to put higher, and many other things to consider. The most important thing is to store materials closer to where you will need to use them.
Within the classroom: If the material doesn’t need to be displayed in the classroom, you can consider using cabinets, drawers, and closets to store the material. Consider storing extra toys near the play area, especially in a toddler room. It can help you pull out additional toys when children fight over a toy. Storing certain toys out of the children’s sight and rotating toys can prevent children from getting bored. You can label each cabinet or drawer, so you know what is kept in the cupboard or drawer before you open it.
Outdoor storage: If you need a storage outdoor to store outdoor toys, sports equipment, and tricycles, use an outdoor closet or shed. This helps to save your classroom space and keep bugs and dirt outside. Ensure that the shed or closet can be locked to prevent children from getting in without anyone knowing.
Additional storage options: If you can’t find a particular area in your classroom for storage, you can choose an empty room or closet for storage purposes. If the material for a particular classroom is stored outside of the room, ensure that the item is labeled with the classroom number or name, it can help reduce confusion.
Tips For Organizing The Storage Area For Your Child Care
The organization is the main key to making your storage work for your child care. Here are some tips you can follow to keep your storage area organized:
- Choose appropriate storage containers: You can choose cardboard or plastic boxes or containers of the same size. All these can stack up easily, which will only take up a little of your classroom space. If you need to take things out often, find cabinets with multiple drawers, which will be easier to take things out. Find containers large enough to hold the material but easy to transport and lift up. If you are afraid that boxes can’t take the weight when you stack up, place lids in between so they stack easily.
- Create a designated space for each material: Find a place just for storage. It will help you to find things easier and prevent you from buying materials you do not need. If there is new staff coming in, it will also help them to find materials easily.
- Store similar items together: Categorize the material you want to store, such as a storage area for dramatic play, a space for puzzles, and an area for art supplies. It will be easier to find things when you categorize them.
- Label things clearly: Placing labels on shelves, cabinet doors, and storage containers let you know what things are kept inside. It helps you to know where to place it after using it.
Storing Materials In Learning Centers
Setting up learning centers in your child care is a great way to encourage children to learn new things and select materials that interest them. When setting up a learning center, it should be organized for easy use and cleanup.
For example, if you are setting up a book center, you can use a book rack, baskets, or a low shelf to store books. Display the book cover facing toward the children to allow them to see their choices easily. Try to rotate the books in and out of the book center to attract the children.
In an art center, keep materials that are safe for children to use independently accessible to children. Store them in containers and label them at a height the children can reach. Materials that need more supervision should be kept out of the children’s reach until it is time for them to use it.
Here are some tips when you are setting up your child care. Storage plays an important part in childcare. Remember to leave some space for it as you plan the layout.
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