5 Child Care Design and Layout Ideas That Will Inspire You

By Rebecca Calbert

Do you have a heart for serving young children and their families? Is opening a daycare something you want to do? Then proper daycare design has probably been something you’ve been worried about.

There are over 15 million children in the U.S, that need child care. If you want to help provide a caring and educational space for kids, you may be overwhelmed with all the planning.

Opening a new daycare is a thrilling time with a lot of decisions to make. Check out five daycare design and layout ideas that are sure to inspire you.

1) Welcome Area

One of the daycare ideas that you may not think of is a welcome area. You want to be sure that the entrance to your daycare is welcoming. This is the first thing that the children see, so make it both welcoming and practical. Consider adding a short bench for the kids to sit on while they remove and put on their shoes.

The bench could also have storage cubbies for their shoes.

Do you want hooks for coats and hats? Those could easily be added above the bench.

2) Reading Station

A reading station is a great addition to your toddler classroom setup. Have book bins set up with a large rug or bean bags? If you want, you can have floating bookshelves that are at eye level for the kids to eliminate clutter on the floor.

3) Napping Area

Nap time is a given in a daycare, so you will want to make sure you have an area designated for napping. Infants will need to nap in separate places because they typically require more naps than toddlers.

Have an area that is designated for nap times so the children will get into the routine of knowing where their daily nap will take place.

4) Open Areas for Activities

You will want to include open areas for activities in your daycare layout. Think of the needs of the children and accommodate the areas appropriately.

Use rugs and floor mats for these spaces. What colors do you want to have in your daycare? The color scheme you choose is important for the ambiance of the space.

While you are designing these open areas, don’t forget to add cozy places. Consider a cozy corner that a child can “escape” to if he is feeling ill or wants some quiet time away from the other activities. Fill this area with pillows and soft blankets.

5) Low Laying Furniture

It’s important to remember that you need to have your daycare set up to accommodate the little ones. Make sure that the cubbies are low as well as the tables and chairs.

Ready to Create the Perfect Daycare Design for Your Business?

Creating the perfect daycare design can be a lot of fun and a lot of work. A design specialist that has experience with daycare and preschool layout can guide you in the right direction.

Rebecca Calbert

Prior to founding Calbert Design Group, Rebecca designed buildings for well-known clients including AMLI Residential, Bonita Bay Group, Emory University, Georgia Board of Regents, Lincoln Property Company, Medical College of Georgia, Pulte Group, Raving Brands, and more. Rebecca’s career in architecture has spanned education, mixed-use, commercial, retail, multi-family housing, and science lab building types while working at various Award-Winning Architectural firms in the Metro Atlanta area. She now combines 30 years of design and construction experience with her passion for children’s built environments and her dedication to guiding clients through the real estate development process. Blending functional requirements and style aesthetics to complement and support the design needs of children and their families is only the beginning. Rebecca’s approach to child-centric design juggles the many priorities of building owner/operators with building cost, construction feasibility, and child safety.

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