Essential Daycare Equipment
Are you looking for a home-based business that will survive an uncertain economy? If you like children and have experience raising them, a home-based daycare business might be just what you're looking for. With a minimal investment in some basic daycare equipment, your business can be up and running in just a few days.
Basic Daycare Equipment
The kind of daycare equipment you need depends on the age of the children who will be in your care. If you care for children of different ages, you will need a greater variety of daycare equipment than if you care only for infants, toddlers, or school-age kids.
Daycare Equipment for Infants
Infants need a padded sleeping compartment with walls - like a crib. Instead of using traditional cribs, which require a lot of space and are difficult to set up and move from room to room, you should consider using portable playpens as daycare equipment for infants to sleep in.
You should devote an area of your daycare to diaper changing. A diaper changing table is best, because it allows you to stand comfortably while you change the baby; a changing table also confines the baby to a small area while you change its diapers.
Other daycare equipment you need to have if you are going to care for infants includes a refrigerator for food and formula storage, food dishes and bottles, and a microwave oven for warming food. You should also have a variety of infant toys on hand.
Finally, you should have a car seat and stroller for each infant in your care. Even if you don't plan to take the children anywhere while they are in your care, an emergency may arise where you have to leave the house during daycare hours, and you must have a car seat to safely carry an infant in a car. Having a stroller is a good idea so you can take the infants in your care outdoors when weather permits.
Daycare Equipment for Toddlers
Toddlers are awake more hours than infants, so they spend more time playing. Consequently, you should have a good variety of toys for toddlers to play with and a safe outdoor area for play. If your home does not have a suitable outdoor area, purchase a walking rope with rings to take the toddlers for a walk outdoors. Each child grabs a ring, and off you go. The walking rope represents a kind of innovative daycare equipment that pleases both daycare providers and the children in their care.
