List of Equipment Needed for a Daycare Toddler Room

Toddlers need space and appropriately sized furniture in their daycare environment.Happy Toddler image by Mary Beth Granger from Fotolia.com

A daycare room designed for toddlers should provide an environment where the children can be safe while allowing the children to work on development of their motor skills. Equipment and furniture should be appropriately sized for toddlers so that they feel comfortable in their space and so that they don't get injured.

Toys

Toys are important for toddlers to develop gross- and fine-motor skills. Toys should be chosen with a combination of their educational value and their fun quotient in mind. No toys should have rough or sharp edges, or any toxic paint or other materials. In addition, toddlers are at risk of choking from swallowing small objects, so all toys should be big enough that they can't be swallowed, and they should not have small pieces that can come off easily. Toddler toys can include art supplies of all kinds, basic percussion instruments, blocks and other large building manipulatives, age-appropriate books, and stuffed animals.

Toddlers need a sink at a height they can easily reach so that they can wash their hands after they go to the bathroom, after they play with messy substances like dirt or paint, and before they eat. They also need access to a toilet that they can reach from their short stature as they reach the age for potty training.

Because toddlers are still learning gross-motor skills like running and jumping, it's important for them to have open areas in their daycare rooms where they can practice these skills. Many daycare centers have playgrounds attached outside that permit running, jumping, skipping, rolling around and climbing, but weather may not always allow easy access to these areas. A large indoor area where toddlers can run around, dance, and even ride bikes is important. This area should have soft flooring, such as carpet, so the children don't get hurt when they fall.

Toddler-sized tables and chairs are needed in a toddler's daycare room so that the children can draw, paint, put together puzzles, play with toys, and make various crafts, developing their fine- motor skills as they do so. High chairs, sassy seats, or booster chairs may be needed for feeding, depending on the ages of the children and the amount of toddler-sized seating available. In addition, some adult-sized chairs should be provided for the daycare workers, including at least one rocking chair for comforting upset toddlers. Storage for toys and other equipment should include some open shelves easily accessible by the toddlers so that they can reach their toys and books without adult help; toys can be rotated so that fresh choices are available on a regular basis.

Toddlers like to play on the floor, and they are still young enough to need regular naps. Therefore, any daycare toddler room should be equipped with plenty of soft mats and rugs for toddlers to play and roll around on. In addition, cots should be provided for the children to take naps. While theoretically the toddlers could nap on the floor mats, having cots designated for nap time helps them to distinguish when it's time to sleep and when it's time to play.