Ideas for setting up home to be more "toddler level"

[DeChRi]

I have another baby enroute and would like to set up our house to help my 2yr 2 mnth DD (2.5yr when baby comes) be able to be more independent. Such as coat hook at her level, more of her stuff in drawers at her level, etc.

Anyone have ideas that work well for them to help them "do it themselves"?

[kittykat2481]

A few things that we have done around here:

All toys are neatly displayed on shelves so that he can choose them and replace them on his own.
He has a small table and chairs in his playroom, as well as in the eat in kitchen for eating and playing at.
We have hung a shelf with pegs at his level in his bedroom so he can hang his own coats and jackets. He puts his gloves on the shelf, and his shoes under it.
The laundry basket in his bedroom and bathroom is low and accessible.
He has step stools in his bathroom and the master, as well as a small potty in several areas of the house, and toothbrush and toothpaste in his bathroom and ours - that way he can brush his teeth with us if it is more convenient to do it then. He looks in the full length mirror to see what he's doing so he doesn't need help.
His pajamas, pants, socks, underwear, and pullups (for nap and night time) each have a drawer of their own in his dresser, at his reach. We only keep stuff he doesn't need to get to (like diaper cream, etc) in the top drawers.
I'm looking into getting a small pitcher to put water in so he can learn to pour his own drink. This is something he is practically begging to do, and he does it at his montessori school.

Basically he can dress himself, undress himself, put his dirty clothes away, choose his clean clothes, choose and put away toys, books, puzzles, etc all on his own. You might check the Montessori board here for some more ideas. My son attends a Montessori school which reinforces these principles. Let me know if you want any more ideas.

He is 24 months old.

[jenfl]

We're hoping to get a dorm-sized fridge to keep drinks and fruit in so that DD can get them on her own.

Would love to hear others' ideas!

[mamakaikai]

I can't really think of special things we've done in the house to help her be more independent. Mostly, we expect her to do things that she can do... and do them on her own for herself. So if she is capable of doing it we encourage her to just do it, and when she needs help we are happy to help her of course! But this has made her a resourceful and independent child. For us I think it's more about how we parent, than the physical environment...and the fact that she has an independent kind of character.

here are some things we do/have:

• her own small table to sit at for eating and playing, though she hapily climbs on and off the big dining room chairs to eat or sit and read books
• easy access to her toys and books
• we keep art supplies tucked away, but easy to bring them out to use on the easel or table (so she doens't easy opportunity to draw on the sofa...)
• I make 'muffin tray' snacks for her to graze on, which gives her selection and enough food so I am not constantly getting her foods. If I make two at once, then there is one for the am, and one for pm
  • She is involved in almost everything we do, to her capacity, which teaches her the skills to do the activity, and we give her the freedom to do the things she can do
    • we expect her to put things away when she is done, we remind her but it's just part of the norm (for now
  • there is a basket with hats, mitts etc that she can reach, her boots are at her level, a coat hook at her level is a great idea
  • she helps unpack the groceries and other such chores
  She always has a cup of water available.
• there is a shelf of socks, underwear, diapers, playclothes in easy reach in her bedroom
• she puts dirty clothes in her hamper, garbage in the garbage
• I plan on have a 'baby station' for when our new babe arrives so she can help out by going to get things like dipes, wipes etc

She'll be 2yrs 3months when the next one is born. I find her to be fairly independent as it is, but we're hoping that she will continue to be helpful. She easily follows instructions and enjoys and feels proud to be involved and helpful. So if we ask her to get something and put it in the stroller, and then to get her shoes on, she will. Here's hoping these little things will continue and prove to be helpful when I still only have 2 hands but 2 babes!

[DeChRi]

Thanks all!

I feel good that i do some of this already, and then spent part of today taking your advice.

We already have a kid table and chairs in the eat in for her to be at that level. We have a step stool in the kitchen she LOVES to be on, but scares me crazy and she is a monkeyshiner and we have slate floors and I am so scared she will tip. So I found a used Learning Tower today and bought it! We have socks, pull-ups, undies, jammies and clothes all at her level. I got a few new drawers to better organize them for her. I reorganized her toys so there is a little nook for reading, for baby play, for building, for art, etc...
We already have a snack drawer at her height.

I think I need to declutter a bit and then help her get into some good routines. Oh, I also got one of those little stands that you can loop toilet paper on next to the toilet as DD cant reach across to get TP herself, thus making her bathroom dependant on me.

I need to get a 2 step stepstool for tooth and hand washing.

I have a book I just found today about setting things up at kid level. I will read that and hang out in the recommended forums.

[MeAndVee]

I don't know where you live and if you have a local Ikea but tonight I just went there to stock up on things that would make it easier for DS to clean up and be more independent. We still cosleep and he does have his own bed in our room. For now his room just has a few toys about. So hoping to use the Ikea stuff to put things up. Cheap, but the stuff looks durable. Hopefully it lasts through DS and atleast one more child!!!

I think the dorm fridge is a fantastic idea. I was also thinking a small microwave. Especially if your house is set up like ours where the family room is upstairs. I would LOVE to have a fridge and a microwave so I don't have to go up and down a dozzen times in a day. Since I am incapable of nursing having a way to prepare bottles is really important.

Congrats on the new baby. Safe delivery mama!

[jenfl]

Originally Posted by DeChRi

I have a book I just found today about setting things up at kid level. I will read that and hang out in the recommended forums.

What's the name of the book?

[DeChRi]

Originally Posted by jenfl

What's the name of the book?

Two actually, that I bought at a used book sale. One is "Teach Me To Do It Myself" by Maja Pitamic and the other is "Teaching Montessori In the Home - The Preschool years" by Elizabeth G. Hainstock.

[Down2Earth]

Originally Posted by kittykat2481

I'm looking into getting a small pitcher to put water in so he can learn to pour his own drink. This is something he is practically begging to do, and he does it at his montessori school.

I bought a couple of small steel creamers from a coffee seller online. I think they were 3 and 5 oz each. The 3 oz one is very small, but it has worked for my DD so far because she can't spill very much liquid.

[kittykat2481]

Originally Posted by Down2Earth

I bought a couple of small steel creamers from a coffee seller online. I think they were 3 and 5 oz each. The 3 oz one is very small, but it has worked for my DD so far because she can't spill very much liquid.

That's pretty much exactly what I'm looking for.

[Down2Earth]

Originally Posted by kittykat2481

That's pretty much exactly what I'm looking for.

Here's a link to get you started on your search. It's not the same seller I went through, but it is a very similar price.

[PatchChild]

I adore our two step stool. DS can push it all around the house for whatever he needs to get up to. I do keep one just for the bathroom.