Nursery Equipment: Furniture and Storage - Pull up a seat

Choosing what furniture to buy is one of the most important decisions to make when designing or refurbishing a nursery. When buying tables, chairs, sofas, room dividers, cupboards and storage units, it is essential to choose well-made and sturdy items that comply with safety standards. Investing in good-quality furniture that is multi-functional and easy to move will also allow settings to modify their spaces in order to cater to changing needs.

Storage of equipment should also be considered early on in the design stage to ensure that it is accessible for children and staff. Getting it right at the start will avoid the unnecessary cost of replacing broken or shoddy furniture that was bought in haste.

TABLES AND CHAIRS

Tables and chairs need to be the correct height for each age range. The correct height of the chair allows children to have their feet flat on the floor so that they have good control of their upper bodies.

It is recommended that there should be a 20cm gap from the seat to the table top.

How to choose

• Ensure that tables have multiple purposes. A room full of tables that are used only at mealtimes is not a good use of space.
• Tables should be height-adjustable so that they can cater to different activities throughout the day - for example, sitting at mealtimes; and activities that require standing positions and different heights for older children.
• For maximum flexibility, tables should be lightweight and easy for staff to move around. However, they should also be sturdy enough to support babies who use them for pulling up and standing when cruising.
• Solid wooden tables and chairs are considered to be the most sturdy and durable options. They also give a natural 'feel' to the nursery. Some nurseries opt for MDF as a cheaper alternative.
• It is useful to be able to alter the angle of the table in order to give more support to children with additional needs.
• Chairs need to support good posture with two feet firmly on the floor. For younger children, chairs with sides will give extra security. Adults need chairs that are low enough for them to interact with children, but have the correct depth, width and back support.

Best buys

• MultiTables (from £135), www.communityplaythings.co.uk - easy to raise or lower without using tools; the angle can also be altered
• Woodcrest Chairs, in a variety of sizes (from £70), www.community playthings.co.uk
• Natural Laminated Table Top with Metal Legs - Trapezium (£117.60), www.wesco-eshop.co.uk- can be adjusted simply with an Allen key
• Teacher Low Chair (£106), www.communityplaythings.co.uk - seats adults low enough to interact with children, with depth, width and back support
• Adult Chair Nanny Size (£71.80), www.wesco-eshop.co.uk - ideal height, with posture support
• Spey Chair (£38), www.hel-o.co.uk - designed to give extra support to smaller children
• The S-0260 Mini Table 300mm High (£99.99) and S-0391 Mini Chairs Set of 2 (£109), www.twoey toys.co.uk - for under-threes
• Dinosaur Toy Box and Desk (£99), www.millhouseathome.co.uk

STORAGE

The organisation and accessibility of resources is a key factor in room design. Good storage should be safe and easy to access for the children.

Early years consultant Penny Tassoni says, 'I've been to some nurseries where there were sufficient resources and the staff engaged beautifully with the children, but the lack of easy-access storage meant that the play environment didn't remain attractive. This can affect the way children play and it means that staff time is spent tidying away.'

How to choose

• Use movable freestanding shelving rather than built-in units. These will not only act as partitions, but will also allow settings to transform the room when needed.
• Open shelves where children can see and access items promote independence.
• Provide a range of shelves at different heights. The low shelves will optimise children's access to resources and the high shelves will be accessible only to staff. There are also adjustable shelves; shelves that can be accessed from both sides; shelves that are lockable for medicines; and shelves that accommodate displays.
• Built-in cupboards and units prescribe the use of the space in a nursery room. However, they are useful for long-term storage and should ideally be placed in corridors or other suitable areas.

Best buys

• Wesco manufactures a range of modular storage options in different wood types - MDF, chipboard and solid beech wood - to cater to different ends of the market. The Bibliocube range, made from melamine chipboard, is one of the most popular among nurseries because it is accessible for children of different ages. It has the ability to transform into different seating options, and is compatible with Wesco's natural or wooden storage containers. Prices start at £42.60 for a single cube, while a double is £64.90. A Small Bridge Unit comprised of two single cubes and a double cube with vinyl seating is £210.80. The Stop-Container range of accessible storage units comes in different heights with the same depth for storage containers. For example, the Stop-Container Kit No13 costs £255.30. Both ranges come with a five-year guarantee and are offered as ready-made kits or can be customised. Visit www.wesco-eshop.co.uk
• For a wide range of storage options, including Open Back, Adjustable, Locking, Corner, Display and Multi-Storage Shelving, visit www.communityplaythings.co.uk
• For pack-away nurseries, playgroups or settings that share their space, www.thenewfactory.co.uk has created the versatile Creche Unit, which is a wooden storage unit containing six large storage boxes that opens out into a table when not in use
• British Thornton manufactures a range of solid maple furniture for the nursery sector. The Trudy range contains storage units, docking stations with hidden storage, and the bestseller, Square Box. Included in the range is a Single Playtable (£169.95). Visit www.british-thornton.co.uk
• The Pioneer Shelving Unit (from £199) can accommodate a set of eight wicker baskets (£65), with room for a display or a mirror on the reverse. The Off Roader - Discoverer (£339) is a moveable storage unit for indoor and outdoor use that contains a set of nine wicker baskets (£40). Visit www.designsforeducation.co.uk
• For a wide selection of storage options, baskets and containers, visit www.ikea.co.uk
• A Double-sided Unit with bins and a mirror (£295), and a Storage Bench (£125), are available from www.earlyyearsdirect.com

DIVIDERS

It is important to divide your room into child-friendly spaces that are flexible and support children's learning and exploration. This will help children feel relaxed and secure and to focus without distraction.

Room dividers can either be solid boundaries, such as panels or shelves, or more fluid, such as a rug or some material draped from the ceiling.

How to choose

• Physical dividers should be used to guide the flow of play and help focus the children's attention for quieter activities such as reading.
• It is important that these dividers are sturdy, balanced and have a fixed point.
• Make sure that dividers are movable, so you can develop and change your space in response to varying needs or interests of the children in your care.

Best buys

• For a wide range of multi-functional room dividers, which includes shelves, panels, gates and arches that interconnect for flexibility in layout, visit www.communityplaythings.co.uk/products/room-dividers
• Wesco stocks a range of Fantasy Barriers and traditional Modular Partitions. See www.wesco-eshop.co.uk
• A range of room divider storage is available from www.designsforeducation.co.uk. This includes the Room Dividers (from £99), which feature flat-foot detail to minimise trips, and the Raleigh Room Divider - Display Panel (£255)
• Small and Sweet Dividers (£179.95) are available from www.tts-group.com
• A set of Large Wooden Screens (£232) that can be fitted with curtains (£27.50) are available at www.ascoeducational.co.uk.

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