Cohousing-L Mailing List: Commonhouse Kids Rooms

[Sharon Villines (sharonvillines]

A question from Takoma Cohousing:

Takoma Village Cohousing is now deep in discussion about furnishing the many
different living spaces of our Common House.  I would love to hear from
those of you who have been actually living in one of the many cohousing
communities about your common house kids' room and outside play area.

Currently, we will have about six kids when we move in ranging in age from
about 4 - 10.  We are thinking about trying to make the room (I think it's
about 22' x 10') usable for kids 3-10 years old.  Is this unrealistic?
There's a corner where we could put a computer, if we want one, for the
older kids and the opposite side of the room could have toys, a couple of
table and chairs. Do any of your rooms have a television/vcr set-up?  We
also are thinking about having a craft sink.  The room has a bathroom (which
will have a kids' size toilet).  We plan to have some book shelfs and a
lending library.  We know if we develop this room for 3-10 year old we will
have to be careful about making it safe for everyone.  What flooring works
best for this room?

Outside the playroom will be a very small area for a play ground.  What
works best for a small playground -- one swing set?, sand box? some
non-descript climbing structures?

Thanks for any help you can send our way.  Please send responses to to the
list or to sjashinsky [at] naswdc.org.


Sharon
-- 
Sharon Villines, Editor
The MacGuffin Guide to Detective Fiction
http://www.macguffin.net
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington, DC
http://www.takomavillage.org