Design plays a huge role in a care center and child care center design styles can vary widely. While function is obviously more important than form, a unique design can keep the kids entertained and happy while encouraging creativity.

Creative centers take advantage of everything from a silicon valley aesthetic to Abraham Lincoln’s log cabin for inspiration.

Here are some child care center design styles to consider.

Many people would love to have kids in their child care center go outside each and every day. Unfortunately, that’s not always a possibility.

If you live in a rainy area but still want to encourage kids to play as if they are outside, you probably don’t want the inside of your center to be anarchy.

Setting up artificial turf within your center is a great way to encourage kids to play at pre-determined parts of your center. Add some outdoor-style furniture and decoration and the kids will love their new indoor adventure.

A Rustic Yet Fun Child Care Center Design Style

Building something new doesn’t mean you can’t have old-school appeal.

When we built a child care facility in Suwanee, Georgia, we offset our ground-up modern conveniences with a warm and rustic brick exterior.

This gives the whole building a warm and comforting appeal that will make the kids happy to come in. And having relaxed children in your facility makes day care easier.

An “Open Office” Style Design

Open offices are becoming high-fashion once again. And while this is great for business, it’s not just adults who can take advantage.

Setting up round tables and other conveniences will help get the kids in your center talking and playing together.

Encouraging this behavior might make things noisier, but it also can be a major selling point for your child care center. That’s because it makes your center look great for childhood social development.

Separate Yet Connected Napping Space

When it comes to nap time, having a single nap time for all members of your center is a bad idea. When this is the system, one kid waking up can cause a “domino effect” that makes naps impossible to manage.

A better solution is setting up napping space behind a sliding glass door. This will encourage tired kids or kids who need to nap to take that time, but not mandate that everyone do it at the same time.

That’s not just an attractive choice or one that encourages freedom. Having this set-up could be naptime’s last line of defense.

A Fantasy-Influenced Aesthetic

Kids love to pretend and imagine. Having an indoor aesthetic that encourages this is a good thing.

Have fun with fantasy tropes while designing your child care center. Whether it’s a magical looking tree or just bright colors, the kids will feel like they’re going on an adventure every time they go to day care.

In addition, this aesthetic will really contribute to story time if the book is fantasy.

Conclusion

No matter what aesthetic you think your day care center needs, you need to design it well.

We’ve been designing child care centers for a long time. We know how to do it efficiently and effectively, and will work with you to give your design the traits it needs.

Contact us if you’re interested in a beautiful yet practical design.

-This article was written by Rebecca Calbert. 

Rebecca is a licensed architect with over 30 years of experience.  She owns and operates an architectural firm, Calbert Design Group,  and educates her clients through the commercial real estate development process with online content at SaveOnBuilding.com.  Rebecca’s “purpose” is to educate small business owners and protect them from what they don’t know.

The Art of Childcare Design: Where Creativity Meets Functionality

Imagine walking into a child care center where the walls whisper stories, the floors invite adventures, and every corner is a canvas waiting to be painted with the imaginations of the little ones. Now, let’s rewind a bit and think about what it takes to create such an environment. Child care centers, by their very nature, are not just spaces—they’re ecosystems where young minds grow, learn, and play. And design? Well, design is the invisible hand that guides their every move, whether they realize it or not.

In the world of child care, design is more than just a choice between blue walls or yellow ones. It’s about crafting an experience, creating a space that speaks to both the heart and the mind. The function is crucial—after all, no one wants a classroom that looks like a Jackson Pollock painting after snack time—but the form, the design, is what elevates a space from a mere room to a world of possibilities.

Picture this: a child care center that looks like it could be the next big startup in Silicon Valley. Clean lines, minimalist furniture, and spaces that encourage collaboration rather than confinement. It’s a place where every child is the CEO of their own little world. This is the essence of a creative center, where inspiration is drawn from the most unlikely sources—like a Silicon Valley tech hub or even Abraham Lincoln’s log cabin.

Yes, you read that right. Even Honest Abe’s humble abode can spark the imagination when it comes to designing spaces for children. It’s about blending the old with the new, the traditional with the innovative, to create a space that feels both comforting and exciting.

Now, let’s talk about the great outdoors—or rather, how to bring it indoors. Imagine you’re in a place where rain seems to have a permanent residency. You want the kids to play, to run, to feel the grass beneath their feet—but the weather has other plans. The solution? Artificial turf, right in the heart of your child care center.

This isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about creating a space that invites kids to explore, even when the weather doesn’t cooperate. Add some outdoor-style furniture, maybe a picnic table or a park bench, and suddenly, the indoors don’t feel so confined. It’s a little slice of the outdoors, served up fresh every day.

But maybe you’re more of a traditionalist. Maybe you long for the warmth of yesteryear, where brick buildings stood as a testament to craftsmanship and care. In Suwanee, Georgia, we built a child care facility that combined modern conveniences with a rustic, brick exterior that feels like a warm hug on a chilly day.

This isn’t just about creating a pretty facade. It’s about the comfort that comes with familiarity, the ease with which children (and their parents) feel at home. And let’s be honest, when the kids are happy to walk through those doors, everyone’s day gets a little bit easier.

Open office spaces aren’t just for Silicon Valley anymore—they’re making their way into child care centers too. Round tables, open spaces, and the gentle hum of activity that encourages kids to interact, to share, to collaborate. It’s a setup that may lead to a bit more noise, but it also fosters social development in ways that a traditional classroom simply can’t.

And here’s the kicker: parents love it. They see their kids learning to work together, to communicate, and they see a space that mirrors the collaborative environments they encounter in their own workplaces. It’s design with a purpose, one that resonates beyond the walls of the center.

Now, let’s talk about nap time—every parent’s (and teacher’s) best friend. But here’s the thing: getting a room full of kids to nap simultaneously is like trying to herd cats. One kid wakes up, and suddenly you’ve got a room full of groggy, cranky little ones who’d rather be anywhere else.

The solution? A napping space that’s both separate and connected. Think sliding glass doors, where tired kids can drift off without disturbing their friends. It’s not just about managing nap time; it’s about giving kids the freedom to rest when they need it, without enforcing a strict schedule that may not suit everyone. It’s naptime’s last line of defense, and it’s a game-changer.

Finally, let’s not forget the power of fantasy. Kids live in a world where anything is possible—a cardboard box can be a spaceship, a blanket a superhero’s cape. So why not design a space that feeds that imagination?

Maybe it’s a magical tree in the corner, its branches reaching out to touch the sky. Or perhaps it’s a room painted in bright, bold colors that make the walls feel alive. When kids walk into a space like this, they’re not just walking into a room—they’re stepping into a new world, one where every storybook adventure can come to life.

And when it’s time for story time? Well, let’s just say that a room designed with fantasy in mind can turn a simple reading session into an epic quest.

No matter what style you choose, the key to great child care center design is to blend function with creativity. It’s about creating a space that works, yes, but also one that speaks to the children who will spend their days there.

We’ve spent years perfecting the art of designing child care centers, balancing efficiency with imagination. And we’re ready to help you create a space that’s not just well-designed but truly unforgettable. After all, the best designs don’t just work—they inspire.