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Preschool Setup Checklist: Furniture, Toys and Learning Material

Setting up a preschool means equipping five zones: classrooms, a play area, washrooms, a reception and office, and safety and hygiene. For a typical 60-child centre with four classrooms (Playgroup/Toddcare, Nursery, Junior KG, Senior KG), this checklist covers what to buy for each — with indicative quantities — and the mistakes that waste money.

Quantities are a starting point for a ~1,500–2,000 sq ft centre. Adjust to your layout, age groups and franchise specification.

Principles before you buy

    1. Child-height everything. Tables, chairs, shelves, sinks, hooks.
    2. Open, low shelves so children choose and return materials independently.
    3. Rounded edges, non-toxic finishes, stable furniture anchored to walls.
    4. Fewer, better materials, rotated by theme, beat a room crammed with plastic.
    5. Easy to clean. Wipeable surfaces, washable covers.
    6. Buy to enrolment. Equip classes as they fill, not all at once.

       

      1. Classroom furniture (per classroom, ~15 children)

      • ☐ Child tables (rectangular or trapezoid, groupable) — 4–5
      • ☐ Child chairs — 15–18
      • ☐ Teacher table and adult chair — 1 each
      • ☐ Low open shelves for learning materials — 3–4
      • ☐ Cubbies / bag hooks with name labels — 15–18
      • ☐ Circle-time mat or rug — 1
      • ☐ Whiteboard / soft board at child height — 1–2
      • ☐ Display boards for children’s work — 2
      • ☐ Storage cupboard (lockable, for teacher supplies) — 1
      • ☐ Book display rack — 1
      • ☐ Dustbins with lids — 2

      Toddcare / playgroup room extras: soft mats, low climbing cushions, nap mats with washable covers, a changing station (if accepting diapered children), cot or mattress storage.

      2. Learning corners (per classroom)

      Corner

      Materials

      Reading

      Picture books (30–50, rotated), cushions, a puppet or two

      Pretend play

      Kitchen set, doctor kit, dress-ups, toy phone, shop props — see why pretend play matters

      Blocks and construction

      Wooden blocks, interlocking blocks, vehicles

      Art

      Crayons, chunky chalk, paints, brushes, scissors (child-safe), glue, paper, aprons

      Fine motor / manipulatives

      Threading beads, pegboards, puzzles (4–24 pieces), play dough, tongs, sorting trays

      Maths

      Counting beads, number cards, shape sorters, stacking cups, balance

      Language

      Alphabet cards, picture cards, story sequencing cards, flannel board

      Science / discovery

      Magnifying glasses, magnets, sand/water tray, natural objects

      Music

      Tambourine, shakers, small drums, bells

      Montessori-style materials (pouring, spooning, buttoning frames, sandpaper letters) work well for practical life and early literacy — most franchise curricula include a specified kit. Shanti Juniors centres use the Kiddowitty and I-Cube material kits. [CONFIRM: what the curriculum kit includes].

      3. Play area (indoor and outdoor)

      • ☐ Soft-play / EVA or rubber safety flooring for fall zones
      • ☐ Slide (age-appropriate height)
      • ☐ Climber / jungle gym (small)
      • ☐ Rocking toys / see-saw
      • ☐ Tunnels and balance beams
      • ☐ Balls, hoops, cones, bean bags
      • ☐ Ride-on toys / tricycles
      • ☐ Sand pit or sensory table (with cover)
      • ☐ Water play tray
      • ☐ Shade (outdoor)

      Detailed requirements — and options if you don’t have much space — are in preschool play area requirements.

      4. Washrooms

      • ☐ Child-height toilets (or toilet seat reducers + steps) — roughly 1 per 10–15 children
      • ☐ Child-height washbasins
      • ☐ Liquid soap dispensers and paper towels or individual towels
      • ☐ Separate adult/staff toilet
      • ☐ Anti-skid flooring
      • ☐ Changing table (for younger children)
      • ☐ Covered sanitary bins
      • ☐ Spare clothes storage

      5. Reception and office

      • ☐ Reception desk and seating for parents
      • ☐ Visitor register / digital check-in
      • ☐ CCTV system with recording (common areas and classrooms, as policy allows)
      • ☐ Computer, printer, internet
      • ☐ Fee and admission software (or brand system)
      • ☐ Lockable file cabinet for records
      • ☐ Display of licences, fee structure and emergency numbers
      • ☐ Brochure stand and admission forms — see preschool admission form and parent agreement
      • ☐ Staff room with lockers

      6. Safety and health

      • ☐ Fire extinguishers (as per fire NOC) and fire exit signage
      • ☐ Smoke detectors
      • ☐ First-aid kits (one per floor) + first-aid register
      • ☐ Socket covers, corner guards, door finger guards
      • ☐ Window grills and stair gates
      • ☐ Furniture anchored to walls
      • ☐ RO / filtered drinking water with child-height access
      • ☐ Emergency contact board
      • ☐ Evacuation plan posted in each room
      • ☐ Thermometer and sick-bay corner

      Parents check these closely — see child safety in a preschool.

      7. Hygiene and housekeeping

      • ☐ Child-safe cleaning products, mops, buckets
      • ☐ Disinfectant for toys and surfaces
      • ☐ Tissues, wipes, hand sanitiser (adult use)
      • ☐ Dustbins with lids in every room
      • ☐ Laundry arrangements for mats, aprons and covers

      8. Branding and environment

      • ☐ External signage
      • ☐ Wall graphics and theme decor
      • ☐ Name boards for each classroom
      • ☐ Parent notice board

Common setup mistakes

  1. Over-buying plastic toys — choose durable, open-ended materials.
  2. Adult-height furniture or shelves — children can’t be independent.
  3. No storage plan — clutter makes rooms unsafe.
  4. Cheap flooring under play equipment — falls happen.
  5. Equipping all four classrooms on day one when only two will fill.
  6. Ignoring the reception — parents’ first impression starts at the door.

How much does it cost?

Furniture, materials and play equipment typically make up a meaningful share of setup — roughly 20–25% of a ₹10–15 lakh franchise investment, depending on size and quality. See Shanti Juniors franchise cost and preschool business plan template for full budgets. With a franchise, many items come as a specified kit and vendors are recommended.

FAQs

Classroom furniture, learning materials for each corner, play equipment, child-height washrooms, reception and office setup, CCTV, and safety and hygiene supplies — plus licences and trained staff.

Books, pretend-play sets, blocks, art supplies, puzzles and manipulatives, maths and language materials, science and sensory items, and musical instruments, rotated by theme.

A common guideline is about one child-height toilet for every 10–15 children, plus a separate staff toilet. Check local and state norms.

Fire extinguishers and exit signage, smoke detectors, first-aid kits, socket covers, corner guards, window grills, stair gates, anchored furniture and an evacuation plan.

Next step

Print this checklist and walk your space room by room. If you’re opening a Shanti Juniors centre, the franchise team provides the material specification and vendor guidance — talk to us.

Read next: Preschool Play Area Requirements · Preschool Admission Form and Parent Agreement · Opening a Preschool at Home or in a Residential Building

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