Guest Posted January 22, 2005 Posted January 22, 2005 I have a huge sand and a huge water tray which remain outside year-round. They are sheltered from the rain, which is ok for the sand, but I rarely use the water tray in the winter, as it is just too cold. I am looking for a versatile (but exciting) sand/water tray to use in the classroom during the colder months and welcome any suggestions as I have not found anything that excites me yet! It can't be too big or expensive as space and money are limited!!! I am desperate to get my sand/water play up to scratch and welcome your advice! Thanks in advance!
AnonyMouse_79 Posted January 22, 2005 Posted January 22, 2005 I've seen a wonderful water tray from "Community playthings" but I dont think it will fit your requirements re price. There really is very little available that is exciting and cheap. I bought an interesting water tray that had was shaped abit like a figure of 8, for want of a better description but again not cheap and I wouldnt recomend it as the frame was collapsable and did so every time the top was taken off! I wanted to be able to move it outside easily but it woouldnt fit through my doorway without being dismantled. Personally if you have an outside tray, I wouldnt worry too much about water indoors. Just make sure you do use it at every opportunity when the weather does permit. Failing that Galt(?) have some table top trays which might be the answer if space is limited? Or some tuff spots? I havent seen them, so not sure if they are any good for what you want but thats what I would be investigating if I had a class to provide for!
Guest Posted January 22, 2005 Posted January 22, 2005 You are SO lucky. I have introduced an outdoor and and water play trays, as well as a huge chalk/paint board and weaving frame for my Pre-school group but my Team Leader says we can't go out in the cold and wet (despite outdoor clothing and a welly box!!!!) - it's too cold. I am however an expert on the indoor sand and water tray as a result of this. I have just finished this weeks plan for both areas and am currently working on the spot tray!!!!! I only wish my team would look at outdoors in allweathers, I regularly show them articles regarding outdoor play, but all to no avail. Janet
Guest Posted January 23, 2005 Posted January 23, 2005 I've got a community playthings sand tray and a water tray in my mixed Yr1/R classroom. they wer expensive but well worth the money they are made of wood and very sturdy! They are small enough to fit into the indoor space and we use them everyday...can get 4 chn working at each one. They are stored againset the wall and because they have wheels the are really easy to move out even when full of sand and water...my year 1 boys enjoy moving them back at the end of each session
Guest Posted January 29, 2005 Posted January 29, 2005 Thanks for your advice. I have actually dragged my water tray inside and rearranged the furniture yesterday (I exaggerate, being 6 months pregnant my TA did it!!) It's a bit of a squeeze, but I'll let you know how I get on! I have found the Tuff Spot in a catalogue and didn't realise how cheap it was. I am going to seek permission to order one on Monday!! It makes so much sense. I often want to have a tray full of different stuff, pasta, foam etc and the Tuff Spot looks ideal for that as well as small world role play. Here's to a wet floor next week.....! (Perfect for the Chinese New Year story!!) Jambo - your team leader sounds like she/he could do with going on some Foundation Stage training. Outdoor play is vital. What is the point in you having some great outdoor clothing too if it is never used? Keep the pressure on and hang on in there, I'm sure you can convice them in the end!
Guest Posted January 29, 2005 Posted January 29, 2005 It's great to come on here and get so much support. I just love the Foundation Stage and Early Years and keep up to date with all current thinking, unfortunately my Team Leader has had NO training in this area and her only qualification is as a hairdresser (30+ years ago!!!!) Luckily she retires in May and I do hope that for the children we get a forward thinking person to replace her!!!!! Hopefully I won't be there to see it, I am looking elsewhere. The final straw was being told that we were bringing back worksheets and sitting at tables all day for the preschoolers. When I questioned the choices of the children to engage in activities they felt safe and confident in I was told "They will get to learn when it's teir turn for the sand and water play" I cannot find it in myself to tell any child that it is not your turn to have fun And we now cannot go out to play because it's cold!!!!!!!!! What's going to happen to us????
Guest Posted February 1, 2005 Posted February 1, 2005 I asked a parent helper to help out outside today as I thought it was a really nice day - she was cold & let me know that she was not impressed!!! My TA is pretty much the same. I get really cheesed off with people who think that the children should be penned up inside beacause they don't like the cold!! It just means I'm outside all the time, in all weathers which is OK except sometimes there are things I'd like to do inside with the children & I never get a chance!!! (whinge, whinge whinge, that's all I ever do...) Dianne
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted February 1, 2005 Posted February 1, 2005 Oh wow Janet, that takes me back to our old playleader!! Thought dinosaurs like that were extinct! Keep battling on, and Dianne, totally agree with you, too many mamby pamby's around these days. My youngest used to lie in the gutter in torrential rain so he could fill his pockets with water, he also drank from puddles. But he's as healthy as you could wish.
Guest Posted February 1, 2005 Posted February 1, 2005 There is no unsuitable weather just unsuitable clothing. Who said that?
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted February 2, 2005 Posted February 2, 2005 There's been uproar in my area recently because someone wants to open a small DN - there will be a real need, but the Agent for the proposed DN is a total moron - his defences are just basically INCORRECT, one is on this matter of time of year/weather and outside play - I'll try to find it and post. It makes for great reading!! And I'm an outside, whatever, person!! Sue
Guest Posted February 2, 2005 Posted February 2, 2005 Can't wait to see it!!! I am really struggling with justifying the importance of carefully planned play, free play and so on!!!!! I have just been told today, in front of a plumber, parent and other staff members that I have to back off the Pre school dept as the staff can do it!!!! In the 3 months since my promotion (and I see more and more, political removal from the dept) there have been no topic newsletters to parents No medium term plans no adult led activities :wacko: and no-one has been taking children to the mobile hall for movement sessions!!!! And they do it sooooo well!!! our local college is concerned about us not displaying best practice and the student picking up bad habits!!!!! The lecturer is thinking about pulling the DCE student out!!!! I daren't even discuss the birth to 3 matters and their targets/goals for the younger children!!!!!! Was offered another job this week, but unfortunatley it was on a zero hours contract and having a family I need a minimum number of hours or a set rota to find another job that fits!!!!! Holding out for another job, a totally new Early Years Centre, opening soon, all planning appeals being turned down!!!!!! Help!!!!!!!!! Jambo
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted February 2, 2005 Posted February 2, 2005 Sounds to me Janet that they can do it. Whether badlyu or not obviously isnt important. Keep looking for another job, it'll come. But I know how fruistrating it can be, I worked with the manager from hell for years, I could never do anything right but she was quite happy to nick my ideas, luckily for me she left and i was ablre to do things my way, ad so many parents said how much happier the children were and how mch tbetter the sdetting weas, thwy couldnt pout theur finger on why but it made me smile in my heart. Keep pluggiong aawya
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted February 2, 2005 Posted February 2, 2005 please excuse spelling. Off nicotine so am on alcohlo.instedd. eyes are borroweed sorry
Guest Posted February 5, 2005 Posted February 5, 2005 As I have also hit the bottle this weekend it all made pervect sense to me. I have had to deal with one awful situation today. A parent came to pick up their child from the PS dept this lucnhtime and as I have been removed I was not there!! He questioned where his daughters glasses had gone and neither the staff team, or my opposite senior nursery nurse could answer. After 15 minutes a member of staff found them "hidden" in the role play area, bent beyond all recognition!!!! He got no answers from the team upstairs and came down to the 2-3 dept looking for what he called the "hierarchy". I approached to try to resolve the situation. He was really angry as it was the 2nd time in 2 days his daughters glasses had been bent, the 3rd time in 2 weeks. What was going on? The staff didn't know or seem to care. I suggested that we would pay for repairs or a new pair of glasses (as the stress of 3 big bendings may not be repairable this time) which calmed him down a little. As we walked together to the car he brought up the subject of bullying. I could not honestly say whether his daughter was being bullied or not, and as such I told him that I would personally investigate and get back to him. This seemed to pacify him, but with no senior staff continuity in either department what can we do????? I CAN say that when I am in the dept it does not happen and her galsses have never been damaged, but what about the rest of the team???? Come on job offers, I don't want to be tarred with the same brush as the rest!!! Jambo
Guest Posted February 6, 2005 Posted February 6, 2005 Hang on in there Jambo. It must be awful, fingers crossed your perfect job is just around the corner... Had a lovely week using the water tray last week. Having it inside worked fine, although I am definitely going to try and get a smaller tray. Also ordered a TUFF spot, so am looking forward to planning some exciting things when it arrives!
Guest Posted February 18, 2005 Posted February 18, 2005 For those outside whingers! - Marjorie Ouvry - Exercising muscles and minds ISBN 1904787010 is a short! book which highlights the benefits of outdoor play and gives reasons why we allow children to be outside whatever the weather, also tips on how best to manage staff working with children outside. We have a large outdoor area that the children access freely (I completed a risk assessment for the children working outside to cover myself). Lots of the parents moan about the mess the children come home in. We have suitable clothing - MUDDY PUDDLES sell great all-in-one suits. I have laminated some signs for the parents to look at when they pick the children up to explain the benefits of outdoor play, eg; the benefits of children digging!
Guest Posted February 18, 2005 Posted February 18, 2005 Tuff Spot Would really love to hear about anyone who has used this, what for, is it easily stored and does it stand up to being thrown into a cupboard. I didn't realise that you could use it as a water tray which adds exxtra appeal to something I think I would like to purchase. Nikki
Guest Posted February 19, 2005 Posted February 19, 2005 Hi Nikki A Tuffspot is basically a shallow moulded tray. So you can use it for anything! Water, paint, foam, sand-you name it. It is very robust and we just store it propped up against a wall. We have used it for small world play. At the moment it is on the floor between two tables which are pushed together with a gap of about 12 inches inbetween. We are making a small world rail and road system on the tables, building a bridge and tunnel to connect the two. The Tuffspot is on the floor and is going to have water in it and boats. I bought mine from a B & Q warehouse but other members got theirs from elsewhere, I'm sure they will let you know. Mine was about £13. They are meant for mixing cement and can be found in that section in the store. Linda
Guest Posted February 19, 2005 Posted February 19, 2005 Isn't it sad that in so many groups the only thing standing in the way of children having a lovely time outside is the grown ups who don't know how to have fun! I don't know if he can claim it as original, but Billy Connolly said the "no such thing as bad weather only unsuitabel clothes" thing in one of his rants - er stand up routines - on the box last week. We do have access to an outdoor area, but its less than perfect and we have to be careful how we use it - shared premises, security issues etc. But we have recently made a policy decision to change the way we offer outdoor play (everyday, no mater what the weather) and the children absolutely love it. Amazing how many parents don't sent their children in with proper coats though. Some of the staff are not wholly behind it, but they can't argue when they see how much the children enjoy it! Maz
Guest Posted February 20, 2005 Posted February 20, 2005 Proper coats Maz? We have one child who doesn't turn up with a coat ever! We don't have an outside play area unfortunately but we do go out for walks and to the garden at the front of the church. Luckily we have a spare coat if needs be. Linda
Guest Posted February 20, 2005 Posted February 20, 2005 We have one of those too Linda! I'm amazed that she never feels the cold. The adult's teeth are chattering, and she's happily skipping around in just a long-sleeved tshirt. When I spoke to mum she confirmed that she has a real issue with the child not putting a coat on, but has decided that if she is cold enough, she'll fetch her coat. I love the idea of a welly throwing competition to raise funds for outside play equipment! With our new outdoor play policy, we will need some more outdoor kit, so I'm going to suggest a 'sports day' where children can be sponsored. Our pre-school is in a fairly affluent area, and parents are usually more than willing to help raise funds (even though we are a private group - parents always know where the money has been spent, and they can see their children benefit). Alongside this, some good information for parents about why playing outdoors is vital for their children, and why it is important that they send their children with an expectation that they will play outside for part of the day, and I'm sure we'll get the maximum benefit. I do like a project to get my teeth into - thanks everyone for the nudge in the right direction! Maz
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