Guest Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 can anyone help with some ideas or inspiration on our book corner. it is a corner of the room with two tired dark blue sofa cushions and a Galt red bus to hold books. it is not appealing at all and the children dont use it except to jump on the cushions. If a staff member sits there they will join her but otherwise they ignore it, (not a surprise) what do you have in your book corners chairs or cushions? as i was thinking of a small table and a few plastic chairs. can anyone help me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2846 Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 We have a very bright mat which proves to be popular we do have bean bags out occasionally and yes some children are seen to jump on them but when explained that this isnt how we use them they accept this Having a member of staff there for a while to show the children how to use the book corner will help also different types of books,aswell as story bags will work Im sure.We change our books every half term the children have their favourites but also need variety.good luck hope this helps a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 We have a BIG teddy bear who sits in the reading area wearing one of our school jumpers just dying for children to read him a story - sometimes this works and sometimes they just use him to sit on - poor thing!! i usually find that my class will drag over some chairs and pretend to be the teacher - this is interesting stuff - didn't know i did half the things they do!!!!! Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1027 Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 we have a pond mat with lilly pads on 2 little sofas and matching bean bags from GLS catalogue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4495 Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 Personally speaking, I would avoid anything plastic (pet hate of mine!) I think that the area should be conducive to children relaxing , and sitting at a table (in my opinion) would not be the best way to do this. I like reading in bed, or snuggled up on the sofa, and I guess that this would be a similar experience for young children, so why not try and recreate that in your room? I think that to make early reading fun, the area needs to be as homely and comfy as possible. You could get some throws for the sofas (which could then be used to make dens) big cushions that could go on the floor or create a 'cushion mountain' (over a period of time, collect cushions from home/parents, reject shops or places like TK Maxx that are different colours, textures, patterns, which can then be used to sit on but also for discussion) An old duvet with a bright cover or with Tweenies or other characters on is good to sit on or snuggle up under... Toys, like the teddy in the school jumper, are great as the children can read to them, or sit and cuddle them when a practitioner is reading to them. The children could draw/paint pictures of their favourite book characters and display them on the walls... Or, what I have done in the past is have a book focus for the topic and put things in the book corner that are relevant to the story - puppets, toys, other props and actually make the story corner into part of the book. Hope this gives you some ideas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 We have 4 large sofa cushions with two large fluffy dogs and two large sausage shaped cushions (bit like bolsters). The children are allowed to take off their shoes in the book corner aswell. Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2157 Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 I put a conopy over our book corner to create a feeling of enclosure. I've used both a mosquito type net (you can get these from Au Naturelle) and a long piece of fabric secured to the ajoining display wall and draped over the opposite cuboard (I use garden trellis to make the cuboard side higher). I have cushions and mats in there as well as a small bench and a couple of chairs. There are globes which the children enjoyed looking at and home made books as well as non-fiction and fiction books. These are colour coded for easy identification. There is also a box of comics, magazines, car manuals, A-Z etc. Plus the listening centre (CD player with a splitter to allow for two people to listen with headphones each). Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 what a lot of different ideas... thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 we have a pond mat with lilly pads on 2 little sofas and matching bean bags from GLS catalogue 38675[/snapback] And all this gets put away in a cupboard at the end of every session? I sometimes think our storage cupboards have tardis-like proportions... Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1027 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Ive got magic cupboards!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Hi, we have also made a feature out of our book corner.We put up different coloured voiles from the ceiling and some flower lights, our furniture is bugs and butterflies, so it is a kind of book garden. We also have it next to our mark making area which is a write-away tree. We used an old hospital screen and chenile brown fabric which covered the screen and has branches of the material from the ceiling, there are holes cut into the screen like the holes in a tree and we have the woodland puppets in them. We also have lights and natural resources such as drift wood etc. Hard to describe I know it is in the corner of the room with table etc in. Tracey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2846 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Sounds wonderful.Have you ever thought how interesting it would be to visit all these different settings and see how people work.not to judge but to see different ways of working that may work in your setting even possibly offer any advice.think I'll become an ofsted inspector! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Hi there! You don't have to be so extreme!!! Just contact people and ask if you can visit - offer your own setting in return (!!) - it's also a grand way of networking Really only works locally, but, hey!, nothing's perfect Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 PS - oops!! Yes, I agree, it does sound wonderful! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2776 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 (edited) Why don't we post photos here? I must say that my Reading Corner is not as I wish it could be. My classroom is quite uncomfortable. Right now we don't even have money to buy good wooden blocks! So... I better not dream too much . I don't even have a sand/water tray. Edited October 31, 2005 by SmileyPR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2760 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Thats a good idea I will go armed with my digital camera tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Yes, really good idea! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_79 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 What a lovely idea! Wish I was more creative and had a classroom to play in now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 I covered my ceiling in the book corner with black material, fairy lights and shiny hanging things!! Until the fire inspector came around and I had to take it all down!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Spoilsport!!! Suppose he has a job to do, though - I'd put it up again!!!! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Hi Our Book Corner is just the bottom end of the room (so it has two corners, lol) In one corner there is a large tub chair from Ikea, then along the back wall we have the wagon book rack from Galt, then we have lots and lots of cushions lining the walls around it. We have big bolster cushions, little ones, big square cushions and character cushions. To make it more appealing we have large coulored carpet spots dotted around too. We have an alphabet frieze on the wall going round and the area is next to the listening area and the writing table. I like you often think wether this could be improved as there is a lot of jumping on the cushions that goes on. I'm thinking about it at the minute. Hope you get some good ideas Nic x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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