AnonyMouse_4562 Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Hi all, I've had a wall taken down in my classroom this summer to make one big open space. It is soooo much better but I'm now having the headache of organising the space (and I do actually have a headache from thinking about it!) My biggest problem is that I only have 1 proper corner as others have doors, carpet area (due to whiteboard), and sink in them. I'm really struggling to create a separate role-play area to the home corner as I don't have a shelf unit for it - do others have a separate area or just incorporate the 2 together e.g. if they want a café, then the kitchen and table become the café etc for a period of time - so just extending the home-corner? I'm just thinking of things that we have done in the past e.g. hairdressers, opticians, vets etc would be changing the home-corner really and I feel that the home-corner should always be available. Any ideas for this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Green Hippo x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Hello! Great to have a clear out and a sort out! In our old building we just had one area due to space. In the new building we started with only a home corner but have come to realise that we need two spaces one for the home and another for other themes. Have a look at the furniture you have around...do you have anything that could be used to create a partition ,childrens drawers/back of the bookcase/? or can you staple material from one to another to create a barrier? If not you might like to think about creating some 'pole buckets' (4 or more smallish buckets/tub trugs with a pole set in concrete in them ...broom handles are cheap) You can then use these wherever you like and create a mini room with material clipped around them. I have a set for outside with hooks on the top...can make all sorts of things with them! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_33773 Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 For partitions I really like the play frames, shelves and large pegs from this company: http://my-kea.co.uk/children.html We add muslin fabric and at times put dowelling on top to make a roof. All made of reclaimed wood. Good prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tinkerbell Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Pop up tents ,clothes horse, covered with fabric a table covered with black material to make a cave we have a great resource from a company called Three pigs??? bought many years ago....plastic tubes that connect to make a frame and then you buy the cover eg stable, bus, hide ,flower shop etc I lhave tried to do a search but can't find the company. TTs look like they do a similar build your own frame? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_38881 Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 We do tend to make our home corner into other themed areas, eg hairdressers, beach shop etc. We do have a play house outside which has a kitchen etc in it all the time so still have a home corner environment available all the time anyway when we freeflow. We usually start the year with it as a home corner then change it as we go along and when it gets to the wrecking not playing stage!! Our building has been redecorated over the holiday for the first time in years so we have had to move everything. It will be fun (if that's the word) reorganising to how we want it not how it's been for ages!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4869 Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 I reorganise every year then make subtle changes depending on the needs of the children, e.g. This year there are quite a number of children with poor speech so i have tried to promote this in the environment but once I get to know the children I will adapt and fine tune. I love having a change around. Some things work best in one place but others can really ignite interest if moved to a place in the room with more 'traffic'. I have my changeable role play inside and have the kitchen outside. This year inside I'm having a lounge rather than a kitchen for the first one. You could always create a rectangular space in between two pieces of furniture with straight backs, the children could help print some paper or fabric for a backdrop on the wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_26037 Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Tinkerbell - do you mean Three Bears Playthings? http://www.threebearsplaythings.co.uk/index.php?page=home We have this bought years ago before my time but to be honest I don't get it out as often as I should - I find it quite difficult to fit into my classroom given the existing furniture. It's also a bit of a nightmare if you lose the instructions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4562 Posted August 29, 2013 Author Share Posted August 29, 2013 Thank you so much for all your replies. It has been great having to completely clear out the room - there are no shelves on the walls, no clutter, everything refreshed - looks great. I have had to rearrange the classroom AGAIN today due to my carpet area no longer changing - so now I have gained a corner back. The only 'compromise' that I have had to make is that my book corner is next the small-world/construction area but it is an enclosed corner so hopefully this will work out ok - to be honest the children often take the small world equipment into the book corner to use with the books so maybe not such a bad thing! I do like those frame - thanks Wildflowers - they are good prices and would do great. I have manage to make an open area opposite the home-corner with a table and we do have a frame that can be used to make a den or stand etc. My problem is that I always have the Early Excellence set-up in my head and of course they have access to the exact piece of furniture they want to enclose each of the areas so it's hard to come away from that and design what fits in my room with the furniture that I have available! As much as I like each area being defined it always felt cramped before - so now every area is still there but a bit more open - we'll see how it goes. The children will soon show us whether we've got it right! Thanks again for everyone's help. Green Hippo x 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts