AnonyMouse_39602 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 We are fortunate and unfortunate to have way too many toys and have decided to have a cull, of course they will be sold or given to charity . I would like our setting to have more imaginative resources to inspire staff and children , I already model this but find that mostly it's the same old thing . If you had a wish list of essential items / resources what would they be . Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_11396 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Bricks and blocks. Musical instruments or enough equipment to make our own. A garden. Books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19920 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 something great for small world/imaginative play - any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19802 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Tuff spots - full of: rice and pasta - cabbage leaves and leeks for cutting and snipping - tiny collage scraps for pushing into water bottles with fingers or tweezers - paint blobs for swirling and mixing! Oh and finger gym.....love this Pretty much anything that can't be broken!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 one of my favourite sites...we are just about to order a new marble tree ...the last one has just given up after many years,,,,,60 children a day using it! http://www.myriadonline.co.uk/products.php?id=200&name=Rainbow%20Cascade%20Marble%20Run 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_39602 Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Have and do all of the above , my intention is to get rid of all the extras as the storage is overflowing with all the extras I add ,so the more creative and imaginative items get used Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 I have had a reasonable cull too...got rid of as much plastic as i could ..still got a bit to go but not too much! So all the 'happy street stuff went as this is covered by other items (wooden train track etc) we also lend items to parents and these are taken from my spares stuff! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_8282 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 If I owned my setting myself - my poor husband wouldn't have a minutes peace. With his fantastic woodworking skills- he would be making most of our resources :1b :1b :1b Unfortunately I don't so we are currently overflowing with a growing mountain of plastic tat :angry: I shall be watching with interest as I seriously want to do a serious toy cull... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 We are fortunate and unfortunate to have way too many toys and have decided to have a cull, of course they will be sold or given to charity . I would like our setting to have more imaginative resources to inspire staff and children , I already model this but find that mostly it's the same old thing . If you had a wish list of essential items / resources what would they be . Thanks what sort of thing have you got in mind? an area that needs updating? an age group? indoors/outdoors?...now you've asked me the question i need to find you some answers..... :rolleyes: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 what about here??? http://www.somethingdifferentwholesale.co.uk/ (dont worry that it says wholesale...they are happy to supply small quantities) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_73 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Hi finleysmaid I have looked many times at the marble run and wondered if it was any good. My grandson is growing up now but he loves marbles. And myriad is one of my favourite sites too, I adore their wooden puzzles and I came across them quite by accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_39602 Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 I the garden we are sound so no problem there, we brought cupboards and added castors with canvas boxes for self selection and they work at defining areas. In our last meeting we redefined areas within the hall , I don't want tons of plastic and feel that often staff just get out the same unless direction from me or modelling , don't get me wrong they are getting better at this . Going in Tuesday to start sorting so may just list everything we have and then start from there . Having observed how our children play and what keeps them interested , I feel the need for commercial toys is not necessary or inspiring, we have tons of role play too but want to introduce more open ended resources and loose parts etc , which we have but not getting used ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Hi finleysmaid I have looked many times at the marble run and wondered if it was any good. My grandson is growing up now but he loves marbles. And myriad is one of my favourite sites too, I adore their wooden puzzles and I came across them quite by accident. well every time someone comes to visit they head for the marble tree....have to confess to having a go most days myself! there is something fascinating about the melodic sound it makes and i have seen children use it again and again,,,,we use it with single marbles ..lots of marbles (all together like kerplunk!) small balls(wooden and plastic) large marbles and then there are a few who try to put down cars etc,,,which they realise quite quickly doesn't work! tuning in to the changes in sound is interesting. We also have the large rainbow which the children use in so many ways i am considering by buying another as it is always in demand 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I the garden we are sound so no problem there, we brought cupboards and added castors with canvas boxes for self selection and they work at defining areas. In our last meeting we redefined areas within the hall , I don't want tons of plastic and feel that often staff just get out the same unless direction from me or modelling , don't get me wrong they are getting better at this . Going in Tuesday to start sorting so may just list everything we have and then start from there . Having observed how our children play and what keeps them interested , I feel the need for commercial toys is not necessary or inspiring, we have tons of role play too but want to introduce more open ended resources and loose parts etc , which we have but not getting used ! how about a bit of inspiration? http://nurturestore.co.uk/free-play-with-loose-parts (some links there to follow too!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_39602 Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 Thanks FM , what's the large rainbow ? Intrigued now and where is your marble tree from ? We have a marble run but could do with replacing , how do you get on with 2 year olds and the marbles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_39602 Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 Another one - how many puzzles ? We probably have 75 in total - variation ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Thanks FM , what's the large rainbow ? Intrigued now and where is your marble tree from ? We have a marble run but could do with replacing , how do you get on with 2 year olds and the marbles? try here http://www.myriadonline.co.uk/wooden-stacking-toys.php we have the extra large one! Puzzles are the bain of my life at the moment as i have one child who just spends the whole time getting them out doing 2 pieces and then spreads them around! we have really tried to work on differentiation this term with these so often 3 or four on a surface ranging from peg in designs to complex. Have just purchased some real picture ones from TTS which have challenged some of my children as the picture is printed underneath...i thought this would help but apparently just confuses some of the children! I now put most of my puzzles in thick zipped wallets and stick the front picture of the box to them ...this means they are much easier to store and gets rid of the issues with scrappy boxes. This year i have ditched ALL the puzzles that have more than one in the box (you know the sort that have spots or stripes on the back to determine which one they belong to!) I hate them! they drive me mad and the children spend so long sorting them out that they have lost the will to do them by the end! :blink: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 oh and the 2 year old issues(most of ours are past the mouthing stage) but if they still do it then the large marbles and balls are used until they have learnt not to put in their mouths (marbles and monitored in my setting!! ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_43806 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I feel like that about Duplo. We have masses of it, the staff always put it out and the children make a beeline for it. But I think its because it is familiar though it doesn't offer any real challenge for the children at this stage in the year. And I'm sick of seeing it all over the carpet and having to sort it back into blocks, figures ,vehicles etc, although the children are supposed to be doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19920 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 they have the rainbow in sainsburys - not huge but looks good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 https://www.pinterest.com/kategribble/reggio-loose-parts/ Ah another bit of inspiration (i'll go and investigate the rainbow in sainsburys but i would be careful of cheap imitations. Ours can be stood on and doesn't break and is made with natural dyes which give it a natural beauty that is often lacking in 'primary' coloured alternatives) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 https://www.pinterest.com/kategribble/reggio-loose-parts/ Ah another bit of inspiration (i'll go and investigate the rainbow in sainsburys but i would be careful of cheap imitations. Ours can be stood on and doesn't break and is made with natural dyes which give it a natural beauty that is often lacking in 'primary' coloured alternatives) have had a look ...cheap chinese import marked with a sainsbury's logo! save up and buy the lovely wooden one!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_7120 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Tuff spots - full of: rice and pasta - cabbage leaves and leeks for cutting and snipping - tiny collage scraps for pushing into water bottles with fingers or tweezers - paint blobs for swirling and mixing! I love our tuff spots and pinterest is my best friend at the moment loads of fab ideas for tuff spots on pinterest ..heaven 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Found this too...a bit more inspiration??? i Love some of the ideas here and the presentation is fantastic...i suspect everything looks better in the sun though! https://www.pinterest.com/hpwalk3001/puzzles-family-day-care/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_23964 Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 I now put most of my puzzles in thick zipped wallets and stick the front picture of the box to them ...this means they are much easier to store and gets rid of the issues with scrappy boxes. This year i have ditched ALL the puzzles that have more than one in the box (you know the sort that have spots or stripes on the back to determine which one they belong to!) I hate them! they drive me mad and the children spend so long sorting them out that they have lost the will to do them by the end! :blink: We have some of the '4 in 1' puzzles. When new, I make the puzzles upside down on the photocopier and take a copy of each completed puzzle. I use the original cardboard box to store the puzzles in. When the puzzles are out and in use I use a cheap transparent food storage box for each indiviual puzzle and a laminated copy of the completed puzzle. These are swapped as we rotate puzzles. For larger puzzles we take a photo of the completed puzzle. I must admit though that any cardboard puzzles are fast becoming an endangeroured species courtesy of the 2 year olds 'mouthing'. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 We have some of the '4 in 1' puzzles. When new, I make the puzzles upside down on the photocopier and take a copy of each completed puzzle. I use the original cardboard box to store the puzzles in. When the puzzles are out and in use I use a cheap transparent food storage box for each indiviual puzzle and a laminated copy of the completed puzzle. These are swapped as we rotate puzzles. For larger puzzles we take a photo of the completed puzzle. I must admit though that any cardboard puzzles are fast becoming an endangeroured species courtesy of the 2 year olds 'mouthing'. great idea lsp although my photocopier is in the post office so might look a bit odd 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 have just ordered from here ...lots of lovely stuff! http://www.nicnacnoo.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 have just ordered from here ...lots of lovely stuff! http://www.nicnacnoo.com/ Oooh - what have you ordered? :1b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 The large marble tree to replace our old one and this http://www.nicnacnoo.com/building-and-constructing/tower-of-plates-by-beck.html#.VSQNMvnF_kI and lots of little baskets which are on sale at the moment ...thought they would be good for sorting and some phonics work for my older lot. Thinking i may also lend one to my'transporter and tell him he can put anything he likes in it but he must put the contents away at the end...no other bags needed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_23964 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I make the puzzles upside down on the photocopier great idea lsp although my photocopier is in the post office so might look a bit odd Ha ha ha - just re-read my post Finleysmaid. It keeps me and my staff amused. I'm still new to this forum lark so please forgive my mistakes. :huh: Its the puzzles that are upside down - not me !!!!! :rolleyes: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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