Labelling boxes

[adedwards68]

Do we have to label our toy boxes? Is it a requirement by ofsted. I have a storage system but honestly don't wont to be sticking Velcro on it for fixing labels, as it is my home not a nursery. Can I just have a book with all the toys in (pictures). I have posters up with letters, numbers, shapes etc. I tend to get a few different toys out each day anyway.

Sent from my iPhone using Childminding Forum

[bunyip]

Some time last year there was a little flurry of posts from CMs who were criticised at inspection for not labelling toy boxes. This was linked to the idea that we should provide a "language-rich environment".

I never quite got to the bottom of this. It could well have been either inspectors or CMs who took a suggestion/example of what might be part of a language-rich environment a bit too far, and started regarding labels as compulsory.

IMHO there are other, far better ways than box labels to present a language-rich environment. It is not stated as a requirement within EYFS and I would challenge any fussy inspector to show me EYFS chapter and verse if they insisted it was a requirement.

As an aside, the language got pretty rich round here today when I caught a mindee about to use felt-tips on my new throw :censored: - but that's a different matter entirely. :p

[watford wizz]

LOL x very funny x

[AliceK]

I was questioned at my inspection as to why my toy boxes weren't labelled. I explained that I change things around frequently depending on what mindees I have and what resources they are engaged with at the time and apart from that I had yet to find a suitable way of having labels stay on my fabric boxes. (photos's won't stick and Velcro just gets pulled off by the LO's) My inspector took what I said on board and was happy with it. I was ready to argue about the other ways in which my environment is "print rich" but had no need to. So in answer to your question No, it is not a requirement.

xxxx

[Simona]

Labels are not an EYFS requirement but they certainly enrich the 'Enabling Environment' if used well

Not all cms would want to label boxes, some do for practicality, for instance if they have resources stacked in small containers on shelves and some may label them if they have been trained in HighScope...that method suggests putting labels and also a piece of the contents ( a piece of Lego sellotaped on the outside of the box for instance) to enable children to help themselves to resources at their level or point to what they would like to play with.

[Bluebell]

hmm I really was opposed to 'labelling' boxes - didn't want to end up looking like a nursery. I ended up getting some ikea storage which I resisted for ages but it made my house so much tidier and organised as before toys were overflowing!
Now toys are accesible and tidily put away.

I did my EYP and wanted to have lots of things 'ticked' on my assessment visit. I also had a FCCERS environmental audit.

SOOO I put labels on the boxes as I wanted to get good feedback and (although this is naughty) I then planned to probably take them back down again and revert to more of a 'home based' setting.

However, I found that the children could access what toys they wanted easier, putting toys away is easier and keeping them sorted. It also shows at a glance what resources I have available to prospective parents or DW visit.

I put photos on not written labels. Most of my children are pre-readers so I feel pictorial aids are more appropriate. If I were to put labels on I would only put basic labels on so maybe on the car box and dolls but not small world or threading resources - just the odd small word where children could maybe recognise the initial sounds. I have 2 children entering foundation stage next year and I had 2 children last year. At this stage they ALL also attend pre-schools so I'm pretty sure they get the full 'labels' setting thing going on there!!
I have their names on the pegs and I have plenty of books and a couple of posters about 'people who help us' and Fireman Sam 'Stay Safe' poster but thats it. I don't want lots of labels.
Brownie points, maybe - Requirement -No.

[blue bear]

I have some labels,to be honest the children like being able to look at the labels to find what they want. I have some boxes with labels inside so children know what to refill an empty box with and I have some boxes that are not labeled at all, that way if toys are put into the box they are not wrong and sometimes it's nice to have no label so they investigate getting surprises.

The boxes that are labels I turn around at the weekend so we can't see the labels.

[Simona]

Yes Bluebell labels, photos or such also help in PSED...I agree
I too found children could put toys away easy because they would look at what went in the box rather than throwing anywhere they felt like
Rather than point aimlessly they would say what they actually wanted....every little helps!

Brownie point too but I also feel a step above the basic requirement and therefore towards an outstanding feature of practice

[dawn100]

I initially was reluctant about labels as its my house no a nursery but have heard of some local cm's being criticised for it so before my inspection I did label my boxes to earn brownie points but have actually found them very useful, they are all labelled with pictures and words, kids know what's in the box before they open it and also I store my spare boxes in the attic so can easily see what's in what box for when I want to swap around, also when packing up the older ones can work out what goes it what box.
So no it's not a requirement and some cm's won't want to and I'm not about to tell you that you should but I have found it to be very benefical and actually don't think the labels on the boxes make my home look much more like a nursery if anything does its my big storage system of toy boxes but that was there already.

[JCrakers]

I do have labelled boxes with pictures because my LA came to do an inspection last year and said it would be good practise and put it as a 'TO DO' on my funding criteria.

She said it would help me to move towards Outstanding and we all like to please don't we :D

I did it because I have a separate playroom and its good for the children to see the letters in the environment but if I had the toys in my lounge I wouldn't have labelled them.

[yummyripples]

I have see through boxes

[mrs owl]

Do we have to label our toy boxes? Is it a requirement by ofsted. I have a storage system but honestly don't wont to be sticking Velcro on it for fixing labels, as it is my home not a nursery. Can I just have a book with all the toys in (pictures). I have posters up with letters, numbers, shapes etc. I tend to get a few different toys out each day anyway.

Sent from my iPhone using Childminding Forum

I curtained everything off for Christmas hiding all my boxes in the units and to be honest felt like I'd got my home back and have kept them up! All toys are still easily accessible but hidden away and I like it!

[bunyip]

I kinda think it'd be nice to label toy boxes. but then I kinda think twice cos my lo's will play with the same toys over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, ad nauseum, if give 1/2 a chance, and ought to explore the variety of resources a bit more.

That said, my toy boxes are such an unholy jumble, I could honestly label every single one of them as "Mixed sh1t" and maybe that'd keep the inspector happy? :rolleyes:

[Bluebell]

ha ha ha - my sons now want to know what I'm laughing out loud at!

[MessybutHappy]

I kinda think it'd be nice to label toy boxes. but then I kinda think twice cos my lo's will play with the same toys over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, ad nauseum, if give 1/2 a chance, and ought to explore the variety of resources a bit more.

That said, my toy boxes are such an unholy jumble, I could honestly label every single one of them as "Mixed sh1t" and maybe that'd keep the inspector happy? :rolleyes:

Perhaps if you had the boxes, mixed wooden, mixed plastic and windmills / saucepans you'd be ok?!

[Simona]

I wonder if we have gone 'off track' in this discussion?
Labels help children to see print...it does not matter what is inside the box in the end

I feel very strongly that labelling is nowhere near being a nursery...I have seen lots of nurseries where not one box was labelled but I have never entered a classroom without seeing lots of print.

Labels are also very helpful for 'visual' learners and children with a visual impairment which means considering their learning style by adapting the way we teach them and facilitate their learning...that in my view is what is behind labelling

It is entirely our choice but those who label, for whatever reason, should not be made to feel it is wrong...it is their choice as it is to buy windmills as well discussed in another thread!

[lilac_dragon]

I have see through boxes too, and just write on the box and lid what's inside. One of our matching games is to match the lid to the box!

[Tealady]

I had a "label boxes" action on my report as my setting wasn't print rich enough. However, the children at the time were naturally inquisitive about print (many a time I spent ages in the butchers reading the labels!), we shared book. I wrote on their pictures what they told me they had drawn etc.

I really liked the way my inspector came to her conclusion though. She had a grid with headings of the seven areas of learning and jotted notes of the evidence which she saw as to what I was doing to meet each of the areas. There was an obvious gap here (although I feel that was mainly my fault as I didn't have much evidence to hand)

I must admit I still haven't labelled them. This is because she suggested a really nice activity where the children took the photos themselves of the toys and I wrote the labels and we did it all together. The only child I have here who would have got some benefit from that exercise left the week after, and I only have very little ones now.

She did also suggest other ways of increasing the print (but they only have so much room on the report, plus I feel it's only to give parents an idea anyway) but she did say you need to make the print relevant to their interests or else it doesn't get processed. One idea was that she suggested a picture book with the children in it doing their favourite activities, eating their favourite food etc.

I think Sarah707 did do a document about ways of making your setting print rich when all this first came about. You may be able to find it if you search the forum

[Simona]

DM has also a very good guide of how to make the Enabling Environment 'print rich' under Communication and Language = Understanding (page 17)

[samb]

I used to have every box labelled with a label that was a 6th of a4 size with a photo and written what was in the box. As toys have broken or new ones arrived I started to pull off labels so the "wrong" ones weren't on so as not to disappoint. I've been meaning to get round to doing new ones. I have found since not having them the older ones do not tidy up as well - they just put things in random places which is something that bugs me! The little ones just pulled them off and chewed on them anyway. I do think they have benefit but then I have a closed cupboard they go in so it's not on show all the time.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

hmm I really was opposed to 'labelling' boxes - didn't want to end up looking like a nursery. I ended up getting some ikea storage which I resisted for ages but it made my house so much tidier and organised as before toys were overflowing!
Now toys are accesible and tidily put away.

I did my EYP and wanted to have lots of things 'ticked' on my assessment visit. I also had a FCCERS environmental audit.

SOOO I put labels on the boxes as I wanted to get good feedback and (although this is naughty) I then planned to probably take them back down again and revert to more of a 'home based' setting.

However, I found that the children could access what toys they wanted easier, putting toys away is easier and keeping them sorted. It also shows at a glance what resources I have available to prospective parents or DW visit.

I put photos on not written labels. Most of my children are pre-readers so I feel pictorial aids are more appropriate. If I were to put labels on I would only put basic labels on so maybe on the car box and dolls but not small world or threading resources - just the odd small word where children could maybe recognise the initial sounds. I have 2 children entering foundation stage next year and I had 2 children last year. At this stage they ALL also attend pre-schools so I'm pretty sure they get the full 'labels' setting thing going on there!!
I have their names on the pegs and I have plenty of books and a couple of posters about 'people who help us' and Fireman Sam 'Stay Safe' poster but thats it. I don't want lots of labels.
Brownie points, maybe - Requirement -No.

I said this and one of my Ofsted Inspectors made a comment of "I bet your 1 year old knows the M Mcdonalds sign" - she was right!

[FloraDora]

Have been looking at this thread for a little while .... Have been reflecting on what I think about labels.....in a home setting......
My apologies in advance for this epic...:

Simona's point is spot on, it isn't about 'labelling' it is about creating a 'print rich' environment that in a nursery and school would definitely include labelling resources as there is so many of them...and resources take up such a big % of the environment.
But in a home, that only 3 children under 5 spend their whole day ....do you really need to make the labelling the important part of a ' print rich ' environment? Another big important literacy point is ' reason for writing' which should not be contrived but real. If your resources are in see through boxes do they need labels? My resources are laid out on shelves in natural baskets and containers, no boxes of lots of toys together.. therefore no labels, a bit minimalist, but by design, everything can be seen, there is no reason to label.
But...a 'print rich ' environment gives children the clues that letters and words are meaningful and books and writing are important and enjoyable and exciting.....so as long as you, with the children, find lots of reasons to write and display; labels for models made, greetings, interactive, easily dismantled once children leave displays, shopping lists, plans,maps, book corners, photos, names ......all the things that Sarah707 has suggested in her environment download ....then I think you are providing a 'print rich' environment, that doesn't impede on a home feeling and that is easy to convert back to home mode, once children go home.
The recommendations by Ofsted are 'labels' because they are the first thing that they think about suggesting when they enter an environment that isn't obviously 'print rich'.

My home is naturally 'print rich ' because I am an English graduate, interested in literacy and words...I still write every week to my sons who are grown up and live at each end of the country and despair of this old fashioned communication, but secretly ...they like it, they like reading letters, postcards,parcels of books, my quotes, articles I know they will appreciate, jokes, ...they like reading anything .....because they grew up in a 'print rich ' environment ! Books and magazines everywhere....even the toilet, postcards, sentimental letters, certificates, genuine shopping lists, 'I can't remember anything unless I write it down notes, post its between me and DH reminding each other of ..planting, visitors, telephone messages...calendars... are around.....alongside the applemac that has a quote as screen saver, photos with odd captions that the apple tv allows me to scroll on my television....an ipad that has become as glued to me as my bible...and a smart phone that we use to text mummy and daddy that we we did a wee in the toilet after lunch ..children not me!!

Labels do not make a 'print rich' environment ..but if you haven't got anything ( or just have posters that have been there forever, that no child looks at, that is too high for them to see anyway, that have become 'wallpaper') then Inspectors suggest this as a starting point......

If an Inspector suggests labels to me I will be offended...and discuss ....and ( hopefully ) dissuade her/ him from putting it as an action plan ..........
.....or....I will succumb to low self esteem, worriedness ......and put a few labels on the duplo and playmobil boxes .....and bow to 'big brother ofsted' 'rabbit in headlight' feeling ...so that There is no risk of being criticised on the day.....!!!!!

And hear endeth my thoughts ..... In writing....but in my head I am a little angst and still reflecting ..on this subject!

[zippy]

I was very against labels didn't want house like a nursery, but then I went in a course and they half converted me so I thought if try. I'm totally converted now much easier for me and kids I use the expedia units from ikea with the wicker baskets, I have the labels on one side so at night or weekends I can turn them round so no one would ever know I was a childminder.