Toy Box Labels 2016!

[mumofone]

So I remember this having been a hot topic a while back but im just interested to know (mainly from those that have recently been inspected!!) whether we are still expected to have labels on our toy boxes or baskets etc? I dont currently have them on mine and know for a fact my son would make it his mission to peel/rip them off if i did so am not inclined to do so particularly but do you guys? And do they just say the word or have a picture too? Really stuck as to what to do! Thanks!

[moggy]

I think it is not a question of 'labels or not' but rather how do children access and choose in your setting, it is so much more than labels!!
It was not ever discussed at either of my inspections- we were far too busy talking about what is really important like how the children are learning and how I support that.
So label or don't, in English or 100 languages, with photos or not, hand written or typed, typeface of your choice!!... any individual inspector can have their own preference anyway, so you are damned if you do... or if you don't... or if you do it the 'wrong' way anyway!
But be ready to talk about how children access resources and make choices.

[loocyloo]

I don't know if my inspector noticed my labelled boxes, she didn't comment.

I find them useful for when visiting adults (and DH) help to tidy up!

I have a picture and the name of what is in the box either stuck on the front or hanging as a tied on tag.

The children know what is where and often the boxes are the wrong way round and they always get out whatever they want!

[Mouse]

I have never had labels on toy boxes and it's never been commented on.

I think you need to consider why labels might be seen as good practice and what you offer instead. One idea is that you need a 'print rich' environment. If you've got plenty of other examples of print you've got it covered. It's also said that it's good for children to be able to identify what's in the toy boxes so they can self-select toys. My boxes and baskets are all open and easily accessible so children can see what's in them. They don't need a label to show them.

[BallyH]

I have labels on some boxes. Normal type and then enlarged and laminated and stuck with a glue gun. The boxes that didn't have labels on were a result of a child pulling/peeling the label off.

I don't intend to rush to replace these labels as I think it's important that the children learn about 'cause and effect'. I also wrote this in my sef in case the inspector questioned it as it is very noticeable. It was not mentioned. I do have print in other places.

[mumofone]

I have labels on some boxes. Normal type and then enlarged and laminated and stuck with a glue gun. The boxes that didn't have labels on were a result of a child pulling/peeling the label off. I don't intend to rush to replace these labels as I think it's important that the children learn about 'cause and effect'. I also wrote this in my sef in case the inspector questioned it as it is very noticeable. It was not mentioned. I do have print in other places.

What did you say in your SEF ballyh? The reason for the missing labels was due to a child removing them?

[BallyH]

What did you say in your SEF ballyh? The reason for the missing labels was due to a child removing them?

Basically yes.

[FloraDora]

If labels help the children to be independent in their accessing of resources then I think it's worth it and a useful way to see some print in the environment.
I have a bureau with a cupboard with doors where I keep all my small world resources in open baskets - the narrow shelves mean that you can only see the end of the basket on the top two shelves so they have a laminated label with a picture of the small world setting and name - in a comic sans font. The LO's look at the picture to see when looking for what they want. The labels are attached by holes and garden twine into the open weave baskets. The ones on the bottom don't need labels as you can see what is in them- but a LO last year wanted labels on them too - so she drew a fairy, a pirate and some farm animals and wrote the word and we laminated them, hole punched and attached great little activity - drawing and writing for a purpose.
From the room though you cannot see all the labels as they are behind the doors- which is what I like in the rooms that are our home.
The den has a few labels on drawers - again so the children can access them - pictures and words - I use blu tack, so easy to put back on if little fingers peel - though they rarely do after the first time. Also easy to change when I reorganise.
I have little boxes with book props - the children always make those labels when we make up the book box - but they are in the den too - a room just for the business now really. If I have a guest in there on the futon I turn the boxes and drawers around so it looks less like a nursery and more like a child's bedroom with book shelves.
IKEA do really good see through boxes with lids - no need for labels on these, I have a few for construction which need bigger containers, but I like open baskets best.
It's a happy balance between creating an enabling environment and keeping my home environment too as that is why my parents chose a childminder.

[sarah707]

We used to get a lot of inspection reports talking about lack of environmental print so I wrote this blog (many moons ago) to support colleagues - Sarah's Blog: Labelling toy boxes and Ofsted (http://knutsfordchildminding.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/labelling-toy-boxes-and-ofsted.html).

I've not seen as many comments relating to environmental print recently... :D

[bunyip]

The biggest problem with this sort of Ofsted fad is that I've never been able to get the label marked "windmill" to stay on my windmill when the wind is blowing enough to make the windmill worthwhile. ;)

[Maza]

I like labels.

I used to take DD to Steiner playgroup when she was a toddler and they didn't have labels on anything. Lovely natural resources stored in lovely baskets - all very calming - and I think it was intentional that they didn't have labels as they don't push the academic side of things too early, which is super, BUT it used to irritate me at tidy up time because I never knew where to put things (or show DD where to put things).

I agree though, that if you have a print rich environment and that the children can access your environment independently then you don't need labels if you don't want to have them.

If you are going to have labels then they need to be worthwhile. I have seen quite a few where the writing is very small - but maybe they are labels just for the adults, which is fine if that's what you did the labels in the first place.

I do most of my labels on the computer WITH the children as an activity. Most of my bigger resources are stored in plastic boxes and we just sellotape them on. I don't laminate them. The children search through images and decide which one they want to use on the label. Then they can colour it in if they want to. My one year olds did this and of course their 'colouring in' was typical of a 1 year old, but they had ownership of it and I feel are more likely to use the label to learn about print and access my environment. I don't do it for Ofsted at all. Like Floradora, I use Comic Sans and more often than not a size 72 font.
I would pack toddler toys away at night so not stuck with them - but when DD was a toddler they were in a corner of my living room all the time, but the labels honestly didn't bother me - the labels were like her own art work anyway, just like the stuff on my fridge.

I haven't as of yet labelled any of my baskets - we tend to decant resources into these for set activities and so the contents change too often.

Now that DD is older (and I'm not currently minding) I haven't labelled anything in a while. DD decided that she wanted to label her under the bed storage boxes. She made some lovely labels and then stuck them on the lids of the boxes. She soon realised that this wasn't the best place to put labels - all the lids were the same colour and would get separated from the boxes and when they are under the bed you can't see the lid anyway, lol. A good learning experience though.

[blue bear]

I have found labels are most useful for the after school children "where is X". - go look at the labels :) they are photos of the contents of the box with writing (handwritten). The children took the photos and we sat together on the laptop re sizing/copping and printing. The pre school children tend to just pull out boxes and peer in, not sure they even know the labels are there to be honest. I have lots of open cubbies and low baskets for the pre school children and more older children's toys in the boxes.

[singingcactus]

I've never had labels, and never in any of my inspections have they been mentioned. I have loads of useful print around the house though, so the printed word is covered - in useful ways. I also don't separate toys into cars/blocks/dolls etc. I have toy boxes and they contain the toys that the children put into them. I find that mixed toys get played with more often in my home (works differently in every setting). Obviously I keep jigsaws and games intact, but general toys get put into boxes as the children want.
Every so often I have a sort out so that I can see what I still have and what needs replacing, but then the toys are dispersed as desired.

I think it is down to how the written word is used and whether toy box labels work for your house.

[BallyH]

I've never had labels, and never in any of my inspections have they been mentioned. I have loads of useful print around the house though, so the printed word is covered - in useful ways. I also don't separate toys into cars/blocks/dolls etc. I have toy boxes and they contain the toys that the children put into them. I find that mixed toys get played with more often in my home (works differently in every setting). Obviously I keep jigsaws and games intact, but general toys get put into boxes as the children want.
Every so often I have a sort out so that I can see what I still have and what needs replacing, but then the toys are dispersed as desired.

I think it is down to how the written word is used and whether toy box labels work for your house.

You know you've made me think with your idea of the boxes containing the toys the children have put into them. I've got all my toys sorted into different boxes. The children can help themselves to a lot of boxes but have to request the ones on higher shelves.

Just before the summer holidays we were 'tidying up' and I got the children to go on their knees to clear out the 'lost toys' from under a very low table that we use for crafts. They found a real mixture of toys and once I'd removed the fluff and dust they spent ages playing with them. Nothing beats a tyrannosaurus on top of a dinky car being chased by a Happyland doctor. So maybe I'll start mixing it up a bit.

[FloraDora]

You know you've made me think with your idea of the boxes containing the toys the children have put into them. I've got all my toys sorted into different boxes. The children can help themselves to a lot of boxes but have to request the ones on higher shelves.

Just before the summer holidays we were 'tidying up' and I got the children to go on their knees to clear out the 'lost toys' from under a very low table that we use for crafts. They found a real mixture of toys and once I'd removed the fluff and dust they spent ages playing with them. Nothing beats a tyrannosaurus on top of a dinky car being chased by a Happyland doctor. So maybe I'll start mixing it up a bit.

I like the mixed up toy idea....that is what generally happens throughout the day - mine like a mixed box of items to sort into the baskets too...once played with.
I have a couple of baskets of 'things beginning with...to sort and they love playing together, like you say with random items.

[Helly Belly]

On leaving my setting the inspector said ' oh yer maybe you could label your toy boxes '
I said ' they are labelled '
She said ' well if I didn't see them how will the children ' I said ' the children labelled them !'

Can't win ha ha ha

[bunyip]

If Ofsted like printed matter, why do their inspectres all use laptops? :huh:

Come to think of it, if children are required to "know that information can be retrieved from computers", why don't they let the lo's play with the inspectre's laptop? :rolleyes: