Policy re: bringing toys from home

[suzyjane73]

Does anyone have a policy on this? Not sure how to word it. My 4 yr old mindee has brought his 10 inch IPad with him and I'm nervous that it get damaged, I don't want to accept any responsibility if it does. But as we know toddlers and kids in general can be clumsy and unpredictable. I need this in writing quick to all parents. I understand these gadgets are the future and can be educational tools but if a baby pukes on it I don't want to be paying to get it replaced.

[mama2three]

My 'policy' is that all toys here are sharing toys. If they bring something from home it becomes a sharing toy - and anything that they dont want to share , or parents dont want to have to replace , should stay at home. The only exception is comfort items.

[Rick]

I don't have a written policy for it but I make parents aware that whilst I will take steps to avoid it getting into the wrong (little) hands, I have no overall responsibility for it. I accept children bringing teddies etc but I would not allow an expensive Ipad, it's not worth the worry!

[Tazmin68]

If comfort toy ok. Have to be prepared to share if anything else. I would say no to a tablet as well. I have a 7 yr old who brings his dads old iPhone so he can play angry birds in school holidays and when he leaves I check and delete any photos. Oh and I my photo policy does state this.

[QualityCare]

I agree with that things from home are for sharing if child insists on bringing an expensive gadget l would right up a disclaimer something along the lines of x has brought with him a .......Ipad/gameboy etc whilst on my property l will do my best to keep it safe but accept no responsibility for any damage to it however caused, and get parent to sign it Bromley childminding association has a personal possessions policy you could adapt and attache to disclaimer.

[suzyjane73]

Good point about the photos, didn't even think of that. They could be taking all sorts photos or videos on these gadgets. Maybe best not to bring it at all. I do have a small (cheap) tablet that I bought for general family and childminding use so they can play with that then I'm in control of what's happening.

[phoenix2010]

One child brought a monster truck in today , and another child broke it

I dont like them bringing things as I feel bad if they break , but I do tell parents that they bring things from home at their own risk and I wont prevent other children from playing with it as anything they bring they must share

only exception is a special soft toy , but to be honest as soon as the parents gone I usually pop these in the childs bags and they dont even miss it

[natalieatk]

I allow them if the gild is willing to charge which usually they don't! So it goes away til the child goes home, one child bought a small toy on Monday! I forgot all about I and he went home without it! Couldn't even think of where it went, mam made a comment on tue morning that he cried for it on the night, I said I'd have a quick look for it and to keep personal toys at home in future to avoid upset! Very annoying !

[bindy]

I don't mind toys being brought in but like most, it becomes a sharing toy. My child is very good at sharing her toys with mindees, I figure it nice for my child to have a chance to play with a mindees toy and for mindee to share something that belongs to them. THey normally enjoy doing this. Today a little 2 year old brought a box of jigsaw puzzles, all children spent quite a long time working together putting them together. 2 year old was very proud that the kids wanted to play with his toy! Don't mind tablets, DS anything really, but my mindees have use of my computer and I teach them to treat it with respect just like I do a simple car, books, bricks etc.

[pipandbaz]

Hmmm usually I accept toys as sharing toys like most of you, however at present I've asked no toys to be brought from home - except comfort ones, as two darling little girls are going through the "stage" of not sharing anything at all and annoying one another when they do have a toy! I'm confident this will be resolved but until then personal toys stay at home!

[Mouse]

Nearly all my mindees bring something from home everyday. I decide at the door whether or not it can stay. If I don't think it should be here all day, I have a look at it, talk about how lovely it is etc, then say I think we'll send it home with mummy or daddy. I then hand it back to parents.

One mindee came yesterday with a bunch of keys. I asked mum if they were spare ones, but she said they were the house keys! We all had a look at them, then I gave them back to mum saying I wouldn't take responsibility for her house keys getting lost!

If any of them turned up with an iPad or similar I'd do the same - all have a quick look, then give it back to parents.

[jackie 7]

I had a child who had a huge giarffee as s comfort toy. When she came to me dad would get her out of the buggy and walk along the road dragging the animal on the ground. It was so smelly and dirty. She had a constant snooty nose and was often sick. She also had a dummy which was just as disgusting. She had to have it must of the time. Yes thus was the child and parents I was so happy to see go!!!! I couldn't say anything as they thought it was so cute!!

[mazza58]

I have a policy that says that I am not responsible for the childs own toys if they bring them to my setting, also stating that they have to share them with the other children and if not they will go in to their bag until they go home. Mostly I say that is a nice toy shall we give it to parent to take home as we have lots of toys out here for us to play with today, and you can play with your toy when you get home. I also have a child that turns up with a i pad but this always goes home as I do not want to be watching that the children are being careful with it.

[kellyskidz!]

I let mindees bring toys in, it makes them feel more settled and they enjoy showing me and other mindees new toys they've gotten for birthdays or as a special treat. I do stress it's for sharing though and if they can't share it goes on the 'high shelf' until home time.
I wouldn't allow any sort of camera to be brought in though. Ofsted have such strict rules on photos, it's just not worth it. As has been said, they could be breaching safeguarding rules if they take a picture of another child just in fun and then take the device home with the photo still on there.
I have an iPad which I let the children draw on etc but its child locked and I disable the wifi so they can't gain access to the Internet and I'm always sat with them, so they don't need to bring their own in. Also electronic devices can be quite unsociable, we've all seen kids getting square eyed and tuning out on us as soon as any type of screen lights up. A teddy or something is ok but anything that means they'll be sat in a corner shooting some zombie and not interacting with us is a little bit much x