Toy Storage - clear boxes and labels!

[Sally69]

Hi All,

I'm trying to get things in order before Ofsted do my first graded inspection. I have toy storage in boxes in cubes on the wall. I decided to use clear boxes so that the children can see at a glance what is in them. However I have heard on the grapevine that this wont be good enough as Ofsted like a print rich environment, so I still need to do labels (which will obscure the view of the clear boxes!) with pictures and words and as I have Polish children the words in Polish as well.

Has anyone been picked up on this in an Ofsted inspection?

Do you also label things like window, door etc.?

Sally

[EmmaReed84]

I have clear boxes and labels on my boxes. Attachment 7443

I like the idea of adding the Polish words to the labels, perhaps just print off some Polish words and laminate them, then you can stick them on with blue tac then remove them when you no longer need them.

Oh and one of the labels read JUGSAW puzzles, instead of JIGSAW puzzles, I am yet to correct this... Only been like that for year

[Daisy De]

I have allsorts of boxes clear and coloured with labels on with pictures of what is actually inside along with the word. However, a lot of people think it makes your setting look like a nursery, I don't, I like the labels personally but I have no idea whether Ofsted think you should do this or not. I think it should be personal choice

[shortstuff]

I was picked up on my grading for not having labels.

what i have now are pictures of what is in the box, english and greek, with greek phonetically so we can try to pronounce the words. HTH

[EmmaReed84]

I have allsorts of boxes clear and coloured with labels on with pictures of what is actually inside along with the word. However, a lot of people think it makes your setting look like a nursery, I don't, I like the labels personally but I have no idea whether Ofsted think you should do this or not. I think it should be personal choice

With regards to Ofsted, someone I know was inspected and pulled up for not having labels. Although Mrs O picked on the wrong lady! My friend categorically told Mrs O there was no way on this earth she would except being pulled up for that because she offers a home from HOME environment and asked Mrs O if she labelled all her boxes? Asked Mrs O if she knew the difference between a nursery and a childminder then demonstrated with her 18 month old "Sorting games" where the LO was able to put the toys in the right boxes by looking at what was already in them, ie... cars in with cars, people in with people... She got a "GOOD" and an apology from Mrs O.

[CLL]

I have just had my inspection. I have boxes with pictures and words. I also have areas labeled eg role play, book corner. My labels are in English and Polish. Mrs O liked them. I think if you do not do them she is likely to put it down as an area to change for next time.

[Samijanec]

Thankfully there is none of this nonsense in Scotland..

[Sally69]

Ok, thanks for all your help, looks like labels it is then

Sally

[blue bear]

When I had clear boxes I took photos of the content and wrote the word on the photo and stuck it in the bottom of the box. My thinking was the children could see what was in the box when on the shelf as they were clear. But once emptied out they used the photo/name label to know what to put back in each box.
Mrs O like this idea.

[Stapleton83]

The other suggestion that I had made to me was to make an album of the resources available as some of mine were out of sight or stored out of the mindees reach. it also offers a none speaking mindee the chance to communicate what they want to play with - just a thought you could add it to your sef.


Sam x

[miffy]

I don't have labels on any of my boxes and most of them are coloured. Like Emma's friend the children learn to sort toys according to which colour box they go in.

I do have some clear boxes now but that is more for my benefit than the children's so I can see quickly what to get out in a morning.

There are lots of ways of encouraging a "print rich environment" without having to label boxes. It should be down to personal choice and definitely not something we're marked down for on our grading by Ofsted!

Miffy xx