Labelling toy boxes and Ofsted

[Simona]

The nursery I went to visit said they didn't put signs up eg: in role play Pizza restaurant they said children had to write their own signs and menu - how can they do this if they have nothing to model? Thanks for the links I will read them at weekend.

I agree with you...children have to see things in print before they can start copying...I think it is called 'meaning making' that leads to writing?
Sometimes trying to adapt other models of practice ends up in it being distorted and wrongly adapted

I hope you find the links useful.
I also have a book 'Bringing the HighScope approach to your EY practice' by Nicky Holt (David Fulton books Routledge)....very well written and easy to follow...I quoted from it endlessly at Uni
If you are on Amazon you can take a peep...feedback on what you think

[miffy]

Thanks Sarah - a very comprehensive list! thanks for sharing all those ideas

Miffy xx

[bunyip]

Excellent blog, Sarah - thanks.

You only missed one option: smack Mrs O in the face with the telephone directory and say, "now, is that print-rich enough for you?"

[Lisa_Ann]

Thank you so much all for the ideas on this thread. I have just ordered some suckers and an alphabet and numbers rug which will make it easier to set out and pack away.

[Mrsh3103]

my los coloured an A4 sized dinner Placemat which I'd prepared with their name in Bubble writing in the middle. I laminate it, and while we get ready for meals or snacks, they get their Placemat and trace over their name with dry wipe pens. 2 snacks and Lunch every day means they practise their name 3 times a day without even thinking about it.

I love this idea

[FloraDora]

'If you are on Amazon you can take a peep...feedback on what you think'


Blast from the past!!
I used the first edition back in 2007 as a central theme to some EY training I was delivering.

Good sound, practical ideas that are easily transferable to the home setting.

[SandCastles]

Thanks Sarah - interesting reading, as I have recently tipped and messed up all my boxes into 3 completely mixed toy boxes and the children love them, they are drawn to them each day and even just look in to see what toys are lying on the top, e.g. the dino goes for a drive, runs over a happy land person and then flys off on the kids knex rocket, to another land, stops by to eat a plastic pear and uses peppa pigs bunk bed as a landing zone. all items are in one box and they use their imagination more and don't always use toys for their purpose. My old labels are still on the boxes just in case I have a change of children and it doesn't work for them, the other boxes e.g. dressing up, kitchen, and wooden puzzles are labelled and separate from the main mixed boxes. It works for us at the moment so wont change, as long as I can explain to Ofsted surely they will understand, I also do a lot of print and names, alpha letters and café role play, menus and open/close sign, posters and numbers.

[Tulip]

Thanks for some great idea's, my to do list just gets bigger!

[shellbells39]

Fantastic ideas will be doing all of these. Brilliant.

[clairer]

Brilliant this was one of my ways to improve, to become more literacy rich so this may give me some ideas