Self choosing toys

**Tink** · 12-03-2012, 07:38 AM

All my toys are stored downstairs in the cellar as there are so many. My living room is not very big so it;s hard to have too many out at once.

Having said that do any of you have something where you show the children what toys you have so they can choose what they would like to play with and you go and get it out?

I was thinking of taking photographs of all the toys and putting them on a board then each child can pick a picture and tell me which toy they want to play with.

I already follow each child's individual interests it's more for the 3+ children really.

**miffy** · 12-03-2012, 07:42 AM

I've been making an album of photographs of the toys - it was something an Ofsted inspector mentioned to me - but tbh the older children know what toys I've got and will ask anyway so it's less use for them.

Miffy xx

**jumping j** · 12-03-2012, 08:24 AM

laminated pictures of the toys, hole punched and linked together with a piece of string is useful, then the children can flick through and show you which one they like and it doesn't take up too much space.
Or the same thing but using the symbols, like they have at sure start on the front of the toy drawers. They should have copies of them that they should let you photocopy, took a lot of persuading though!!!

**NicoleW** · 12-03-2012, 09:43 AM

What symbols? :S

**jumping j** · 12-03-2012, 09:54 AM

they're line drawings of resources with the name written underneath, I'll try and attach a sample
Fingers crossed it's worked

**NicoleW** · 12-03-2012, 09:55 AM

That's my evening planned!

**jumping j** · 12-03-2012, 09:58 AM

sorry it's upside down, I'll try again!!!

**jumping j** · 12-03-2012, 09:59 AM

I spent ages laminating everything, sticking it to boxes and making little choosing books!!! My OH just rolled his eyes

so supportive

**kel1983** · 12-03-2012, 10:03 AM

We are in the process of making a resource book as our toys are all stored upstairs in the small bedroom.

We have taken pics of all the toys individually and waiting for a good offer on photo printing (e.g 99 prints for 99p

) so it doesnt cost too much.

We did do some lovely labels to go on the toy boxes which was not very successful at all. Nothing stayed on them. The children just kept pulling them off.

**jumping j** · 12-03-2012, 10:06 AM

We did do some lovely labels to go on the toy boxes which was not very successful at all. Nothing stayed on them. The children just kept pulling them off.[/QUOTE]

Have you tried the sticky velcro, then if they get pulled off they stick back onto the velcro. I think tesco had some in either in long strips or little round dots, they even stick to the trofast storage boxes

**JulieA** · 12-03-2012, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by Jumping Jax

We did do some lovely labels to go on the toy boxes which was not very successful at all. Nothing stayed on them. The children just kept pulling them off.

Have you tried the sticky velcro, then if they get pulled off they stick back onto the velcro. I think tesco had some in either in long strips or little round dots, they even stick to the trofast storage boxes

[/QUOTE]

That's exactly what I use!

**kel1983** · 12-03-2012, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by Jumping Jax

We did do some lovely labels to go on the toy boxes which was not very successful at all. Nothing stayed on them. The children just kept pulling them off.

Have you tried the sticky velcro, then if they get pulled off they stick back onto the velcro. I think tesco had some in either in long strips or little round dots, they even stick to the trofast storage boxes

[/QUOTE]

Yes tried velcro. The children kept pulling them off and eventually the velcro came off too

**Tink** · 12-03-2012, 02:04 PM

Thank you for all the great ideas I really appreciate all your help, and the symbol idea is brilliant

**leeloo1** · 13-03-2012, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by HazeyDayz

All my toys are stored downstairs in the cellar as there are so many. My living room is not very big so it;s hard to have too many out at once.

You're doing this all wrong! Save so much time and effort and put the children in the cellar too!

**lulubelle** · 13-03-2012, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by leeloo1

You're doing this all wrong! Save so much time and effort and put the children in the cellar too!

Haha love it! Wish I.had a cellar!

**blue bear** · 13-03-2012, 09:20 PM

This might not work with limited space but you may be able to modify, at the childrens centre at the end of a session the children look at laminated pictures if resources and choose which one they would most like out the next time, they then stick it on a board (Velcro)

**Cammie Doodle** · 13-03-2012, 10:50 PM

We have been planning to do a "catalogue" of resources on a disc, so the children can browse and choose what they would like , it's on our to do list

**Tink** · 14-03-2012, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by leeloo1

You're doing this all wrong! Save so much time and effort and put the children in the cellar too!

Superb idea, then I wouldn't need the photographs

**SarahJellybean** · 14-03-2012, 02:12 PM

Hiya I *LOVE* the ideas of the choosing books as I plan to keep most toys in garage and rotate them with a few boxes that are in the house. But if they were self choosing then how would I go about getting the toy from the garage (which the door is about 1 metre from my front door) without leaving children unsupervised and without taking them into garage?