Basic Equipment

[LuluChaos]

Hi there!

I am one check away from being registered, have had my registration visit and have a lady interested in meeting me but am now completely stuck on what basic essential equipment I should be investing in. Obviously a lot of things have to do with the ages of the children being cared for but does anyone have any things that they simply couldn't do without no matter what age the children? Books, safety equipment, business organisation things, toys e.t.c.?

I'm not sure where to start :(
Any advice would be a massive help. Thanks so much x x

[The Juggler]

hard to say until you have children. don't buy anything expensive (unless you see a bargain) like buggies, high chairs,cots until you know you need them hon.

i'd get a couple of smallworld sets (happyland, trainsets etc)
maybe a sand/water table
lots of pens, paper, glue and sticky bits

some sort of contstruction stuff - lego, blocks

a selection of books

some dress up if you find it cheap enough.

you can usually borrow resources from your children's centre so dont' forget to ask before you spend loads

[VeggieSausage]

buy toys and books at car boots or charity shops - really cheap

I wouldn't buy anything til you have a child so you know the age, Asda are good for cheap car seats and travel cots.....

[LauraS]

Ditto car boot sales - especially if you make the effort and get there for opening, as the good stuff gets snapped up early. I went to one a couple of weekends ago and got about £300 worth of wooden toys and happyland for £37. Also watch your local ebay listings, have had another £70 worth or happyland for about £12, £400 of wooden blocks for a tenner, a maclaren double buggy in excellent condition for £20, a brand new travel cot for £8 etc - there are lots of bargains about if you are patient.

I would suggest getting some happyland stuff - it seems to go down well with all ages. Art stuff is cheap - chunky crayons and chalks, paper, paints, play dough etc - the early learning centre has a sale on craft stuff at the moment, too.

[LuluChaos]

Thanks so much guys! My son's only 9 months so I'd never even heard of Happyland but it looks fab! :)

[Twinkle star]

Just read this thread and didn't even think about travel cots. We have a pink one from when my little girl used it last year but where do you put it for naps during the day?
I know when you get inspected they do the rooms you want the children to be in so upstairs wouldn't get looked at. I'm guessing this is not an option for nap times then?

[VeggieSausage]

You can choose which rooms you register, so you could register your bedroom upstairs only for example for naps and put a cot in there, or you could have the cot downstairs say in the living room and pull the door too, to keep the others out! You'll get really good at putting them up and down. When you have your inspection they will look round the whole house even if you are not registered to mind upstairs so be warned.....and from my own experience of not knowing this and going in to a teenagers bedroom with the window wide open and her hanging out of it (obviously about to have a cigarette) with what looked like a room that had been ransacked by burglars with all sorts of hazards everywhere, it was v embarrassing, luckily she saw the amusing side! :laughing:

[Twinkle star]

Ah good tip, didn't realise they inspected all rooms. Will have to make sure they are soooo tidy and hazard free.
I had my pre reg meeting last night so I'm on the ladder at last :)

[dawn100]

The lady from Ofsted looked at all rooms in my house and she recommended I register the whole house and then decide what rooms I will use for what and risk asses make them safe relevant to their use i.e. a child's bedroom that you were to use for over 5's would not have to have all small toys out of reach etc, also she said it would save hassle in future if I wanted to change what rooms I wanted to use