Noticeboards

[mumofone]

Do you guys use a Noticeboards in your home for your minding? I'm thinking of using one but risk assessing it thought I cant have a pin board as the pins could be a problem?! So was thinking a magnetic whiteboard but then what magnets could I get that wouldn't potentially be eaten by kids?! What do you all do?

[moggy]

Do you guys use a Noticeboards in your home for your minding? I'm thinking of using one but risk assessing it thought I cant have a pin board as the pins could be a problem?! So was thinking a magnetic whiteboard but then what magnets could I get that wouldn't potentially be eaten by kids?! What do you all do?

Any type of board is fine if it is out of reach of children (magnets or pins).

I use blue tac on a white board by front door but parents rarely look at it. I use it for putting my own sheets on to make notes on our week's plan- meals, outings etc. I put a sheet of recent photos up to that children like to show parents when they are at the door. I keep a white board pen there too for notes when parent tells me something at the door that I need to remember

My Ofsted certificate, proof of PLI and How to Contact Ofsted poster are in clip frames on the wall in porch as they'd get tatty with blue-tac.

[lollipop kid]

Hi,

I use a cork pinboard in my hallway for parent information. I've found that red, ladybird pins work best for me, as I can see these instantly on the floor if one falls out. (If you are using pins, steer clear of the transparent ones - you'll never see them if they fall out, but an eagle-eyed baby would!!)

Here's what I've got on mine:

Ofsted certificate,
typical day
First Aid certificates (me and my assistant/s) - this helps me remember when they need to be renewed by
House rules
A leaflet about my setting (example - I have others near my desk)
Pacey membership, PLI insurance
Spare Business cards (in a cardboard holder that came free with them from Vistaprint)
Useful telephone numbers (e.g. Ofsted, Pacey Legal Helpline, NSPCC, Local Social worker (LADO), Local hospital, Emergency numbers (999), numbers for back-up childminders,
Ofsted poster for parents.

Beside it, I've got a list of the 14 Allergens, and my typical menu below it, on which I've highlighted the meals I serve with any allergens in

Under it, I've got the CAPT poster (one step ahead - the one about keeping children safe at the different development stages), and finally, and "All kids are exceptional" poster.

I've made sure it all looks neat and tidy as I'm a bit of a neat freak!

I have other boards up near my kitchen (which we can see from the main childminding area), which I call our Busy Boards - it's on these that I've got photo examples of the kind of activities that the children enjoy at the setting and in the local area. I laminate these, put them up with Velcro dots, and rotate them (keeping a selection in a ring-binder). I also use photo albums that the children can flick through, which are stored on a shelf near my main resource area.


Hope it helps,

L

[FloraDora]

I have two square red glass panels one above the other (Rymans). They are magnetic and safe. I put them up because I thought I needed a noticeboard when I first started!
I put my reg certificate on one and that's it. When not childminding they look quite artistic. Just coloured squares. I sometimes pop children's art on the bottom one ready to go home.
I have a small wooden coat hangar - skirt type, where I hang the ofsted poster and my insurance. This hangs on little coat rack DH made.
No other notices anywhere, all communication and info accessable to parents via online system or by chatting.

[bunyip]

Do you guys use a Noticeboards in your home for your minding? I'm thinking of using one but risk assessing it thought I cant have a pin board as the pins could be a problem?! So was thinking a magnetic whiteboard but then what magnets could I get that wouldn't potentially be eaten by kids?! What do you all do?

Use a magnetic whiteboard.

The trick is to get really strong magnets surgically implanted in the roof of each mindee's mouth. Then, when the lo's put the noticeboard magnets in their mouths, they just stick there instead of going down their throats.

Cool, eh? ;)

[alex__17]

I've seen on here probably someone used a thing that hangs and is several plastic pockets. ..I'd like one of those to display things but don't know what it's called or where to buy from

[bunyip]

I've seen on here probably someone used a thing that hangs and is several plastic pockets. ..I'd like one of those to display things but don't know what it's called or where to buy from

I have one for my certificates. useful because they can be put up and taken down easily, to allow your home to start looking like a home again occasionally. :D

I bought mine from one of the early years resources catalogues. try searching the websites. They are sold as artwork display hangers.

EYR sell one with the product name A4 picture pockets".

[blue bear]

I have one for my certificates. useful because they can be put up and taken down easily, to allow your home to start looking like a home again occasionally. :D

I bought mine from one of the early years resources catalogues. try searching the websites. They are sold as artwork display hangers.

EYR sell one with the product name A4 picture pockets".

Also try baker Ross, yellow moon or amazon

[alex__17]

Perfect thanks, that's what I'm after, my certificates are starting to look a bit tatty on the pin board as it's rested on a windowsill so other things get shoved in front of it over the day! Would be nice to have one I could hand and could put weekly menu etc in too

[mumofone]

I have two square red glass panels one above the other (Rymans). They are magnetic and safe. I put them up because I thought I needed a noticeboard when I first started! I put my reg certificate on one and that's it. When not childminding they look quite artistic. Just coloured squares. I sometimes pop children's art on the bottom one ready to go home. I have a small wooden coat hangar - skirt type, where I hang the ofsted poster and my insurance. This hangs on little coat rack DH made. No other notices anywhere, all communication and info accessable to parents via online system or by chatting.

Hi flora, out of interest at your recent inspection did she not mention lack of displays in the home? Clearly she wasn't bothered because of your fantastic grade but I have read a few times inspectors getting a bee in their bonnet over a lack of visual displays etc.

[mumofone]

I have one for my certificates. useful because they can be put up and taken down easily, to allow your home to start looking like a home again occasionally. :D I bought mine from one of the early years resources catalogues. try searching the websites. They are sold as artwork display hangers. EYR sell one with the product name A4 picture pockets".

Thanks bunyip and Alex these look good :-))

[sab]

I have just purchased a pin board, im pre reg and plan on having certificates and daily information on the board ie, activities, menu and who's in today. I will just put it high up out of reach on top of my book shelf and it will be hidden behind my bookshelf out of cm hours.

[FloraDora]

Hi flora, out of interest at your recent inspection did she not mention lack of displays in the home? Clearly she wasn't bothered because of your fantastic grade but I have read a few times inspectors getting a bee in their bonnet over a lack of visual displays etc.

When I said no notices I meant no other info for parents on a notice board, newsletters, planning, menus etc...

Having said that the print in my environment is minimal: it is really only what the children have made with me and temporary, I don't have displays as such.
On Ofsted day I had: a 'who is here today ' sign that the children and I made together in crayon, they each had a colour and we did it as a pattern activity red green blue etc..I helped them write the letter so very child like with odd scribble too. I have a wall of CD's in my hall and the shelf above them is where we have a line of coloured ikea photo frames with ch photo and name that they turn round when they arrive and leave. Easily put away when not minding. The notice was on this.
In the living room, on the door was s a t p i n - bbc phonics first letter sounds in letters and sounds- At Childrens height they touch it all the time so it is a bit dog eared - not laminated because I don't like the feel of it, I have stuck on some textures to raise the letters. This door also has a handwritten notice ' what Did you draw today' - my markmaking area has blutack and they stick up on the door after they have 'made marks' - taken down at the end of every day.
In the area I usually have the books in there was a collage picture of all the children and my DH and I and some parents reading in different places - the children made it at the beginning of the week - it has 'we love reading' in the middle and lots of squiggles - Childrens writing as they wrote things on it. Number lines are things, Duplo with numbers on, trains etc not posters.
On the kitchen door there is a photo collage of all the veg we grew last year and ch photo and child drawn lines to the fruit and veg they like.
In the down stairs loo - a permanent photo timeline of how you wash your hands with 1st2nd etc on the back of the door.
In the den upstairs there was a large card with photos of key things we pass on a regular route - again it is Childrens work - they drew lines showing the route we take - essentially a map from the map work we had done the week before also a child drawn map of Twycross zoo that he had been done at home with the photos the family took of animals whilst they were there ( parent followed up map focus at the weekend).
In the music room we have oversized music notes that my youngest made for a GCSE project and posters of their band gigs in picture frames - not child related but still print.
In the garden our veg patches are labeled by pictures drawn on stones. Lots of letters and numbers on slate and stones that the children just play with . Flowerpot farm ( children's growing area) is written on wood and bug hotel has a burnt on sign. Birds that visit our garden pictures were in a bucket for the children to use as a look and see on the day but they didn't go near it.

That's it.

So without having any posters or displays of focus etc.. I think I showed that the children saw print in environment, mainly what they have contributed to, very short term and changed often so that it doesn't become wall paper.

[lollipop kid]

FloraDora,

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful ideas.

I am in awe of how you've handled print in the environment.

WOW!! Great work. :clapping:

Well done you. Your setting sounds brilliant.

L

[mumofone]

When I said no notices I meant no other info for parents on a notice board, newsletters, planning, menus etc... Having said that the print in my environment is minimal: it is really only what the children have made with me and temporary, I don't have displays as such. On Ofsted day I had: a 'who is here today ' sign that the children and I made together in crayon, they each had a colour and we did it as a pattern activity red green blue etc..I helped them write the letter so very child like with odd scribble too. I have a wall of CD's in my hall and the shelf above them is where we have a line of coloured ikea photo frames with ch photo and name that they turn round when they arrive and leave. Easily put away when not minding. The notice was on this. In the living room, on the door was s a t p i n - bbc phonics first letter sounds in letters and sounds- At Childrens height they touch it all the time so it is a bit dog eared - not laminated because I don't like the feel of it, I have stuck on some textures to raise the letters. This door also has a handwritten notice ' what Did you draw today' - my markmaking area has blutack and they stick up on the door after they have 'made marks' - taken down at the end of every day. In the area I usually have the books in there was a collage picture of all the children and my DH and I and some parents reading in different places - the children made it at the beginning of the week - it has 'we love reading' in the middle and lots of squiggles - Childrens writing as they wrote things on it. Number lines are things, Duplo with numbers on, trains etc not posters. On the kitchen door there is a photo collage of all the veg we grew last year and ch photo and child drawn lines to the fruit and veg they like. In the down stairs loo - a permanent photo timeline of how you wash your hands with 1st2nd etc on the back of the door. In the den upstairs there was a large card with photos of key things we pass on a regular route - again it is Childrens work - they drew lines showing the route we take - essentially a map from the map work we had done the week before also a child drawn map of Twycross zoo that he had been done at home with the photos the family took of animals whilst they were there ( parent followed up map focus at the weekend). In the music room we have oversized music notes that my youngest made for a GCSE project and posters of their band gigs in picture frames - not child related but still print. In the garden our veg patches are labeled by pictures drawn on stones. Lots of letters and numbers on slate and stones that the children just play with . Flowerpot farm ( children's growing area) is written on wood and bug hotel has a burnt on sign. Birds that visit our garden pictures were in a bucket for the children to use as a look and see on the day but they didn't go near it. That's it. So without having any posters or displays of focus etc.. I think I showed that the children saw print in environment, mainly what they have contributed to, very short term and changed often so that it doesn't become wall paper.

Wow that's alot, impressive :-) x

[nat222]

What fantastic ideas. ☺

[Hoopster]

Great ideas....thanks for sharing flora dora

[Gill Brownsword]

Just been reading through all your posts and ideas and I wanted to say thank you for giving me some fab ideas. I'm off to hunt for some display cases...............:laughing: