What resources to buy? Advice please :)

[Elkie Mawdsley]

Hello everyone

Now that I have got two contracts in the pipeline, I want to start building my resources, so thought I'd ask you all what the all time favourites have been and what (if anything) to avoid.

I will be having a 2 year old mindee from June, and some schoolies in September (just turned 4's). There will also be a baby, but I already have lots of things for them.

I'm desperate to buy the Ikea kitchen, so am hoping that will be on someones list!

Thanks all

[Kiddleywinks]

It's too easy to go mad and spend lots of money on resources, only to find out there's no food in the house lol (yep, guilty as charged)

Pop into your local charity shops - they have some great bargains
Check out your local Facebook selling sites - again, great pre loved stuff at knock down prices (don't forget to take a screen print of the item and cost - I use that as a receipt)
Find out from parents what the LO's like before they start

The usual suspects go down well here:
Duplo/Lego
Hama beads
Crafty stuff (Wilkos are fab for items to make)
Open ended crafty stuff (stickers, sequins, feathers, Pom poms, tissue paper, bits of left over coloured card, old birthday/Christmas cards, etc
Colouring and painting stuff (I photocopy the pages from colouring books to stop arguments of 'but I wanted to do that picture!)
Play kitchen/shop (use large cardboard boxes till you can get your ikea one lol)
Small world
Dressing up / old clothes to play with
It's springtime so get planting/growing from seeds
Water/sand table

Enjoy getting to know your mindees ;-)

[Glitter]

I found the favourite resources were cardboard boxes, and all the plastic bowls, plates and spoons from the kitchen!

But the best ones I bought were:
toy cars
dinosaurs
pushchairs/ doll pram
toy animals

For outside the best things were collected on walks to the park. Large sticks for building dens (or for just dragging around) and a large carrier bag of pine cones (perfect for counting, being play food, and as missiles for the older ones to throw at each other).

Good luck with choosing your resources