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Any old toys / equipment
Hi, I'm due to register with OFSTED soon and wondered if anyone has any old toys / equipment / resources that could get me started.
Thanks
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Which area are you in?
I get a lot of resources from charity shops and our local resource centre which is a membership scheme for EY settings and voluntary organisations working with children. Try searching "scrap store" or "play forum" for your local equivalent.
Don't buy too much until you know the ages and interests of children you'll be working with. I still have unused odds and ends around from when I first started out and got a bit carried with the craft catalogues.
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I agree with Bunyip - you'll only need the basics to start with and you'll need to know the ages of the children you're caring for! No point in buying a baby activity gym if your minded children are all 12 months or more! I browse the local charity shops and car boots, you can quickly and cheaply get cars, plastic animals dolls, puzzle and games, that sort of thing! If you are looking for travel cots, stair gates etc then I'd look on eBay and Gumtree and in your local newspaper. Be prepared to look and leave though, there is some proper rubbish out there that people think you'll pay good money for! They look so surprised when you say "thank you but no thank you!"
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I'm in Croydon, Surrey. I will do those searches and see what I can find. thanks!
I am getting carried away with buying everything but just want to make sure I've covered every angle for OFSTED lol
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Have some natural free resources , collect shells/ pine cones / pebbles etc for role play. Bottle tops for collage / write letters / numbers on top etc. all free and ofsted like it too :0)
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Originally Posted by
leahsfx
I'm in Croydon, Surrey. I will do those searches and see what I can find.
thanks!
I am getting carried away with buying everything but just want to make sure I've covered every angle for OFSTED lol
Bit far away for me to help directly.
Be aware that Ofsted won't expect to see all your resources when they conduct the pre-reg visit. But it would make sense to have a thorough 'shopping list' showing you know what resources you'll need according to what children you end up minding. Either buy or make a list of the all-age essentials (eg. finger guards for doors, paints, lock for the cocktail cabinet, etc. ) then make age-specific lists to show you know what's needed, depending on whether your first little charge is 4 months or 4 years old, etc.
Remember to include some 'diversity' resources beyond the ubiquitous little black doll, and don't succumb to the commercial marketing by gender. When you buy a play kitchen it's "for the children" , not "something for the girls to play with" - apologies if I'm teaching you how to suck eggs here, but some people aren't naturally attuned to Ofsted's box-ticking approach to what we used to call 'childhood'.
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