Does anyone know where I can get "reasonably" priced role play panels from or any ideas of anything else I can use!
I childmind and would love to have a universal role play corner that will be stury enough for all children to play with/in.
I have pop-up tents at the moment but they're not very strong and I have a job putting them up and down and they have specific images which sort of dictate how the little ones play - for example we have a vets surgery pop-up tent and the idea of turning it into a travel agents didn't go down with the children very well so I'm looking for something like they use in schools that I can attach my own signs to and make into any setting.
Any ideas very welcome.
xxx

Hi diddledumplings and welcome to the Forum!

When I helped run a toddler group a talented Granny used the fabric from an indoor tent as a pattern for other covers.

I wonder if you could adapt a sun shelter type tent in a similar way - they have rods that you clip together to support the roof etc? I have one that has roll up blinds on the windows which I could pprobably velcro signs or pictures onto. You've quite inspired me to have a go now!

Nona

We have some screen, three sided, in blue, red, yellow, bu tI saw some lovely ones on a web site and so got hold of some material to make ours lovely too. Havent quite finished, or properly started if I'm honest, but the one I put up todat looked good. I used iron on hemming tape and fastened it to the frame.
This is the site of the really lovely ones though Three bears playthings

What about a couple of old fashioned wooden clothes horses and you can drap material over it.

Or make some frames with fencing panels joined with piano hinges and again these could either be covered or not in fact as often the children don't mind that you can see through!

Lorna

Hi and welcome diddledumplings.

I am going to move this into the role play area rather than profiles!

Hi diddledumplings have just seen this and just had an idea that might be of use - hope it's not too late
if you get four plastic buckets (the ones with the handles are best) and half fill with polystyrene(don't worry the children won't be able to get to it!!) then fill with plaster of paris and put a pole in each one ( broom handles are good) try to get two slightly longer than the others. Screw hooks in the top of each. Now you have your'frame' with a bucket at each corner all you have to do is string pieces of material to form the top ( and sides if you would like) you can change the material to suit your theme...blue for water, green for jungle etc.etc. if you have the two longer ones at the back and the shorter ones at the front it becomes like a stage......i hope this makes sense....great for taking outside too and very portable. Also takes up very little room for storage have fun!!

ooh, clever finleysmaid!!

I've used the instant concrete (the sort you use for fence posts) to fix a branch into a bucket (buckets free form Tesco Express - they're the ones the flowers are delivered in and not always returned )for a bird feeding station, with a few more they'd be very "multi-purpose" - outdoor they could be flagposts, goal posts, start/finish lines, slalom course .....

back to B&Q tomorrow for post-fix and dowling

Nona