Guest Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 We have recently acquired some 'junk' including old tyres, chunks of wood, planks of wood, gutters and crates etc for our outdoor area. At first I was delighted thinking creatively of what we could do. But now, following a conversation with other reception teachers, am unsure as to whether such things are allowed for safety reasons! Do any of you use these sort of materials to support role play etc or should I get rid!! I have also been asked to do a risk assessment of outdoor play area anyone got a pro forma/sample I could use. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiny Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Tyres must be okay to use, they are selling them here and look at the price of them!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apple Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 We use this stuff all the time. Check for splinters and sand down the wood if needed. I think that supplier is a real rip off!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Wow how expensive are those! Have they been specially treated? Ours were free and I've washed them myself and checked for loose bits etc. Thanks for the replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiny Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 They have been washed!!! As far as I can see that is all!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 As I read on here somewhere "a hazard is something a child does not see, A risk is a challenge a child can see and chooses to undertake or not. Eliminating risk leads to a child's inability to assess danger" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 In my present job I had to develop the outdoor area with no budget last year. All the things you mentioned are what I want next, plus some guttering, real wood, nails and hammers, my mission for half term ha ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 In my present job I had to develop the outdoor area with no budget last year. All the things you mentioned are what I want next, plus some guttering, real wood, nails and hammers, my mission for half term ha ha hi ya that sort of stuff is fine to use- i'm actually tryign to get me hands on gutering at the moment- the children love running water and balls down it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 One persones junk is anothers treasure, i think is how the saying goes. We use our guttering down our hil for rolling cars, conkers, water, cotton reels, anything really that i wan to spend the next week finding trodden in to the grass. The crates we use for building, obstacle courses, barriers between area and last week we even had a milk factory. I just keep an eye on them and throw out any that have cracked. The tyres which we acquired we washed and washed as 42 children do and now they get used for building, rolling, hiding in, dividing areas, obstacle courses and obstacles when the bikes are out. The only drawback i have noticed is that they fill up with rain water and how ever carefully i move them when setting up in the morning at least one inevitably gets me wet! There are many more uses but that is all i can think of at the moment. I agree with what Cait said about hazards and dangers. if the children are trying to climb on a tower of crates we talk about making sure they are properly stacked so they don't topple, equally if it is wet crates are like ice so we talk abou that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 We use crates outdoors and they have been a real treasure! In fact we could do with more and are finding them hard to come by!! Our outdoor sand is in a trye also so I think maybe someone has tried to panic you a bit re safety issues!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I had a word with my own milkman and for several weeks he left me a crate each day, and he said they always had dozens to spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I had a word with my own milkman and for several weeks he left me a crate each day, and he said they always had dozens to spare. i got crates from tescos- they put the bread in them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfy Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Tyres are difficult for companies to dispose of - A tyre company locally are pleased to give them away and are sometimes willing to deliver for free also. Our new tractor tyres make great raised beds. Elfy x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 The tyres and crates are our children's favourite things outside- in one half term they have made towers, dens, boats, spaceships, obstacle courses, bridges , used them to make a swing with ropes by standing on them so they can put the rope over a wooden frame , hidden in them , made hospital beds ,used them as a base for slides - it really has proved a great resource for child intiated activities. We also found some wooden slats from the base of a double bed someone was getting rid of - they were really smooth and the only thing we've needed to do is teach the children how to carry them safely so they don't knock each other's heads off as they turn round As Phil said the only problem with the tyres is they hold water which splashes over you .. Next stop hammers and nails !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 As Phil said the only problem with the tyres is they hold water which splashes over you .. Next stop hammers and nails !! if you allow the children to hammer nails in the tyres for practise before using wood would that create drainage holes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meridian Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 we solved the problem of wet feet when moving tyres by justing drilling holes in them. We have also just acquired some formula one tyres which they children absolutely love!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Here is the risk assesment we currently use, hope it is of some use RA_Outdoor_Play_Activities.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmajess Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 One persones junk is anothers treasure, i think is how the saying goes. Ha!! Our school just got a new (and very lovely) caretaker before the summer holidays - very efficient and fantastic... you can guess what's coming! I came back to school towards the end of the holidays to find all my milk crates in a skip!! Fortunately the skip hadn't gone yet, but I looked a bit odd rummaging through loads of rubbish retrieving milk crates! Now he knows me better, he gives me endless supplies of empty big cardboard boxes for my children to hammer golf tees into and use on their building site - he knows that his junk is probably my treasure - I'm getting a bit of a reputation through the school! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Thanks for all replies think i'll carry on using them!! thank you markimark for risk assessment have downloaded to use very grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 thank you markimark for risk assessment have downloaded to use very grateful. Very useful format, markimark: did you design it yourself? If so would you mind if I 'borrowed' it - my risk assessment is an old PLA one which I have to keep photocopying! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Hi, When I started my training for NNEB in 1955, we had all the things which are now seen either as dangerous or the best thing since sliced bread. The children played all day with hammers, nails, planks, butter boxes ,tyres, steering wheels, boxes which had been used to carry bullets and shells,commando nets suspended from 8 foot high frames and enormous tin baths for water play. Strange too , no risk assessments and very few minor accidents, but everyone took it in turns to go into the gardens whatever the weather and we were all made very aware of what would happen if we didn't supervise every thing properly. All these activites were child led and thoroughly enjoyed by both sexes, no we didn't have anything pink or blue just plain wood or primary colours. Anyone doubting the need for this type of recycled material ,just try some pieces ,it will make the imagination of the most boisterous child explode and the energy used to carry the objects from one side of the garden to the other, eventually makes them slow down and look forward to a rest as they settle down to adult led activities which they may previously scorned. In fact add a few thick pencils and some clipboards and they will readily make marks as the count draw and record what they have been doing. At present in my nursery we have a group of 3-4s who are fascinated with "rubbish" we think it might be recycling, but it entails many trips across the garden, carrying every bit of spare equipment, building it into high piles, discussing safety, height, numbers etc and where it should go next. Oh I'm going on a bit and I need to find somewhere where I can get 2 rectangular fish tanks, both the same size , as we want to show how thing deteriorate when wet or dry. Bring on the magnifying glasses etc. and the smell when we remove the cling film from the tanks in about a weeks time will be memorable. Now to do the risk assessment. Hey ho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Very useful format, markimark: did you design it yourself? If so would you mind if I 'borrowed' it - my risk assessment is an old PLA one which I have to keep photocopying! Maz Use it by all means, i downloaded it from http://www.nottinghamschools.co.uk/eduweb/...ate.aspx?id=494 and just amended it to suit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denisse Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Try freecycle for asking for things like this. We put wanted signs up all the time, some times we get sometimes we don't. Denisse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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