Guest Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 I wonder if anyone could advise me. I am looking to purchase new ICT for 2-3 year olds that share the same environment. Could anyone suggest any software/pc or equipment that they would reccommend? I want something that is robust for the 2 year olds to play with and challenging for the 3 year olds. Hope you can help.
Guest Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 I would highly recommend buying some floor robots. Bee-Bots from http://www.tts-group.co.uk/ are great. Click on ICT and follow the link to control and floor robots. They are fairly robust and designed for the early years setting. The younger children can play/explore their possibilities and you can set some more challenging tasks for the older children. There are plenty of suggestions for their use on the TTS website. I wonder if anyone could advise me. I am looking to purchase new ICT for 2-3 year olds that share the same environment. Could anyone suggest any software/pc or equipment that they would reccommend? I want something that is robust for the 2 year olds to play with and challenging for the 3 year olds. Hope you can help.
Guest Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 TTS is a really good website we have some hand held metal detectors which again can be adjusted for both ages also robust remote control cars with just a go and stop any thing that has an on off switch so coffee machine or kettle in the role play area mine enjoy calculataors in the shop noisy books that need a buttton to press to make it work
Guest Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 They are super, we do have a bee bot already and have more money to be spent on ICT. I have had a look at v-tech website but it seems more like "gimikky" laptops that are Dora or Bob with no other software which can be added. Pre School has a whiteboard which i think is too advanced so it is something inbetween the two that I want. ?????
Alison Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 (edited) we are a pack away group and only have a laptop and a couple of games Reader rabbit toddler and DK toddler first CD (not quite sue what the exact title is) our children are 2 and 3 year olds too there are a couple of 4 year olds who are quite happy to play the few gaimes we have the children also enjoy playing with the basic windows paint pad which it might worth be trying if you can get it on the white board? the boys (according to various other topics Ive read in the past) like the big art that is easy to rub out and correct mistakes my nieces and nephew have the v-tec laptop efforts and they are very disapointed with them for what they are but they did enjoy the vtech interactive book pads on a curious note we are saving our tesco vouchers and wondered how good the bee bot is for the 2 year olds? do they need much adult assistance? Edited April 15, 2009 by Alison
Cait Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 I wouldn't recommend beebot for 2 year olds - we've had 2 broken by them as they don't understand the button pressing. If you monitor them too closely then they're not getting the full experience. Luckily 'Magic Mike' fixed them ok, they ae too expensive to 'waste'! ICT isn't just this sort of thing though. anything that contains a microchip to make it function is ICT, so noisy books, flashy lights, toy toasters and microwaves, talking dolls, remote control cars/dogs/guinea pigs, tape recorders, personal stereos, etc etc etc count as ICT
Guest Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 I wouldn't recommend beebot for 2 year olds - we've had 2 broken by them as they don't understand the button pressing. If you monitor them too closely then they're not getting the full experience. Luckily 'Magic Mike' fixed them ok, they ae too expensive to 'waste'! ICT isn't just this sort of thing though. anything that contains a microchip to make it function is ICT, so noisy books, flashy lights, toy toasters and microwaves, talking dolls, remote control cars/dogs/guinea pigs, tape recorders, personal stereos, etc etc etc count as ICT I completely agree with you Cait that ICT encompasses all these things. However my three year olds that are ready for pre school are climbing walls and I feel it is exactly what they need. I wanted them to have a kind of whiteboard/computer but for a bit younger to have something to entertain them and challenge them more while the younger ones are asleep. When they visit the pre school they are fab at the whiteboard and we need something like that in teh nursery. Does anyone know what the v-tech motions are like? are they more a console? Or are there any touch screen things that are easy to use? Can you think of anything that may be suitable?
Cait Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 My 3 year olds love the laptop - it's a proper one, albeit an old non internet jobby, but works perfectly well. They use the 2Simple software by themselves or put in bob the builder or pingu software. They just get on with it. It's not in the 2 year old area, so quite safe! Ask around if your parents have an old one they've finished with. Local councils have recycling areas that give away recycled computers from offices and we've got one of those too, although they prefer the laptop as we can take it outdoors too
Alison Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 ICT isn't just this sort of thing though. anything that contains a microchip to make it function is ICT, so noisy books, flashy lights, toy toasters and microwaves, talking dolls, remote control cars/dogs/guinea pigs, tape recorders, personal stereos, etc etc etc count as ICT yeah totally agree too we have a selection of cause and effect toys that bleep and ping such as shape play phones and simple puzzles dont forget the CD player, and the digital cameras musical instruments too electric keyboards and drum machines
Guest Posted April 15, 2009 Posted April 15, 2009 the cbeebies website is great if you have internet access also agree TTS is great for ICT resources
Guest Posted April 20, 2009 Posted April 20, 2009 the cbeebies website is great if you have internet access also agree TTS is great for ICT resources TTS is great, loads of amazing stuff on there. I would recommend the "Easi-Speak" microphone, by far the best ICT-type purchase we have ever made. Not only is it easy to operate (and therefore age-appropriate for pre-schoolers) but it also doubles up as a great resource for staff. It is an MP3 recorder that you just plug in to the USB port of your PC/Laptop to both download the files that you have recorded and also to recharge the unit. The kids have had hours of fun with it and the staff have used it as a dictaphone-type device to record observations without the need for pen and post-it notes!
salm Posted April 20, 2009 Posted April 20, 2009 Hi Chell129 I just wondered whether you are private or committee run? We got a brilliant grant last year which had 2 proper computers with a roller ball mouse and lowercase keyboard, a printer, 2 video cameras for the children, then a laptop and camcorder for the staff to use. but I think this is only available to charity/committee run groups
Guest Posted April 21, 2009 Posted April 21, 2009 I completely agree with you Cait that ICT encompasses all these things. However my three year olds that are ready for pre school are climbing walls and I feel it is exactly what they need. I wanted them to have a kind of whiteboard/computer but for a bit younger to have something to entertain them and challenge them more while the younger ones are asleep. When they visit the pre school they are fab at the whiteboard and we need something like that in teh nursery. Does anyone know what the v-tech motions are like? are they more a console? Or are there any touch screen things that are easy to use? Can you think of anything that may be suitable? we bought a touch screen which was attached to the computer in my old nursery. The children loved it and found it much easier to use than the mouse and keypad. Only problem was when we took the touch screen off none of them could use the mouse or the keypad!! If you purchase one, my suggestion would be to only use it for certain activities because computer skills which the children will use through the rest of the their school years, are lost. mrsW.x
Cait Posted April 21, 2009 Posted April 21, 2009 Hi Chell129I just wondered whether you are private or committee run? We got a brilliant grant last year which had 2 proper computers with a roller ball mouse and lowercase keyboard, a printer, 2 video cameras for the children, then a laptop and camcorder for the staff to use. but I think this is only available to charity/committee run groups Oh can you remember where from?
Guest Posted April 21, 2009 Posted April 21, 2009 Hi Chell129I just wondered whether you are private or committee run? We got a brilliant grant last year which had 2 proper computers with a roller ball mouse and lowercase keyboard, a printer, 2 video cameras for the children, then a laptop and camcorder for the staff to use. but I think this is only available to charity/committee run groups Please feel free to share the source of this grant with us! Could do with a nice big charitable contribution from somewhere...
Guest Posted April 21, 2009 Posted April 21, 2009 Hi Chell129I just wondered whether you are private or committee run? We got a brilliant grant last year which had 2 proper computers with a roller ball mouse and lowercase keyboard, a printer, 2 video cameras for the children, then a laptop and camcorder for the staff to use. but I think this is only available to charity/committee run groups We are a private day nursery and have been informed that we may be eligable for some ict funding which is good. This is one of the reasons why I thought I would ask everyone for some of their ideas.
salm Posted April 21, 2009 Posted April 21, 2009 Hi all that want to know about the ICT equipment I will get all the information tomorrrow when I go to work so watch this space Salm
Guest Posted April 21, 2009 Posted April 21, 2009 (edited) We have some great programmes we use on the computer and interactive whiteboard that I would recommend- Mouse Skills Fizzy's Number Skills/Fizzy's First Number Skills Monster Maker Rainbow Street (people who help us) I'm not sure who make them but the children love them! Hope this is helpful. oh, I forgot........ Number Run........that's good too! Edited April 22, 2009 by Guest
Guest Posted May 1, 2009 Posted May 1, 2009 I agree that TTS is great for looking at ICT resources for nursery - they have some great items for roleplay - my children love the microwave which makes noises ! Also the remote controlled cars are very good. For software the best by a long way is software by Q and D Multimedia - specially designed for Early Years and they have some great packages for 2 and 3 years olds that have no instructions and children can learn by playing the games. They develop mouse control and the children have great fun. Our children really like Beep Beep Beep Noisy Things And there is a great new art package - Pretty Things They are all so useful as they are simple to use and don't need explaining !!! If you want any more information you can PM me
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