Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 i was just wondering does anyone have a policy on toys from home? i'm finding it causes lots of problems and then having to find the toys at the end of a very busy day is getting beyond a joke specially when it's bedtime must have! any suggestions would be very much appreciated
thumperrabbit Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 We don't encourage toys from home, however lots of children do bring them in we have a basket on the arrivals desk which they MUST put toys in. This basket is then put high enough up for the children not to be able for them to reach during the session. It hard to begin with especially at the beginning of term, but after a couple of weeks the children are quite used to it and they know they can't have them during the day. Tough I know but we too had so many nightmares with toys disappearing.
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 Could you/do you have a show and tell box and let children bring in one toy a day to show? That way you could set a 'one toy a day' limit and bring in some learning as well. I think one comforter for children is nice, and can always be kept in a bag for when it's really needed, but I agree lots of toys is recipe for stress.
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 In one setting I worked in we had a brightly coloured box which we called the Treasure Box and the children put their things from home in there at the start of the session and collected again at the end of the session.
Cait Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 We have a 'rule' that anything brought in MUST be shared. I say 'I'm sharing my toys with you, you must share yours too' If they're not prepared to share, then they go straight back into their book bag. We make it clear to Mum that if it's staying, it's for anyone to play with, if they're not prepared for that then it doesn't stay! We make it clear that we're not responsible for its safety etc Obviously there are things like comfort blankets or whatever, and they are treated differently -and other children don't usually want anything to do with an old 'blankie' anyway! So, yes, bring them in, but SHARE.
Inge Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 we had a note in newsletter about not bringing toys from home although essential comforters would be allowed. If they did bring them we either told them to give to person bringing them to take home, or put them in a bag with their coats, we did suggest if a child was insistent (and we know they can be) that they bring a bag to put the toy in by the coats.. our coats were out of children's reach unless supervised. We also had a disclaimer saying that if they were brought in we held no responsibility for the safe return of the item.. comforters were allowed but we always encouraged parents to supply a bag and children to put them into it , again by their coats. we did have a big red box for those we could not get children to leave and htis was put outside for aprents to collect items from at end of session, not staff...we had too much with ensuring childrne collected and safe. Inge
Inge Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 Could you/do you have a show and tell box and let children bring in one toy a day to show? That way you could set a 'one toy a day' limit and bring in some learning as well. I think one comforter for children is nice, and can always be kept in a bag for when it's really needed, but I agree lots of toys is recipe for stress. we had show and tell box years ago we ditched it.. too many more problems came from it.. children who did not bring something got upset, took too long to show all items, once they had shown theirs they lost interest, try to only show one or two each day did not work either, well not for us, then we had the child who got so obsessed with bringing something each day they were unable to come in without it, more than once this happened, and so many more issues came from it.. mostly negative ..we tried for ages changing it around, each year thinking different children etc.. and in the end decided it ws better without.. no toy policy worked so much better and all they got from 'show and tell' they gain in other ways.. Inge
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 We have a home box-so literally anything from home goes into the box. Toys go in straight away and cannot be taken out until home time. We also use it for hair bands and bobbles etc. which frequently come out of their hair during the morning. Linda
HappyMaz Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 Each of our children has their own tray and children put any toys/comforters etc brought in from home here until the end of the session. Comforters are therefore available whenever they are needed by the child, but they understand that toys brought in are left there because otherwise they may go missing. We do make exceptions when children bring in a game or something to play with the other children, but they are always returned to their trays after the game is finished. Maz
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 we don't encourage it but do see it as a part of comfort for the child, what usually happens is when it comes to sharing the child often requests to put it away but not always we get alot of sharing and even letting their friends take it home on loan. a child turned up today wearing spiderman, i expect we'll have a whole room of them tomorrow!!!
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 We have this problem too! In fact it drives me crazy as the same child loses his toys every time and his mum and the boy just stands there until we find it (she is a hard parent). I have a home box, but the child will ask every member of staff if he can have his toy, and one particular lady will always give in (an issue for me to raise with her ). Another issue i have is that they leave there toys in the home box and forget about them!! I emptyed out the box 2 months ago and its full again already - maybe I should threaten the parents with a charity shop dump!! I think I will talk to all the children again tomorrow and explain the rules of the home box - my minutes are too precious to waste looking for toys!!! A letter to the parents needs to be done too, as some children bring in emormous toys that are not suitable
Upsy Daisy Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 I work in a similar way to Cait in that I insist that toys brought from home are shared. I am happy for them to bring toys on that understanding because I like them to have that link between my setting and home. It often helps them to talk more about home and family. I know it is easier for me to do this as a childminder than for a pre-school with so many more children. I also often have children for very long days and I think that makes a difference too. I have felt rather uncomfortable when I've seen nursery staff working hard to remove comforters and familiar toys from very small children on principle but hopefully that doesn't happen in too many settings.
Susan Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 Our school Policy is that no toys should be brought from home unless specifically asked for by the teacher for a show and tell type activity.
Shiny Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 We have a 'Bit Box' for things that have been bought in from home. We have a colour of the week and the children are asked to bring something in of the specific colour. We don't allow any other toys from home as it would be a nightmare to chase 40 different toys every day!!! The school who's site we are on don't allow toys to be bought in either so it is a good habit to get the children in.
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 oh no i feel bad now! I don't take toys off distressed children and I am in a preschool room so they are not little toddlers. All of my children are happy without their home toys, although i have a couple who need them if they get hurt etc. But the majority seem to bring toys in and then forget and lose them, which leaves us to be searching for hours. Or we end up with the big fights over whose turn it is etc. In short they just cause too much trouble! On the 'show and tell' bit, it didn't work before when we did circle time wih the whole group in the morning, but now we break off in to keyperson groups so maybe occasional show and tell will be able to be incorporated...I will think on this one!
Upsy Daisy Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 I'm sorry icklehels! I don't mean to make anyone feel bad! As you say, you are in a preschool room for a start and if they have forgotten about the toy there's no problem is there? I'm not talking about a four year old wanting to bring in an armful of cars to pre-school. I was just very sad to see one-year-olds asking for things their parents had sent with them and the staff deliberately not getting the message. That, or whipping the toy away the second the child takes their eye off it. It was almost a matter of honour to get through the day without having to give in and allow the child to have it. My philosophy is 'if you wouldn't do it in front of the parents then don't do it' and I'm not sure they would want the parents to see what was happening there. I think your idea for show and tell in key person groups is lovely!
Guest Posted June 11, 2009 Posted June 11, 2009 That's how our setting does show and tell - in small groups - and it is a great approach. I have to say both my little girl (3) and my little boy (6) would be devasted not to be allowed to do anymore show and tell. He only gets it once a fortnight with the reception children in his class, but he looks forward to it for the whole time.
Inge Posted June 11, 2009 Posted June 11, 2009 i do think there is a balance to be made over age group concerned , comforters, and other factors. needs are very different for each child and should be taken into consideration, that said, we had pre-school 3+ only and found they did not miss their toys and if in a bag with coat were happy that they stayed there. any which were essential were put in box BY THE CHILD not staff, if staff found them the child was encouraged to put them away.. I do think the child needs even at his age to have some responsibility for their own items I think our way to deal with big items was to ask person with child to take it with them.. as we had no space for it.. after a couple of times they stopped bringing the large items.. Inge
Guest MaryEMac Posted June 11, 2009 Posted June 11, 2009 We specifically ask that toys are not brought in because it causes problems if the toy gets lost or broken. Also it is amazing the number of children show me a pocket full of money which they have been given. I usually suggest that they put it in their bags, not always successful. Mary
Guest Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 We specifically ask that toys are not brought in because it causes problems if the toy gets lost or broken. Also it is amazing the number of children show me a pocket full of money which they have been given. I usually suggest that they put it in their bags, not always successful. Mary I do think it depends on age of children , comforters are one thing and the odd toy, i've now got children bring rucksacks full of toys and one boy who must have his scooter in our room! i've now convinced him he is 3 and doesn't want any other child to touch it that i must keep it safe for him and keep it out of the way from children!!
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