fluffylamb Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 Dear All, Have recently taken over as EYFS Leader in a 3-form entry school with 2x nursery classes. When I taught abroad, I had so many resources for gross motor play - mainly huge wooden blocks, tyres and wheeled toys. This is the area at my new school which is lacking. I have a budget at my new school but would appreciate any advice for where to get quality equipment that lasts! We have a large area with tarmac and a large field, but not many covered areas. Also, any tips on how to store outside equipment on a budget would be greatly received! Wish me luck! Fluffy Lamb :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LornaW Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 Welcome Fluffy lamb I would spend as much as you can afford on community Playthings large hollow blocks then the rest I would look for free and found such as break crates, milk crates, wooden pallets, tyres, rope, lengths of wood such as decking or old scaffolding planks, old clothes horses, drain pipes and not static on the fence so children can change the way they are used, logs large and small and some material etc. Make them as open ended as possible and the children will come up wiyth 101+ ideas on how to use them. Community Playthings blocks are expensive but will see you out and some more! Get the cart too then it is easy to clear away. http://www.communityplaythings.co.uk/produ...locks/B652.html As for storage it depends on where you are you can get half metal containers if you are in an area that suffers high levels of vandalism but to be honest if you have lots of free and foundnyou don't need to put them away! Good luck in the new job sounds like you are going to have fun! Lorna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffylamb Posted August 3, 2010 Author Share Posted August 3, 2010 Thanks, Literally just found the Community Playthings website and was looking at it. They're the ones I had at another school! Will order and start looking for tyres - do garages just give them away? I was also looking at the bare playground - is it too risky painting your own hopscotch and bike track? Which paints are best, or is it best left to the professionals?! Seems such a lot of money for a bit of paint! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 Garages.........and farmers...........do give them away, as they have to pay to have them removed now, so they are only too happy for you to have them, many will even deliver them to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 We too have crates, tyres hollow blocks but we also have wooden ramps and bamboo channels which are fab. We also have go go balance whch is plastic but SO versatile. It can be made into racing cars, enclosures....... it really has been a fab resource. Unbreakable too!! Have a peek at it here: www.nesarnold.co.uk/primary-school-supplies/pe/fitness-movement/go-go-balance/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 oh yes, forgot.......carpet fitters will let you have long cardboard tubes too..........they won't last long in water play, but they're a great resource! Don't forget scrapstores too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 for drain pipes and guttering try a local window replacement firm who do replacement guttering etc.. we had loads from the old guttering they had removed and were going to dispose of... and they gave us some off cuts or remnants they couldn't use.. so useful.. our children spent ages with it.. Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LornaW Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 is it too risky painting your own hopscotch and bike track? Which paints are best, or is it best left to the professionals?! Seems such a lot of money for a bit of paint! Not at all and in fact i would recommend you do this with chalk so you can change where you have it and then move things around as and when you like. Once it is painted commercially that becomes all you can do. The great big blocks of square chalk you get for PE are the best for this. Lorna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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