Devondaisy Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Hello Our reading area at present is just a box with compartments for books and a seat at one end which we sit on when reading stories. We would like to make this area more inviting, but money is hard to find, as ever. I would just like to know what others have in their reading areas, for a bit of inspiration. Photos would be lovely too!! I would like beanbags or comfortable seating of some sort, and a better way of displaying the books. Any ideas would be appreciated! Thank you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 We had beanbags, big cushions, an old quilt and some mini stools I bought on ebay. We've augmented these with some sofas and an armchair from Community Playthings, but they were expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlettangel Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I bought red mats from Wilkos to define the area a little and then on the floor are lots of cushions and mini bean bags (sag bags) There were 2 soft chairs which I pushed together and threw a bright coloured fleecey blanket (from IKEA) over them!! The book boxes define the shape of the area! The cushions were £2.75 from IKEA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 ikea kitted out ours too including a rather nice green rug for the floor and lotsof cushions...we do not have space for 'seating' so everyone sits on the floor...it is the childrens favourite place in the pre-school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 thanks to our flood/ingress of water, our book corner has been revamped. ie, kitted out in begged, borrowed and well, borrowed again stuff! We have a lovely rocking chair ( thank you Brian) with an Ikea hanging drape round it, which is our 'storytellers chair', a lovely patterned rug from Ikea, which is sort of Persian carpet style, so the children can sit and share stories ( thank you Cait!) on our 'magic carpet'.We have two tub chairs form Ikea ( thank you Emma), which can sit one bottom ( mine!), or two child-sized bottoms, comfortably. On the floor we have a big ( fake!) bear skin rug ( thank you Clare), which children have found so cosy, they curl up and go to sleep on. I don't think you necessarily have to spend lots of money, ebay is brilliant for cheap resources, and free cycle is even better or of course, parents might have things they could donate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 I must take a photo of my current book corner (note to self) I decided this year we would seasonal theme the book corner half termly. There is a low 4 section book box. I bought 6 cushions (Ikea) and intend to made cushion covers for each season. There is a cheap white quilt on the floor, snowflake patterned cushion covers. White christmas garland with silver baubles and white christmas lights running around the top of the screens that create the 'corner'.Snowflake high frequency words, soft toy polar bears, penguins etc, seasonal story sacks. We call it Winter wonderland. As regards furniture it needs to be flexiable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 The thing we purchased in the Autumn and is fantastic is a bean bag from Bean Bag Bazaar, its huge can easily snuggle a staff member plus a gaggle of littleones to share books, stories. Comes in lots of lovely bright colours and we love it. Cost approx £75.00 so not the cheapest product but certainly worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devondaisy Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Thanks for the replies. I would love beanbags but they are so expensive, will have to work on that! Looks like a trip to Ikea would be a good idea, such hardship!! What does everyone have to display the books? Our box isn't much use as the children can't really see what's in there. I've seen some wall mounted plastic covered wire holders which are not too pricey, so considering those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 community playthings 'library racks' for us..............you can buy very similar ones from many suppliers now, but the CP ones are extremely robust. Cost is arounf £220 each with vat now, which is quite a lot if you're on a tight budget, but I think they're worth the money. Having said that, many of the others I've seen aren't much less expensive and are only made of mdf, or similar stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 book area I put this one in the gallery a while ago.. all really cheap to do and loved by the children.. asked parents for old garden umbrella, voiles and large floor cushions.. surprising how many parents gave us stuff they no longer wanted.. this did include beanbags as they buy and then find they get in the way or unused at home.. the book case we bought from here was the double sided one so display on one side and books on the other .. but we did use a wire one for several years which worked really well... just need to teach the children how to put them in.. it was not easy for some.. we then bought a stand for the sun umbrellas at a few pound.. filled with sand and could construct the book corner.. after a while we sound a cheap over bed voile on a ring..( Ikea sell them in children department at 10.20 ).. and used this which is the one in the picture.. we were pack away so had to be able to get all in the cupboard everyday.. and it was easy to do this.. if more permanent we would have hung the ring from the wall on a bracket or ceiling.. but ours was too high for that! didn't take long to do and was always in use.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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