Ceramic Tea Sets?

[HoneyPancakes]

I have a good selection of plastic food and tea sets, and 'kitchen items'. I know there has been quite a lot of discussion before about real food vs plastic and real kitchen items vs plastic, but I am considering getting rid of most of the plastic stuff in favour of a nice little ceramic tea set, the likes of which I had as a child. Also saw a 'real, grown up' set in a charity shop the other day which made me wonder.

 

The issues I wonder about are mainly about safety of using a product that might break leaving cutting edges, but I feel that the plastic items just don't warrant respect from the children. It ends up in the sand and water and slotted down between decking boards.

 

In my imagination I see a tea set being used for practising pouring and role playing in a 'special' way. Am I being too wistful? Maybe I should have both?

 

Your valued feelings please,

 

Honey

[Inge]

I worked in a setting and always wanted to put 'real' items in the home corner... the plastic just did not get much play other than tipped over the floor... always voted down though.

 

Out of choice I would love to have given it a go and see what happens.. we did have real cutlery in there by the time I left so had made some progress, and they were used more than the plastic ones... they also used the real pans , wok, and other items I had managed to sneak into the area, by the time anyone noticed they were playing happily with them with no incidents so stayed..

 

I would try it out.. risk assess the possible issues, and supervise well until they are used to the idea it is real and could break.. and see the response... compare with the way the plastic is used and decide which is best for the children...

 

I wonder if once using the real would they use the plastic in the same way or still throw that around?

[Guest]

Hi,

 

We use ceramic Ikea set inside, which is cheap so easy to replace if something does get broken. It also comes with small real cutlery. We use plastic stuff outside.

 

It helps if your home corner is carpeted but occasionally something is smashed. We did lots of explicit teaching of how to use the crockery when it arrived as they expected it to bounce like the old plastic set. We also keep a dustpan and brush in the homecorner to aid any mishaps!

We cook with corks, shells, conkers etc.

[Lorna]

Please be warned- I was given a second hand Ikea ceramic set of cups and saucers and my toddlers managed to smash them by banging them togther a few times- the two cups that broke when into very small shards and were very sharp. Nice to have out for guided play but not for independent play.

 

L

[HoneyPancakes]

Many thanks all,

 

Looks like I'm going to be stuck with the plastic, but definitely getting rid of the food. Most cups will go into the sand and water play things and I'll make up a 'special' set for proper role playing - I know, I know - Child's interests and all that but this is about me and what I want!

 

Honey

[finleysmaid]

honeypancakes ...go for it!! we have an ikea set at pre-school (and have had most of it for a year now) we do get occassional breaks(rarely chips as it is quite thick) ...yes it is risk assessed and if you ask any of the children they will tell you that they have to be careful or it will break...they also know if it does that they must come and get us to help. They love it and have proven themselves quite capable of looking after it...it is never throws...unlike the plastic one! even by my children who have additional needs and are inclined to throw quite a lot of toys. We have tried to give children more things that will break to teach them to respect the toys...the attitude of oh you can buy another one really makes me cross we also use real teapots and tiny cups and saucers in a separate area...great for motor skills and judgement as to when to stop /full/empty etc etc if we don't teach children to use these things then when will they learn???