Froglet Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 I really want to improve my small world provision. It's a bit 'nothingy' at the moment and is something I tend to feel I've just got out rather than something that is really providing some good learning opportunities. I've recently acquired a bit of furniture which I think I can use to store small world sets which will be far more accessible to the children. So, I'm looking for ideas for the kind of sets I could create. I'm sure I read a discussion about this on here not that long ago but despite much searching can't find it again. So, based on what my children have been into so far I have: 1) space, 2) pirates, 3) princesses, 4) fairies, 5) dolls house, 6) dinosaurs, 7) farm. Has anyone got any other suggestions? Also, as I get going with setting them up would anyone mind brainstorming what I could put in them? I'll ask the children too but I want to make sure I get some grown up ideas for learning things in there too. Apologies for the long paragraph - enter key still not working! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 (edited) Shops, holidays, jungle, hospital. Watching Grease so can't concentrate, sorry Edited March 27, 2013 by Rea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 what might your children have some experience of? We have a castle near us so we have a small world castle. If you are in an urban environment is there anything near you that you can get in mini version (fire station/police station/multi-story car park??) if you have lots of farms near you then farms and farm equipment . I think if you have a limited budget i would start with building on their knowledge first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 jungle, artic,insect world, building site, knights, fairy tales, commerical sets such as happyland and peppa pig, I keep my sets in boxes, labelled and ready to go and introduce them to a playtray as interests dictate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Charity shops for small toys, fabrics and bits and bobs. I got one of those textured/feely octopus things for the ferrets, it was 99p! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 ferrets Rea???!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 (edited) Yes 4 and they need new toys a lot hence my trawling the charity shops every so often. We have one nearby that seems to specialise in dressing up outfits, that's bookmarked for playgroup Edited March 27, 2013 by Rea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froglet Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 Thank you for the ideas. Can't believe I didn't think of castles as we've had several of varying sizes and sorts for ages which they have loved. Finleysmaid - thanks for the local environment suggestions. We're in an odd place - farmland on one side and small town on the other which is where most of the children come from. I always seem to have at least one farming family but they vary from year to year about how keen they are on small world play. This year they've just trashed (literally) the farm set every time we've had it out. Obviously I'll be flexible with current themes/interests however they change but I want to give myself a head start. Rea - if you're watching Grease how about a high school/fairground/race track small world set up?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Oh yes, the fair has come to town, bumper cars, Ferris wheel, donuts, candy floss. Good luck shopping for all of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluestar Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 We have a farm, dolls house, construction set with diggers that I ofen add sand and gravel to, a jungle track with jeeps and animals,fireman sam station and lots of happyland that I try to keep in sets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 I was recently reminded of something I'd previously done in the small world - we were a bit strapped for cash and couldn't afford new resources but one day I just left some small junk modelling materials near the small world. Combined with the existing resources the children made their own environments very successfully. So much so that after that we tended to supply the people and animals, leaving the children to build the environments from small wooden blocks and junk model materials. It helped develop the creativity and meant we could focus resources on the figures and speciality bits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 what might your children have some experience of? We have a castle near us so we have a small world castle. If you are in an urban environment is there anything near you that you can get in mini version (fire station/police station/multi-story car park??) if you have lots of farms near you then farms and farm equipment . I think if you have a limited budget i would start with building on their knowledge first. Relevant, relevant, relevant. I like it! :1b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lou73 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 What about getting some little triangular bases of wood with a central slot. You then take photographs of the children and laminate them. You then slot the photos into the wooden bases so they stand up, so the children can play with them. What's interesting is.....that they choose to access other people rather than themselves. Hope this makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 What a lovely idea! :1b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 (edited) What about getting some little triangular bases of wood with a central slot. You then take photographs of the children and laminate them. You then slot the photos into the wooden bases so they stand up, so the children can play with them. What's interesting is.....that they choose to access other people rather than themselves. Hope this makes sense. we did this, found that the credit card size laminate pouches were very good size for this, and easier than cutting up or laminating lots in a big page. They loved them and was one of those things that helped the children feel they belonged there, They took them home when they left the setting..think idea i 'borrowed' came from a New Zealand setting that did this Edited March 28, 2013 by Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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