'old Toys' Activity Suggestions

[Guest]

Hi everyone

 

I work in a local authority museum, and do various sessions with Foundation Stage children in our local area. Last term I took out a box of replica 17th century household items and did a session called 'Imagining the Past', which was really well received. This year, I've been asked if I can do something based around old toys. I've dutifully gone out and bought a huge box of replica historic toys (and have pinched some 'new' toys from my daughter's overflowing toybox as a contrast!), but I'm not quite sure how to organise the session.

 

I usually have half a class (15 children) at once, for about 30-40 minutes. For the other session, the children sat in a circle and I passed items around for them to feel and smell, and at the end they could try on hats and wigs. This worked really well with children from 3-5, but I really don't want to do something similar with the toys, so children get to play with them more. The only idea I've come up with so far is to introduce the box as a 'magic toy box', full of old and new toys that have got all jumbled up. I'll then ask children in pairs to choose something from the box, work out what it does (some of them aren't obvious!) and then put it on a mat labelled 'new' or 'old'.

 

What do you think! Have any of you used museum education services with your groups and seen anything that worked well? You're the experts and I'd love some advice before I descend on all Aston's children!

 

Thanks very much indeed

Rosie

[Guest]

Wow, that sounds good & I reckon people in your area are fortunate! There's been nothing like that for Early Years in Lincolnshire, but a new museum just opened in Lincoln so maybe things will change!

 

Can't come up with many suggestions, therefore! I do know that we had a group of boys last year who were fascinated with anything to do with castles, knights etc. I don't know if that leads you anywhere. Also someone brought in a stone axe that had been found in a local field, and that held their interest too.

 

Best wishes with it!

[Guest]

I think your idea is really good, I'm not sure if the children at this age will fully understand the concept of "old" in this context, unless some introductory work has been done on "things we used to use in the past (that we don't use now) and things we use now"

In their eyes, I think, anything they haven't seen before may be thought of as "New" even though it is old ( if you know what I mean)

 

Older children may be able to answer questions of what is old, the younger ones will however, I am sure, thoroughly enjoy exploring "different" toys, which they may not have seen before, and may not see again.

 

It sounds like a lovely project for the preschools to extend after your visit with further activities of "Old" and "new"....or "past and present."

 

 

Wish you were in my area.

 

have fun.

 

 

Peggy

[Beau]

If you were going to do this Rosie then I think it would be important to have like for like. For instance, a new and old teddy, a wooden and plastic train etc. Sounds like a great idea - good luck!

[Guest]

Hi Rosie,

I am in the process of looking at toys of the past and I found the best way the children understood was to explain they were the toys their granparents used to play with when they were small. Also find some old black and white photos so they can visually see a difference

 

Have fun

 

Net x

[Guest]

Thanks for all the advice everyone - I tend to use my daughter as a pre-school guineapig, but it's good to get a bit of a broader range of opinion!

 

On another note, it might be worth contacting your local museums if you do want someone to come out for a session - not all museums do it, but they might not have realised that people are interested, and they might also have loans boxes available. It's worth a try!

 

Thanks again

Rosie

[Guest]

Hi Rosie,

I am in the process of looking at toys of the past and I found the best way the children understood was to explain they were the toys their granparents used to play with when they were small. Also find some old black and white photos so they can visually see a difference

 

Have fun

 

Net x

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We do a little survey (Reception) where the children have a picture list of toys and with help from home they have to tick which ones they have themselves, which ones their parents had and which ones their grandparents had. The first time I did it I was shocked to find some grandparents had used gameboys (or similar) - I must be much older than I thought because I don't remember seeing any when I was a child!!!