IKEA

[Guest]

Don't you just love it spent yesterday browsing and buying for playgroup . Bought some lovely things and spent a small fortune. The challenge will be tackling the flat packs and working out how to attach all the bits to the fence we bought for our mud kitchen.it made a welcome break from paperwork.

[Bigsue]

Was there too now thinking the same thing but my is around our quiet/reading area

My daughter in her school today setting up all her bits

but it is exciting and a great way to start a new term

[Fredbear]

I know it's quite addictive. I love their metal three tiered trolley, great for storing bathroom bits, discovery trolley and mark making tools for self selection for the children.

Great for moving in and out of storage too. A little expensive at £50.00 each but well worth it if pennies allow.

So great I'm off to get another one next week for playdough equipment.

 

So anybody else got any great ideas for enhancements to equipment without costing the earth will be gratefully received.

Happy Shopping. Fx

[finleysmaid]

going tuesday....taking half the staff with me!! (i didn't suggest it they wanted to come )

 

oh and by the way i am the flat pack queen....anyone want a hand give me a call....cheap rates! :blink:

[sunnyday]

NO, NO, NOOOOOOO...........do not make me start thinking about Ikea

 

Another of my fave places - along with Staples and anywhere that I can buy books

 

Happy shopping everyone! :1b

[narnia]

I bought a three tiered trolley for £20 ( the Draggan one), for our mud kitchen.......and lots of little bits and bobs, including big hanging hook things..............have also had several donated items such as whisks, colanders etc......now I just have to sell the idea to parents!

[narnia]

oh yes...........I also bought another little trolley so the children can access the things for snack time, allowing them to set the table etc.........LOVE Ikea

[Froglet]

I live close enough to an IKEA for them to think it's worth posting a catalogue through my door. I have thought for many years though that the catalogue/shop should have a section titled 'Working with children' where the many creative uses for their products that aren't 'normal' are displayed.

[Guest]

What a good idea Helen its suprising what we as a workforce can do with IKEA products. I wanted hooks to add to our fence but didnt want something the children could catch themselves on the strip type bathroom ones are ideal they are like little knobs . It does mean I will have to add loops on to the tools for them to hang but it should work.We have had to be inventive with our fence as it is the old school railing type so after an incident of a 2yr old getting their head stuck (turned her upside down and she came straight out phew) joys of having 2yr olds. We took apart a firegaurd painted it black and have a lovely mesh to hang things on or weave and school are happy because it doesnt look out of place. I wish they sold the little yellow 2 wheel trollys too would defo have a couple of them.

where we will have our new mud kitchen mainly made up of re-cycled stuff it is a small area and we have only a tarmac surface so the materials need to be in tubs with lids (cats) so wanted to purchase some of the IKEA small lided grey re-cycling buckets but they had run out . So we bought some white lided tubs that u hang on changing tables or beds, they have a sort of kidney bowl shape top and tail container (small doll bath) and a smaller tub with no lid they have holes at the back so can be secured and the children will be able to access soil/sand/sawdust/bark etc.

Like u Narnia its persuading Parents this is a good thing though if u look on Muddypuddles they have a great peice on mud kitchens Jan White I think (for persuading staff) and theres a letter for parents job done

[lashes2508]

I too am rethinking our mud kitchen as it has been a real success with the children so today I have posted on FB and freecycle my requirements to upcycle a garden bench and kitchen sink - and make the area more designated and free of grass . Our parents just got on with it because i gave them no choice and when we first started , I put a note on the front door asking parents to come via back gate as we were having an outside day - children loved it although there were a few funny faces from the parents . Its the children who will sell when they rave about what fun they had!

 

Thanks for idea regarding hooks as this was something of a concern of mine for utensils and how to hang .

[finleysmaid]

the cosy catalogue has a set of stainless steel 's' shaped hooks for sale at £12.00 for 30

[Guest sn0wdr0p]

We have the blue bed canopy hung on the wall in our book area which makes it feel rather cosy. The 'hama' beads are really cheap and have gone down really well in our out of school club. We have the mesh type toy box in our toddlers room so I don't have to worry about the little ones falling against hard furniture. They have great numbered mesh storage containers which we use in our numeracy area. I love the children's books they have as they also sell matching soft toys. I always root around in the soft toys as they often sell some that match with other books we have. I bought a kangaroo which goes with quite a few books and I bought quite a few mice for them to hold when we recite hickory dickory dock (we made a great display for this as well) and Three Blind Mice.

[finleysmaid]

We have a plague of mice too...they invade all sorts of things including the dolls house and castle on a regular basis. I think the great thing about these is they are so cheap it's easy to get 10 or so which extends the play scenarios considerably. Have to say that my setting looks like an advert for ikea....we bought all our furmiture for less than £2000 when we moved by bying from ikea and second hand stores! We have lots of the trofast storageincluding low level box storage so that all the children have their own home box (but we use them to devide the room up) and several of the stepped ones too (though we need two more) To be honest i cannot justify spending £400 for 'education' furniture if i can buy something similar for £46!!

For those with mud kitchens have you checked out ABC's blog on the one he made for his neices/nephews...he has some lovely storage boxes from ikea on that!

 

Helen ...why don't you write to them and tell them....you might get some money from them!!!!!

 

We had a huge marble run set up at the end of term the children used the stepped unit to climb to the top!

[narnia]

I thought IKEA DO sell the yellow trolleys? ( I have to be really careful when i go to my local branch..............so far, TWO of those trolleys have jumped into the car;( they must have been hiding behind other cars) and we only found them when we got home.

 

and a fireguard??? what a darned good idea.............I have one of those huge old ones stuffed behind my shed........it's coming out of hiding!

 

I often buy their tiny soft toys............when i do, i tend to buy 11 at a time for counting ( and allowing for one lost/chewed/'stolen') and sorting.

[finleysmaid]

ooh an idea for a new number line....i can see it now... a shoe holder numbered with lots of mice poking out the holes....hummm!

[narnia]

what a fabulous idea.................................pinched

[narnia]

I can't find the Jan White letter for parents...........link, anyone???

[Guest]

the site for the kitchens info are on www.muddyfaces.com its in downloads I cant find the letter on the site but I have it saved as a pdf but not sure how to get it on here soz tec things not my strong point plus just got a new lap top that has google8 on it haven't a clue of what I'm doing.

[Guest]

I'm sorry that is incorrect it should be www.muddyfaces.co.uk

[Guest]

I can send the letter to parents in an email if anyone wants to inbox me their email also the pdf for the setting up of a kitchen the Jan White one

[Guest]

I was there too - buying a small bookcase and a canopy for the book area.

 

what yellow trolleys??

[Guest]

I was there yesterday and RESISTED mainly because the hubby was with me.

The new number rug in the new catalog pg 238 looks good but wasn't there yet- defining number shelving. We use the hanging bathroom storage for playdough area. The children love the plastic placemats to create 'my working area' Theres a lovely soft toy dragon for £5 on my list and a larger rug with buttons on for a keyworker area. From an idea in the catalog I've found my tin of blackboard paint in the garage so I can paint an old LACK table for outdoor marking. I still intend making the wigwam from the ikea plan but they appear no longer to sell the childrens fabrics in 3metre lengths like they did.The four section expedit shelving unit makes a great dolls house that can be accessed from both sides and divides areas. I want 2 of the small wicker chairs for the quiet area. The waste sorting bins with the half hinged lids are great for outdoor toys and the children just lift a flap and access what they want. Oh! and finally theres a children's height chart sticker which will be heading my way when it arrives in store. Theres a wooden stand to put a roll of paper on that I'm thinking of for outdoor-hoping it will fit wallpaper too!.

 

How about spraying the fireguard mesh with metallic paint to protect and make it brighter?

 

Best of all if I mention a trip to IKEA the family groans and doesn't want to come so I go early (to avoid the crowds of course) stop for a paper on route and eat a full cooked breakfast with a free cup of coffee and have some me time

[Fredbear]

Narnia sorry to ask but what is a Draggan trolley?

[Inge]

Draggan trolley

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/70245594/?query=DRAGGAN+Trolley

 

like this one with the deeper baskets.. but cost may come into it..

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/50227973/

 

We used these buying the bits to make wire basket system on wheels.buy a lid to have a shelf on the top. brilliant for the water toys or sand ones..

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/departments/bedroom/11466/

ours were a donation by a parent who was throwing them out... and surprised us at how many uses they had..

[calicojo]

We have their KUSINER hanging wall pockets which are brilliant for storing the children's special things that they bring in and also rolled up drawings etc - each child has their own named pocket and they can access them as they want - great for ECERS requirements and fine to leave out on the wall in our village hall as we are a packaway setting.

[finleysmaid]

ok slight change of plan had to go today rather than yesterday......bill was only £360! :blink: :blink: oohps!

 

Mind you that included 55 mousse' for a new number line!! Thought for one minute the cashier was going to count them

[Froglet]

ok slight change of plan had to go today rather than yesterday......bill was only £360! :blink: :blink: oohps!

 

Mind you that included 55 mousse' for a new number line!! Thought for one minute the cashier was going to count them

 

I would so love to have seen the cashier's face!

 

I went today too but came away with nothing - had a very frustrating shopping afternoon all round!

[finleysmaid]

I would so love to have seen the cashier's face!

 

I went today too but came away with nothing - had a very frustrating shopping afternoon all round!

Obviously the key is to take my two daughters with you...they are a BAD influence! I'm sure half that stuff just appeared at the counter! (which IKEA did you go to??)

[Froglet]

Obviously the key is to take my two daughters with you...they are a BAD influence! I'm sure half that stuff just appeared at the counter! (which IKEA did you go to??)

 

Nottingham - it was therapy after having spent the afternoon trying (and failing) to buy new curtains. I need to go back to school clothes shopping tomorrow :blink: Are your daughters free? Do you want to lend them to me for a day? Going on past experiences I'll probably manage to finally buy something around February!

[finleysmaid]

Ah quite happy to go to Milton keynes...have a friend who lives round the corner!...Happy to lend my daughters ...oldest one works for me so knows her stuff! Youngest one still recovering from Reading festival and only came for the meatballs and chips ...discovered a Dunhelm mill (sp?) on the way home...hear they do good curtains!