Where To Get Good Resources

[Guest]

I am so impressed with this site! So glad I joined! The only problem is I spend too much time browsing all the different posts! I have resorted to eating my dinner in front of the computer! I am in awe of all the different ideas people have but also glad to see that many people have the same worries as me (although as an NQT I worry about everything!)

 

My main question today is where are the best places to get resources from? I work in the nursery class of a primary school and have found that the Maths resources are particularly poor. Also the outdoor resources are not great which makes outside planning hard! Are there any good catalogues for early years? Has anyone got any easy ideas for making their own resources? I have a few websites to look at that I found on the forum but any more would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[apple]

Hi Ellie82

I usually find the EarlySteps catalogue very good (TTS) you can find it here

 

http://www.tts-shopping.com/testframes.asp?Curr=UK

 

NES Arnold, Galt and Yorkshire Supplies are fine but sometimes a wee bit pricey

[Guest]

Yes I agree the Early Steps is great - its kind of set out in a FS curriculum way. I also find places like Homebase quite good for all sorts of bits and pieces (eg large seed trays for gloop etc) and drain pipes and guttering for outside area and seeds etc. Do always check everything is safe for children (obviously....)

 

Have you got a local Scrap Project or store - these can be great. Usually your sch has to belong and then you go along and can stock up very cheaply.

[Inge]

Schools surplus

 

feebies for teachers

 

early years resources

 

step by step

 

Just a few of the many web sites some you can order catalogues from

 

Being a charity and always finding cash tight, we often look for ideas and them make a product or similar idea ourselves....they are good for ideas but if you are just a little inventive you can often make them for a lot less, or use something you already have in a different way.

 

Inge

[Guest]

I agree early steps have some lovely resources, Hope Education are also good - although as someone else said that sometimes it's worth getting all the catalogues in just so you can get some good ideas which you can easily make up yourself for little or no cost and then you can always use them for cutting up.

 

Which reminds for maths must make up that number washing line - two colourful plant pots filled with cement with two pieces of dowell, (spelling) joined together with a piece of string with some pegs, laminated numbers printed off the computer. Cost about £20 in the brochure for something similar. Can then be used for displaying all sorts of things, sequencing, grouping, and as a bonus children learn to use the pincer movement with the pegs as seen in "pencil control". Must get to Homebase now - have got the inspiration to knock this up.

Nikki

[Jackie A.]

For a really cheap home-made resource I made some number skittles. These were made about three years ago and are still surviving and used all the time in the Nursery garden.

 

I saved ten 2 litre lemonade bottles. I covered them with coloured sticky-back-plastic and then put a large number 1-10 on each. I put a little sand in each as a weight and glued the lids on.

 

They can be used in so many ways:

 

sequencing the numbers correctly when standing the bottles along the wall.

 

rolling a ball to knock down specific numbered skittles

 

children take it in turns to roll and record - one child, armed with clipboard, records which numbers are knocked down.

 

adding totals of numbers knocked down.

 

for the very young I chalk circles on the ground with the numbers 1-10 in them and the children match skittles to numbers.