Signs in the garden!

[Guest]

A recent inspection at a nearby nursery from Ofsted stated they didn't have enough signs in the garden. We had lots until I ripped them all down last week as they secured on the fence panels by staples, which were frowned upon! Does anyone have any amazing ideas on how to displays signs in the garden? Without the use of staples! Many thanks xx

[LKeyteach]

Don't understand why you are worried about staples? If you use a wall stapler should not show. I have used stapes into fence posts and my labels for the garden are quite secure.

I also use cable ties, you can buy in wilkos or b&q. You have hole punch into your display then secure around fence post or chain link fencing.

[Guest]

We are wanting to undertake the Ecers and Iters audit which states 'Staples- Can be used in an ECERS-R classroom as long as all children are over 3 years of age', and seeing as our signs would be at the level of two year olds and we take two year olds, we are trying to think of an alternative x

[Guest]

I was on a course with someone recently and they had just completed the audit, an early yrs setting, and they had to stop using staples at the children's height, and take all the staples out.

[finleysmaid]

for us this is a bit of a problem...we have an open and very WINDY site! every time i put up 'signs' they blow away. However i assume that this is about literacy in the outdoor environment...so i think i would concentrate on this personally. Do you have texts available outside? is there mark making going on? etc etc this is not about labelling everything !(went to a lovely nursery some time ago where every single thing was named!!! the children did not pay any attention to them because they had been there for forever!

...just seen your other post ..not aware of this criteria...you may not be able to achieve all areas of ecers as it is an american system and is based on their policies

[Stargrower]

I can't really see the problem with staples either. If put in with a staple gun, they are so securely fixed, it takes forever for an adult to get them out again! :1b

[finleysmaid]

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=273

 

hehe ..you might want to have a look through this American article.....a bit over the top IMO! especially when it comes to the bit about staples (it also says you can't use blutac...in which case my pre-school would collapse!)

[Guest]

Hate ECERs, just not applicable anymore to currents ways of thinking. (That out of the way) we use a line and pegs. We are packaway so have to take them down.

[woodlands1997]

We don't have signs as such in the garden. We have road signs one of which says stop and all the bikes have numbers on but we have lots of other literacy based resources as finleysmaid said which is surely the main thing! At one point I did make some laminating signs but they just got ruined ridiculously quickly!!

[Guest]

At one point I did make some laminating signs but they just got ruined ridiculously quickly!!

agree!! sometimes the time spent making these things does not outweigh the benefits to the children and I despise that Ofsted reports are flagging settings because 'labels' aren't clearly evident in the environment.

 

for us this is a bit of a problem...we have an open and very WINDY site! every time i put up 'signs' they blow away.

yessss! Us too :angry: and I fear if we were to display the children at work in the garden the wind will blow the photos away and they'd be strewn in the street and then we'd be flagged for a safeguarding issue (paranoia has returned!! :blink: ​ )

 

the local garden centres use waterproof signs in their outdoor bits - could you beg a few old ones as they are usually blank on the back - paint/permanent marker your signs and string up

some companies also do reasonably priced banners and you can ask for your own photos/pics to go on - failing that can you beg off cuts of vinyl from a wagon company (used for the curtain sides of lorries) and use for signs - they can be punched with eyelets simply enough

Shower curtain rings are proving useful at the minute here - broom shank screwed to a fence and the curtain rings clipped on...or you can get the metal ones cheaply - they have a little squeezy gripper clip hanging from them; great if your material doesn't have holes - and if pulled they just unclip

 

just googled...on a roll now! decking planks cut into shorter pieces; gloss painted with numbers/words or 'singed/burnt' (no idea how you do this though and wouldn't attempt it as I'm accident prone!) Drill holes and thread nice sisal or chunky string through

that cheap plastic party bunting (or vinyl/tarpaulin made into bunting) to string a number line or alphabet line

I'm sure Alastair at ABCdoesypepad.com has covered signs and labelling

Edited April 12, 2014 by gingerbreadman

[apple]

Whilst I kind of understand where some people are coming from in making certain environments more literate/numerate, you know sometimes one feels that the pressure to add things like number lines/ alphabet etc is ridiculous - do we see this in the natural open spaces of the countryside? Do most children rush out and say "ooh I just have to go and do some number recognition on that soggy and faded laminated sign that is collecting mildew on the back of the shed" ?

Honestly - we need to treat out outdoor spaces with more integrity and understand that there are far more things about being outdoors that make them a unique space to play, breath and be healthy and happy in without blooming phonics being rammed down their necks 24/7… sorry rant over Ignore me I just needed to get that off my chest :-)

[LKeyteach]

Too true Apple

I have avoided letters and numbers on display but display pictures. Around my planting areas I have photos of the children doing the planting (incase they have forgotten what they did).

Funny faces near the mirror which the children sometimes try to replicate.

Not sure what Ofsted would say, but the pictures are being used by the children which is more important, I think.

[finleysmaid]

 

I have avoided letters and numbers on display but display pictures. Around my planting areas I have photos of the children doing the planting (incase they have forgotten what they did).

 

so how do you fix these then?

[LKeyteach]

In some parts of the garden I have a picket fence, so have stapled pictures to this. In other parts of the garden there is a chain link fence, so have used cable ties for this part.

The pictures usually only last a season, so do have to be replaced, I don't mind doing that, especially the photos as the children move on or other things happen they need to be replaced anyway.

Should also mention photos are laminated before displaying.

Although I have used cable ties on the picket fence, I attached saucepans to make a sound wall.

[lashes2508]

We have the shapes and custom made signs in our yard , I did move them to child eye level though as originally were too high, we have a fab mural too done by local artist, blackboards in our mud kitchen , easel and mark making opportunities , I have just dismantled old caterpillar tunnel but have kept the feet and shall be painting 0- 9 on them ( love upcycling) , we don't have lots of print outside , children have opportunity to create their own . We were told Ofsted would frown on the ivy and living fence , I told them that we teach children about the dangers of plants as this is how they learn , inspector was more than happy with that , I even used the term we don't wrap them in cotton wool !

[finleysmaid]

In some parts of the garden I have a picket fence, so have stapled pictures to this. In other parts of the garden there is a chain link fence, so have used cable ties for this part.

The pictures usually only last a season, so do have to be replaced, I don't mind doing that, especially the photos as the children move on or other things happen they need to be replaced anyway.

Should also mention photos are laminated before displaying.

Although I have used cable ties on the picket fence, I attached saucepans to make a sound wall.

i have unfortunately tried all of these! they last a day or two if i'm lucky! if we put them on the end fence they get blown off, the side fence they get ripped and they don't stick to the render on the walls so i'm a bit baffled! cosy do some acetate type circles which you can sandwich things between ...i thought this might be a good idea might try a couple and see how we go (i double laminate anything we put outside)

I don't really 'do' number lines but i have bought some very inexpensive sand flags from asda this term ...wrote 1-20 on them the children have had a ball but i need to go and source some stronger sticks for them as they didn't last long

[LKeyteach]

Have you tried the coffee stir sticks from starbucks?

[finleysmaid]

Have you tried the coffee stir sticks from starbucks?

good idea...i'll nick some (er sorry.... borrow???) next time i'm in

[lashes2508]

I found a lovely idea on Pinterest ( addicted to it) it was sticks with part of the bark sliced off on one end and herb names put on , this is print, name the flowers or herbs you have growing, paint numbers or letters on pebbles , more natural in the garden then lots of laminated signs , bird houses could be numbered and we have some long posts that need reinstating that have ladybirds and numbers on , sunflower planting is an ideal opportunity to get numbers outside

[lashes2508]

Here's a pic , or another is using corks !

[finleysmaid]

ooh might pinch this for my allotment!

[lashes2508]

ooh might pinch this for my allotment!

I know great are'nt they FM , I have just acquired my allotment and despite OH not being a gardener , he has been fab with the rotivator and has even done some for others, I must say it's another little community to tap into and we have edged it all with old fence planks and are going to make a compost path too , we have also upcycled some metal table legs for frames , we are having a cake, coffee and cultivating weekend with our new allotment neighbours

[finleysmaid]

I know great are'nt they FM , I have just acquired my allotment and despite OH not being a gardener , he has been fab with the rotivator and has even done some for others, I must say it's another little community to tap into and we have edged it all with old fence planks and are going to make a compost path too , we have also upcycled some metal table legs for frames , we are having a cake, coffee and cultivating weekend with our new allotment neighbours

i share my 3 (!) with another family...have had them for about 6 years now and just starting to feel like i sort of know what i'm doing. We all have different things we like to do and they compliment each other well although haven't done so much over the last year or so as i just seem to be so busy...need to get off the forum and get down there a bit more

[sunnyday]

I know great are'nt they FM , I have just acquired my allotment and despite OH not being a gardener , he has been fab with the rotivator and has even done some for others, I must say it's another little community to tap into and we have edged it all with old fence planks and are going to make a compost path too , we have also upcycled some metal table legs for frames , we are having a cake, coffee and cultivating weekend with our new allotment neighbours

Ooooh - exciting - enjoy lashes - Mr S and I are comparatively new to this gardening malarky - but have to say we love it! :1b

Ooops apologies lizr - we have hi jacked your thread rather - we have gone from signs to allotments/gardening - sorry........

Edited April 17, 2014 by sunnyday

[Andreamay]

love the idea of the sticks and photos of the children planting! I often put photos of the children making a display next to the display but didnt think of doing it outside! doh thankyou

My tip is to double laminate signs/photos and I also use mix of wall staples on a picket fence and ties and yes they are replaced usually after a very wet spell! I always print 2 of the basic signs so jsut need to laminate it to replace it!

Andrea