fimbo Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 We have managed to save some money -and have been told we can spend it !! (yay!) Can anyone recommend a good - Pirate ship - for small world play Garage - small world play Castle -for small world play Tablets - are the new kindle fires any good ? child proof ? or any other suggestions ? cheers x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildflowers Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 (edited) Why would you want a pirate ship? Pirates were/are thieves and murderers. I've just never understood their role in early years... OK, they were sailing about, searching for hidden treasures on islands, which is exciting - I get that, but when we have children chanting 'Walk the plank' I have to ask them to stop. To force someone to 'walk the plank' was a way to kill someone and avoid being accused of murder (though would not have worked as an argument as piracy was illegal) or (as I just read) a form of sadistic entertainment. Apparently BBC has a different view on this, given the TV programme that inspires some children (which I haven't watched). Edited December 6, 2015 by Wildflowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I disagree our children love pirates, let's not go over the top with being politically correct with our little ones. My opinion obviously. Asda did a nice pirate ship a while ago but it might just have been a special offer. I have seen a castle recently but can't think where, it will come back to me and I will let you know. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Why would you want a pirate ship? Pirates were/are thieves and murderers. I've just never understood their role in early years... OK, they were sailing about, searching for hidden treasures on islands, which is exciting - I get that, but when we have children chanting 'Walk the plank' I have to ask them to stop. To force someone to 'walk the plank' was a way to kill someone and avoid being accused of murder (though would not have worked as an argument as piracy was illegal) or (as I just read) a form of sadistic entertainment. Apparently BBC has a different view on this, given the TV programme that inspires some children (which I haven't watched). pirates also had a democratic system for sharing loot. They all got the same amount even the captain. Also if you lost a limb you were given a job for life below decks. Would have to say that lots of things in history are somewhat gruesome otherwise horrid histories would be called timid tales :lol: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreveryoung Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 ? this has just made me have a good chuckle - needed one thanks X I have just bought a garage from ELC they had a pirate ship on there too, all in sale Bonus!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildflowers Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 OK, OK. I give in... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 pirates also had a democratic system for sharing loot. They all got the same amount even the captain. Also if you lost a limb you were given a job for life below decks. Would have to say that lots of things in history are somewhat gruesome otherwise horrid histories would be called timid tales :lol: Timid tales. I love it!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 OK, OK. I give in... oh don't do that I like a good discussion! we're all entitled to be unique :1b 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 this has just made me have a good chuckle - needed one thanks X I have just bought a garage from ELC they had a pirate ship on there too, all in sale Bonus!!! I've been to a few garages that are guilty of day light robbery to ;-p 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildflowers Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 oh don't do that I like a good discussion! we're all entitled to be unique :1b I searched for 'pirates' and 'children' and found lots toys and web sites with activities for children in relation to pirates, and even some early years settings called things like Little Pirates. I honestly wasn't aware that they have such big role in children's culture here in the UK. My daughter was never into them and the setting I'm running is mainly in nature and the things we play with inside are not really toys. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 Interested to hear recommendations for tablets too please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 We have the children's tablet from Amazon and are really disappointed with it, I would not recommend it at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Should we not be giving children the skills to use the real thing...the children's kindle tablet has a bumper bar but they ought to be sat down using it, thus avoiding dropping. No idea what the Apps are like but Apple seems to have a heads up although Ive not used that either. I think you need to investigate what you want the children to learn and be able to do with it and then decide on your delivery method! Maybe, its something you can do without? Toys seem to be fast disappearing from the agenda in homes if the disappearance of ELC from the highstreet is an indicative trend, toy shops had already become a dying breed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 The closure of elc is more to do with Mothercare struggling and was part of a cost cutting exercise to prevent the chain going to the wall. Unfortunately they didn't respond quickly enough to keep up with modern shopping trends which includes increased online shopping and a desire to visit larger retail parks out of town centres. Supermarkets have also picked up a larger share of the market. Most children I know have an obscene number of toys to be honest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildflowers Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 I think you need to investigate what you want the children to learn and be able to do with it and then decide on your delivery method! Maybe, its something you can do without? I'm interested in this. What are you using tablets for in your settings that enriches children's play and learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 I'm interested in this. What are you using tablets for in your settings that enriches children's play and learning. for us we use it to aid learning not as a game based toy. So if we are looking at ladybirds in the garden we can find more info or ask it questions that we might not know the answer to (like what's longer a giraffes neck or an elephants trunk!) we have some sound games (for listening skills and eal purposes) also we have used it for my chap who has asd when he first started as a cuddle was no help!...he would have a quick go and then go and play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildflowers Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Sound games we can do without a tablet and Internet access we don't have. As Ofsted put tablet access as a recommendation after their inspection, I need to buy one and figure out what to do with it, which is meaningful and doesn't disrupt play. Or seek exemption. Has anyone out there sought exemption from ICT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Sound games we can do without a tablet and Internet access we don't have. As Ofsted put tablet access as a recommendation after their inspection, I need to buy one and figure out what to do with it, which is meaningful and doesn't disrupt play. Or seek exemption. Has anyone out there sought exemption from ICT? have you looked at the i'm a teacher get me outside here website? Julia is an outdoor teacher who works with lots of IT (photo apps etc etc) you can get a stick to connect wirelessly ...do you have a mobile phone? this could be used too ...all sorts of ways round the issue. why would you want to get an exemption? we can't get rid of IT whether we like it or not...to my mind it's about how to use it positively not negatively! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynned55 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Why would you want an exemption from ict? Love it or loathe it we live in an ever increasing technology world and not to teach children the skills to use that technology is doing them a disservice. Ours use a laptop to gain information, listen to music, look at photographs, watch videos of themselves, share their learning journeys (Tapestry) and all sorts of other learning. However what we are noticing that an increasing number of them keep swiping at the screen, expecting it to move. I was looking at the childrens Kindle Fire as I liked the 2 year guarantee. Certainly wouldnt consider an Apple (as much as I love and use them myself) as the screens are far too fragile. Why did you not like the Amazon one? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildflowers Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 It's just that I don't see the relevance of ICT for young children or that they are missing anything by not having it. Is it so meaningful for them to press a button and see that a photo has been taken, or to see someone type a search words and read something? We talk about uses of technology to see what awareness they have, and ask parents of older children if their child can use a mouse to point and click, and a touch screen to tap, swipe and pinch. We use a digital camera and display photos every day, but that's about it. Because we don't do more, I'm considering an exemption. I will look into the website you suggested, Finleysmaid. Perhaps a new thread on the topic is needed. Or a link to an old one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieT1972 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Going back to the original question about garages and pirate ships..... I would suggest buying some decent blocks, such as Community Playthings (they are well worth the investment) and then the children can build their own! Over just a few weeks we see children develop amazing skills in block building and we feel there is more creativity than just giving them a pirate ship which can be difficult to share. Otherwise, look for wooden garage/ship etc as they seem to last longer than plastic. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 we have a garage, a wooden pirate ship and two castles.......all wooden.......................and all have been in our shed for a couple of years now. As beverley suggests, ALL of those things.....and much, much more, can be made with block play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 oh.........and a wooden doll's house too ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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