activities for re-opening??

[Mouseketeer]

Gravel pits? Is that a no too?

[finleysmaid]

42 minutes ago, Mouseketeer said:

Gravel pits? Is that a no too?

have you polished each piece first? to ensure there are no rough edges?

[Mouseketeer]

22 minutes ago, finleysmaid said:

have you polished each piece first? to ensure there are no rough edges?

Haha the rough edges aren’t the problem it’s the smooth shiny bits 😝 

[Stephen]

Our #EYshare chat tonight on twitter is about fine motor skills - this is one of the questions: 

 

Any thoughts on playdough?!

 

Stephen

[Mouseketeer]

Individual pots? Set of own resources, washed after use, would have to be adult led though to ensure no mixing or eating, couldn’t really share resources in a bubble as they could  contaminate a rolling pin them the next child use it ... it is totally going against the grain of “share the playdough” or I would think play as bubble for a short period sharing playdough and resources then ditch?

Edited May 27, 2020 by Mouseketeer

[Stephen]

10 minutes ago, Mouseketeer said:

Individual pots? Set of own resources, washed after use, would have to be adult led though to ensure no mixing or eating, couldn’t really share resources in a bubble as they could  contaminate a rolling pin them the next child use it ... it is totally going against the grain of “share the playdough” or I would think play as bubble for a short period sharing playdough and resources then ditch?

I think i'd be inclined to go with the latter of regularly refreshing the dough, although it will mean production on an industrial scale!!  Maybe a fresh batch daily for each bubble?  At least the cutters/shapes etc could be washed regularly - that could become an activity in itself.

[finleysmaid]

I have come to a similar conclusion witht the mud kitchen....will provide a set of tools/pans etc and a bucket of mud....this will then be put on the garden at the end of the session and start again for the next group. 

[finleysmaid]

can gardens gets covid??!!??!

[Mouseketeer]

3 hours ago, finleysmaid said:

can gardens gets covid??!!??!

You’re soon going to find out ...don’t forget to record your findings 😝 

[sunnyday]

3 hours ago, Stephen said:

I think i'd be inclined to go with the latter of regularly refreshing the dough, although it will mean production on an industrial scale!!  Maybe a fresh batch daily for each bubble?  At least the cutters/shapes etc could be washed regularly - that could become an activity in itself.

Hmmm - could we even resource the flour for daily play-dough making?

I think I would just go with the 'no play-dough' at all 

[finleysmaid]

18 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

Hmmm - could we even resource the flour for daily play-dough making?

I think I would just go with the 'no play-dough' at all 

I have come to the same conclusion. I haven't been able to get flour for 7 weeks!

[Panders]

Finleysmaid - the chances of getting flour through usual channels such as supermarkets is probably a bit tough to say the least, the last time my tescos had any was about 8 weeks ago, although I did manage to get some with my on line shop, but in person, sadly, never any there.    HOWEVER,  I do frequent my local farm shop for veggies and they have started bringing in huge bags of the stuff and we can weigh out what we want.    Maybe you have someone doing something similar nearby if you want it, not necessarily for school.

Ive also got some air drying clay leftover from nursery days, (not sure how long that keeps must go take a look).   That though, might be a good lockdown activity and if the poppets make something and paint it, it could be a keepsake for their "time capsule" boxes :O)

[GFCCCC]

1 hour ago, finleysmaid said:

I have come to the same conclusion. I haven't been able to get flour for 7 weeks!

Are you attached to a local school at all? At two of our settings, I have contacted the catering staff in the school to ask if I can fill up my flour buckets from their storeroom when they come in to get the kitchen ready next week. 

[finleysmaid]

great ideas thanks. We're not attached to a school and i have been getting flour from a lovely organic mill in 16kg sacks for myself and a friend. But i am also feeling guilty about wasting food...i've never really had an issue but i am struggling to sort this out in my head at the moment. I have used food stuffs for play for 20 years and never felt like this but the first couple of weeks were a bit squeeky round here and now guilt has crept up on me.

[Stephen]

In case you were interested in seeing some of the conversations from last night's chat:

https://wke.lt/w/s/k7omGH

Thanks

Stephen

[Mouseketeer]

On 27/05/2020 at 09:14, finleysmaid said:

I have come to a similar conclusion witht the mud kitchen....will provide a set of tools/pans etc and a bucket of mud....this will then be put on the garden at the end of the session and start again for the next group. 

I’ve decided to provide a tub of sand from the sand pit they can’t get in 😢 for the mud (sand) kitchen and ditch between groups.

[finleysmaid]

19 hours ago, Stephen said:

In case you were interested in seeing some of the conversations from last night's chat:

https://wke.lt/w/s/k7omGH

Thanks

Stephen

you'll have to forgive me but i have no idea how to access this! do we have to join up and then log in to get it?

[starsdance]

I've been told no sand, play dough, mud or water by my LA advisor. I agree with the first three but will have water outside with bubbles. If anyone sneezes in it it can be tipped out, cleaned and refilled. 

We are planning on being outside for as much of the day that's possible. Going in next week to get it all sorted out and building a new indoor climbing frame that was delivered two days after shutdown. 

[finleysmaid]

1 minute ago, starsdance said:

I've been told no sand, play dough, mud or water by my LA advisor. I agree with the first three but will have water outside with bubbles. If anyone sneezes in it it can be tipped out, cleaned and refilled. 

We are planning on being outside for as much of the day that's possible. Going in next week to get it all sorted out and building a new indoor climbing frame that was delivered two days after shutdown. 

sort of makes me realise i don't miss the advisors too much. 🤣

 

[lynned55]

On 27/05/2020 at 12:39, sunnyday said:

Hmmm - could we even resource the flour for daily play-dough making?

I think I would just go with the 'no play-dough' at all 

We couldn't round our way. Unless its strong bread flour- but not sure you could make playdough with that

 

[louby loo]

Well My Asda delivery man was most perplexed with my 6 cat litter trays in my delivery this evening. He thought he was delivering to a mad cat lady 😂

[Stephen]

On 29/05/2020 at 07:04, finleysmaid said:

you'll have to forgive me but i have no idea how to access this! do we have to join up and then log in to get it?

Hi, no, you shouldn't need to join anything to see the link and read the summary of the conversation.  If you wanted to join in with the regular chat, that would be through twitter, and you would need an account.

 

Thanks

 

Stephen

[finleysmaid]

1 hour ago, Stephen said:

Hi, no, you shouldn't need to join anything to see the link and read the summary of the conversation.  If you wanted to join in with the regular chat, that would be through twitter, and you would need an account.

 

Thanks

 

Stephen

Aha fine on my phone...no access on my laptop. Thanks.

[enuffsenuf]

On 24/05/2020 at 09:33, finleysmaid said:

I was having a think about this and have decided i am just going to throw the children outside and just let them run around like banshee's for about 4 days before i even try to have a conversation with them i have been told mine are mostly feral 

not feral at all doing what they should be doing and as many of them might have been caged for 9 weeks they need to express themselves and move.

[enuffsenuf]

On 27/05/2020 at 08:31, Stephen said:

Our #EYshare chat tonight on twitter is about fine motor skills - this is one of the questions: 

 

Any thoughts on playdough?!

 

Stephen

I have made a bag of playdough colur coded for each day (so at the end of the session it will be chucked) and don't really see it any more of a risk than any other resource which might be shared/mouthed....until you get it back out you can educate them on the new rules....and you wont really know whats workable with your group.   I tried separate bags of resources for each child yesterday and that had failed by the time the fourth child came int as they all wanted to explore what each other had got in their little bag.....so we gave up worrying.