What else should I get for toys, etc?

I haven't been operating too long, but I've saved up a bit of money to get some additional things for my home daycare. Just not sure what to get!

I have playpens, sleep cots, booster chairs, strollers, etc. More looking for stuff for the playroom.

This is what I have right now:
-kids table and chair set
-plush kids chair
-books
-puzzles
-arts/crafts supplies
-board games, cards
-musical instruments
-vehicles
-play house, farm and firestation
-bead maze
-little people
-dolls
-blocks, lego
-puppets, stuffed animals
-tools
-animals
-dinosaurs
-dress up clothes/accessories

I would love some suggestions, if you see something missing from the list that I could get! What do you have in your playroom that the kids get a lot of use out of? Is there anything you would recommend NOT getting?

Thanks!

how about balls or sand toys for the park

Hi! Not sure how much space you have but my school bus slide, playhouse and kitchen got used all day!! Playhouses are big and expensive but a kitchen set is fairly small and encourages so much imaginative play! I got my kitchen for $20 on Kijiji and it looked new so you don't have to spend a lot! I have a tent that I filled with balls, cheap and younger kids love it! Sounds like you have most of the basics already. I wouldn't invest too much more in toys, maybe look for things that encourage imagination or movement instead of a toy that only has one use....does that make sense? I just got a big chalkboard for the wall which I can't wait to get set up!

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Originally Posted by Wonderwiper

Hi! Not sure how much space you have but my school bus slide, playhouse and kitchen got used all day!! Playhouses are big and expensive but a kitchen set is fairly small and encourages so much imaginative play! I got my kitchen for $20 on Kijiji and it looked new so you don't have to spend a lot! I have a tent that I filled with balls, cheap and younger kids love it! Sounds like you have most of the basics already. I wouldn't invest too much more in toys, maybe look for things that encourage imagination or movement instead of a toy that only has one use....does that make sense? I just got a big chalkboard for the wall which I can't wait to get set up!

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I have been looking at play kitchens on kijiji! I just didn't know if it would get much use. The ball tent is a great idea too! And yes, I totally get what you mean about imagination. The chalkboard sounds great as well--wouldn't work in my house tho I'd be sneezing all day! I'm thinking of getting a couple of big bulletin boards to hang up the kids' artwork and such.

MY Play kitchen gets a ton of use! I actually put it in my kitchen and now the kids pretend to cook while I'm cooking. It keeps them close to me, but out of my hair too.

I also have a grocery store/lemonade stand from "melissa and doug" It's fantastic! Kids love to play with it selling and buying and cooking etc. So cute!

Lots of things like this that inspire imagionation and making up their own stories are fantastic. I love to see what they come up with.

A kitchen set gets a lot of play even from the really little ones that aren't really pretending but just putting stuff in and out of the various parts.

You could also consider putting the money into teaching resources that you might use with the kids such as bulletin board kits and borders to decorate the walls or seasonal decorations. I of course am partial to using the feltboard - as you might guess from my name so that would be fun - mine is just a large board covered in felt. I also love love love my pocket chart and have a full size one as well as a smaller one I use in lessons when not using the feltboard cause then I can just put the figures in the pockets - great for counting and matching games.

What about putting the money towards colored cardstock for making games for the kids as in the money goes towards the craft supplies but then the result is games and teaching resources for the kids.

Another option is to just wait a bit and watch the children play and then see about adding to what you already have. Sometimes it isn't something new we need to add but more of what we have - more blocks or more puzzles or another puppet.

Halloween is a good time to pick up fun stuff for playing dress up.

I just picked up 2 new items from a garage sale and the kids have loved them this week! A train set and a whole box of hotwheels....both age groups of kids really seem to like playing with them, especially the train set....they spent hours taking apart and rebuilding the track

Thanks for the suggestions!

I love the idea of a felt board, I'm going to think about that.

I'd really like to get a set of big blocks, you know the brick ones that aren't too heavy, but the kids can build big stuff with them? They're rather expensive new, but I haven't seen any used ones for sale.

Favourites here are definitely the kitchenette with a shopping cart full of dishes and plastic food and my Fisher Price parking garage with lots of little vehicles. They are in use every day. Your list looks like a great start and best of luck to you!

For the big blocks consider making some by joining 2 two litre cartons or covering boxes you have. They will play with them uncovered too so just stuff empty cereal or cracker boxes with newspaper to make them less crushable. The thicker diaper wipes boxes are also great. Problem is storage of course. I know the blocks you are talking about and they do last a long time. Presume people have them and use them till they disintigrate and then recycle them vice sell them. You might try putting a wanted ad up for them and someone who is debating what to do with them might be inclined to sell them to you.

Play kitchen is a must for all ages boys and girls, and I just saw the most awsome toy for little ones about sitting age to oh I'd say even up to 3 and 4. it's called ballapalooza by Little Tykes I think, Its a little more expensive but looks awsome and am saving up to buy for the kids. about 50 or 60$ (US). check it out, so cool looking! :)

Love the concept of that ball toy. I have the discovery toys castle tower and also a boat and other toy that have the balls you put in and they go down. I find the balls simply get tossed as balls and I am constantly having to find them meaning they are now an only under direct supervision toy and the balls are kept up in a jar. The problem then is unless I lift the toy down off the shelf to play it serves no purpose - except for the 3 year old boy that insists on putting hot wheels cars into any crevice he can find so I also have to constantly dig those out of the tunnels.

Also from a putting things in the mouth the balls are borderline and being smooth can actually almost be put in the mouth by some kids. I switched out the balls in two of the toys with the golf practice balls which are hollow and have holes in them so not as much of a danger.

Having said that still going to go take a look at this toy come Christmas and see what I think. If anyone gets it or sees it in action please let us know what you think.

I looked up the "ballapalooza" on walmarts website, you can see it in many dif views, It's def a nice size so many kids can play at once, has many dif options on where to put the balls and what will happen, some come down tubes other pop out dif areas, so active, it would really make a great investment for my daycare for sure. I run my Daycare from my main living space therefore, rather than having a nice play room for ALL the toys, I interchange then through the week. Seems to keep the kids quite satisfied. :) One week it will start with the play kitchens (I have two, they LOVE these) and will end will a something like the discovery toys "ball toss" (it's like a basketball net with 4 dif holes the ball can drop through then roll back to the childs feet) we have hopscotch up the hall some days. :) I just think if the kids walk in the house in the am to see this "ballapalooza" they will go bananas with excitement. Will def be a great addition to my ever changing living room/play room. :)

I used to have one of those toys where you hammer the balls through the holes and they go down through a little maze and pop out the bottom...the kids loved it, but eventually they jammed all sorts of other toys into the holes and I could not get them out, so it was destroyed. I don't know if the Ballapalooza would be the same, but it's something to look out for! I also find ball toys always lose the balls, so they are kind of like puzzles, only used under supervision.

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Originally Posted by playfelt

Love the concept of that ball toy. I have the discovery toys castle tower and also a boat and other toy that have the balls you put in and they go down. I find the balls simply get tossed as balls and I am constantly having to find them meaning they are now an only under direct supervision toy and the balls are kept up in a jar. The problem then is unless I lift the toy down off the shelf to play it serves no purpose - except for the 3 year old boy that insists on putting hot wheels cars into any crevice he can find so I also have to constantly dig those out of the tunnels.

Also from a putting things in the mouth the balls are borderline and being smooth can actually almost be put in the mouth by some kids. I switched out the balls in two of the toys with the golf practice balls which are hollow and have holes in them so not as much of a danger.

Having said that still going to go take a look at this toy come Christmas and see what I think. If anyone gets it or sees it in action please let us know what you think.

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I have found with all toys including balls, interaction with the children is def required. However, by interacting along with the child as they play and explore the many options of the toy, they are also learning so much more than just shoving a toy down the hole. For some reason the ball toys really do seem to ignite a whole new world of "cause and effect" and "problem solving" among ;)many other developmental skills, not to mention they really are fun for all. When I get on the floor with the kids and a light weight ball, we go crazy, we roll it, we toss it, sometimes drop it down a shirt or stick it in a pocket...too cute watching them try and figure how to get it out...:) balls are a def must IMO, I know they can put in mouth or throw them, but there just seems to be so much more positive than negative. Wash them with sanitizer at the end of the day and always make sure "ball" play is supervised and done correct.

Not to mention having to wash all those balls!lol

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Originally Posted by playfelt

For the big blocks consider making some by joining 2 two litre cartons or covering boxes you have. They will play with them uncovered too so just stuff empty cereal or cracker boxes with newspaper to make them less crushable. The thicker diaper wipes boxes are also great. Problem is storage of course. I know the blocks you are talking about and they do last a long time. Presume people have them and use them till they disintigrate and then recycle them vice sell them. You might try putting a wanted ad up for them and someone who is debating what to do with them might be inclined to sell them to you.

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Oh that's a great idea, for using just regular cardboard boxes! What would you cover them with?

Mactac from the dollar store works fine. You can just use brown paper bag type stuff which you can buy on a roll. Sometimes you can get newspaper end rolls and then just wrap it around several times to cover and use the clear packing tape to secure all edges and seams. Putting tape on all the edges will help protect them and they won't wear out as quickly.

If you look online for places that sell boxes such as www.uline.ca you might find you can get some extra thick but plain boxes. Then all you would have to do is seal them closed. In the long run that might be the cheapest way to go compared to buying the brick blocks. Also by the time you buy the mactac you will have spent a few dollars too.