Saturday, January 2, 2010

Sewing Projects I have Lined Up

I have quite a few projects lined up for my sewing machine this year. Here is my get-started list:

  • Playsilks for kindy
  • I have purchased patterns for projects from here - flirty skirt, fling top, the versatile wrap and discovery bags (that one is for kindy too)
  • Aprons and book bags for gifts
  • Alter a tablecloth we were given for our wedding to fit our much smaller table and use the off-cut for napkins
  • Love this pattern for a halter top but will have to save up I think!
Just a few things to get me started!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Creative Play for Little Hands

I have been searching for ideas for open-ended toys for the children at Kindy. We have a lot of equipment that needs replacing in the next 3 years and I want to make good - lasting choices about the kinds of things that we can choose to give the children.

My criteria are the following;
- must be durable and long lasting - 45 children a day, 52 weeks a year
- preferably open-ended or multi-purpose
- cover a range of developmental areas
- no small parts - most toys in the center are used by children from 6 months to 6 years
- easy to clean and meeting Australian standards where required
- low environmental impact where possible
- cost-effective or low cost

Gee! I don't ask for much do I!

This is what I have come up with so far:
  • Playsilks
  • Discovery Bags - will have to alter the pattern as the plastic beads would be a choking hazard
  • Bilibo - I love this idea, but I think it is financially too expensive for the centre (we would ideally need 6-8 of these)
  • Home-made Dollhouse furniture that we could make ourselves with the children
  • Tyre Garden Bed (see below) we already have tyres for free from a local tyre store. We just need to organise soil and plants!


















Do you have any other ideas of things that we could make or provide for the children?