Need help for playgroup - help me spend the money!

[moomaa]

It looks like the playgroup we run can get a grant for some new toys, we have to say what we want in the grant application. I am guessing about £200. Any ideas?

It needs to fit the following criteria:

• kids 0-4 will have access to it so it needs to be safe for littlies.
• It needs to be indestructable (I was thinking wooden might be good?).
• We have a no batteries rule (as it gets too expensive) and a no hammers rule because kids will be kids......
• Would be good to be more for the older end of the age range as we have lots of baby toys, people seem to be happy to donate these.
• Am trying to avoid lots of little pieces as it seems the littlies scatter these then the big ones loose interest.

After that fussy list all ideas gratefully recieved

[moshie]

Some of the most popular toys at the toddler group I go to are:
the play kitchen
Little Tikes Cosy Coupe, and various other ride-on toys
garage and cars ( although the cars do tend to go walkabout )
dolls prams and pushchairs
slide, tunnel and small trampoline, but you would need protective mats to go with these.

[Marne]

sand table, easel, trampoline, play kitchen, toy garage, ride on toys, dolls house, wendy house.

[LostGirl]

Musical instruments.
Playdough and lots of different cutters, rolling pins etc.
Construction toys, I know you don't want lots of little pieces but these are especially good for the older ones, ie duplo, sticklebricks etc.
Something like the Happyland Sets, (if you are a toddler group you can get 10% of at ELC) for imaginary play.
Definitely a kitchen and lots of food and saucepans.

[heather1980]

the dressing up box is always popular at the one we go to
the play tent and tunnel also gets a lot of use as does the play garage and cars

[OmicronPersei8]

A really nice wooden garage and some wooden cars.
Some Duplo.
Playdough cutters and rollers.
An indoor slide?
A kitchen.

[nellie12]

Are you happy to spend it on 1 item?

A wooden train set on its own table has the advantage of being off the floor and kids love it.

[IWillNotNeverEatATomato]

I would second a wooden train set (brio or similar)

but rather than putting it on a table, save some money by screwing the track down to a big piece of plywood (or several smaller pieces) so that it is really quick and easy to set up and put away and the children won't get really angry at each other about it getting taken apart every 5 mins.

a kitchen and pots pans and food
or a shop

[BertieBotts]

All our local sure start children's centres have a lot of ikea stuff - it's a good place to look as their toys are good quality, good value and lovely and bright.

[moomaa]

Thanks, some good ideas here. For a start I didn't know ELC gave you money off for being a toddler group and I hadn't thought of IKEA. I'll go have a look online now

[moomaa]

An update in case anyone is interested, I got the grant and actually got just under £800 .

Thank you for all the responses. We decided to go for expensive wooden stuff that none of us can afford or have space for at at home.

So we got:

• A wooden wendy house that can fold up, made of panels
• 2 wheely bugs
• a ride in car
• balls and stompers
• A big wooden dolls house with furniture and dolls
• A wooden kitchen and some play food and pots and pans
• 2 magnetic drawing board things
• An 'exploring magnetism' board
• A baby push along thing
• A baby activity cube

And some musical instruments!!

I am still wading through the paperwork etc but some of it has started to arrive at my house and I am looking forward to taking it in for everyone to play with

[oldandknackered]

Well done, Moomaa!

Can I ask, who did you receive the grant from? What was the criteria for making the application?

Sorry to pick your brain, but our pre-school is in desperate need of funds, too.