Where to buy special needs / multi cultural toys etc

just ordered some bits off a company called crafty devils.com. They have some sets of paint in human skin tones. Service was good too, while online they phoned me as my order was not going through properly. The order will be despatched today.

chocolateannie - i might be interested in buying some multicultural toys off you

what do you have

You can try your local council they have toy Libaries in some areas Like Kingston upon Thames and they lend toys out .Just ring up your Council and ask for the specail needs dept your community nurse can help as well .
What do you need I have some that I was thinking of selling on ( not high prices) just a little to cover P&P
Let me know Annie

Hope education do an extensive range not sure about the prices though. can't do links for some odd reason but their web addy is www.hope-education.co.uk

This site sells the plastic figures of people with different abilities. They are very good value. Look on the Early Steps and then Small World pages for block people - differing abilities. Their catalogue is very good too and worth asking for.

I sell Mini-IQ books, (we've still got both the 'All kinds of ...beliefs, homes, bodies, people and also the and wipe clean sets) so if you want to order some you can order direct from me (Cat me) or I can find another associate closer to you.

Linda

Usborne do a lovely set of books for £4.99 each

Called Daisy The Dr, Vicky the Vet, Frank the Farmer, Tessa The Teacher and some one the firefighter!

In Daisy the Dr the receptionist is in a wheelchair, and the books also have lots of people/children with different skin colours.

They are lovely books for around ages 2-6. My 4 year olds love them

Baker Ross have some puppets, dolls and pens/ paints/art materials in a full range of skin tones here

Formative Fun have lots of good stuff.

Another good source is www.letterboxlibrary.com
my early years department in Leeds to put together a whole list of multicultural and special needs toys and books.

What a lovely range of products

Hello
Im a childminder who also runs a small business selling diversity rewources for childminders. Take a look at www.theequaloppshop.co.uk , its safe and secure to order from as we use paypal
Thanks

I went to local Mini IQ evening parties (party-plan). My receipts state that their website is this and phone number 0870-165-0223. They do loads of other books which my minded children love - wipe/clean learn-to-draw activity books on Things That Go and Animals (children trace over shapes, letters, numbers etc. to help practice drawing and writing in fun way). And no, I don't work for them!! I expect you can get them from Amazon?? They are written by Emma Damon or Emma Brownjohn.

Katymac - All Kinds of Homes includes everything from what homes are built of, different countries, different types of "kitchens" and bedrooms etc. If you've got the other ones, get this one too!! It's just as good.

I have 4 of those (not the house one - is it good) The others are great

Got super interactive books via Mini IQ - All Kinds of People, All Kinds of Beliefs, All Kinds of Bodies, All Kinds of Homes, All Kinds of Feelings. They cover just about everything OFSTED would want you to have! There's a beach scene in the Bodies one which includes able-bodied people together with people using wheelchairs, crutches, and with prosthetics. My minded children are fascinated with these books (with multiple flaps to open, tabs to pull, card wheels to turn) and they give a great starting point for many discussions.

They also do basic signing board books.

Got lovely story books from Amazon (Boots for a Bridesmaid, Don't Call Me Special, Rainbow Joe and Me, Mama Zooms etc.)

www. positive-identity.com has loads of stuff but the P&P is 20% of your order up to a maximum of £10 (Sorry can't figure out how to type it so you just click on it!)

Theres "The festival shop" as well (0121 444 0444 for a free catalogue) they have some good stuff but a bit on the expensive side (8 dolls £60.00!!!)but they're lovely they also do a book called All Kinds of Beliefs which is really good my dd reads it every night before bed! shes only 3. At my first inspection (The interview stage) the inspector was really impressed with it and she now recommends it to other childminders

Oxfam do alot as well but not all stores books you might have to ask where the local one is.

I found alot of mine at car boot sales and second hand shops most of them seem to be from schools

Hope this helps
Karen

You can take your ncma insurance card in and they will give you a discount card for you to keep. We get 10% but does exclude some stuff like paints, crafts that sort of thing.

sorry to butt in - but always makes me smile a little all of this "we must have ethnic toys for hte children to play with business"....The first time my SIL saw a black baby doll was when she came to the UK, she grew up with white dolls, and all the dolls her DD's played with are white too

This is what I have and where I keep them - not sure it matters?

Books - in book case with others
Asian Family - smallish figures - kept with all other figures/'little people' people
Mexican and Indian soft toys - just happens to sit on my draws inside the little people bus (just coz they fit!)
Black doll - again kept on top of draws as no room in draws.

Think that's it.

Good luck in town. I'm off to take my little monkey to toddlers - spent the last hour insisting he doesn't want to go and now it's already started, he wants to go and I've just got him dressed - very lazy day

bye for now x