Check your fridge. Although the inspector usually will not look in your fridge, you may need to get something for the children to eat or drink and she/he may be standing behind you. If your fridge is full of diet coke as mine is you may feel it is an idea to change this for fruit juice or bottled water. Also make sure there is no alcohol in any of your cupbourds or fridge.
Matches and cigs a no no. As is sharp knives in drawers.
Have your fire blanket handy, display your fire drill, clear exits - are they clearly marked?
On the healthy eating side, I have an old woman who swallowed a fly puppet and a puppet dressed in a doctor outfit. I sat the littlies down with play fruit and veg and acted out the story of the old woman. I then said she had sore tummy, and sang miss molly had dolly who was sick - enter the doc - then I asked the littlies what she should eat to make her healthy. The children chose to feed her the fruit and veg etc. Using puppets and props is popular with ofsted as is starting with one theme and letting the littlies move you onto another.
Another easy and cheap activity I did while on my inspection was to get the children to make headbands with cardboard ears stuck on them. The children wore the headbands to walk round the setting to 'listen' to various sounds (washing machine, radio, cd, tv (turned on and off again) bell, door banging, etc. Ofsted like to know you are teaching the children to listen as well as speak.
I have made 26 letter bags which are hung above the coats by my front door. In these bags are items starting with each letter. Some of the things are really unusual. The children love these bags and will go and choose one to explore, spontaneously and when asked. Even the toddlers will go and point to them. There are things in them like 'b for bus' we sing wheels on the bus. If you dont have time to make material bags, look for cheap white pillow cases on the market and make a few, you dont have to do 26, just say its work in progress.
We have made an 'alphabet book of the setting' in it are pictures A - Z of the children I mind doing things that are relevant to them. Eg. Picture of one of the children called Laura Laughing for the L page. Another of a child I mind ironing under I for ironing. Another of myself having an Xray at the hospital when I hurt my foot. The kids love this book and even the toddlers can tell you what the letter is and what it is for. Because they can relate to it.
Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy. I have a 'shop' in the corner of the playroom. We stock this with real food from the supermarket. The children take turns to work in the shop, as cleaners, shelf stockers, sales assistants etc. We sell the food to the parents. Anything that isnt sold I use for the day for snacks or I use for my own family. The kids learn to count etc and the parents are really happy to buy things that they have suggested themselves. I know toddlers are perhaps a bit young for handling money, but they can handle laminated money from ELC, and they soon get the concept.
Knowlege and understanding. I have a box with pictures that I have cut out of old magazines, car boot bought books, leaflets in doctors surgeries, etc. These pictures are of all nationalities, ages (very old, very young and in-between) children crying, laughing, scared, animals, homes, etc etc, it is my kuw box,the pics are all laminated (tip is to put the pic onto white paper, cut round it, then laminate, that way you will only have the pic you want in the box not half a pic on the other side which could confuse). The babies, toddlers, and kids love getting this box out and it is great for making conversation.
Physical Development: I bought a couple of pieces of end of roll carpet in different colours (some shops will give you this free), I cut out shapes - red squares, yellow triangles etc. and use these to do lots of activities with the children. I have very soft balls and pop up bins for the kids to practice their aim. I have ribbons bought from a car boot, fastened together at one end for dance routines.
For a quiet reading area, I haven't got room for a permanent place so I took a pasting table, removed the legs, put in hooks about half way down each side (inside) and put net curtain rail across. I filled this with books. The kids decorated the outside of the table and this made a portable book case. I made some cushions and matching bags to take to the library. Each bag has a see through pocket where i slip in the child's photo. I made the pockets by cutting up an old raincover and sewing it onto the outside of the bag. Ofsted liked the connection between the setting and the library.
When I do observations of the children, I put in a place for parents to make their own comments, it could be to let me know the child has done this at home or that parents would like me to expand on this aspect of their learning etc. Parents are given the observations at the end of the week and they give me them back on the Monday, I then use the information on these to plan for the next stages.
For hygiene I rang my local council and asked to borrow their glitter bug pack. This consists of a plastic dome which has a ultra violet light in it. The children put the powder on their hands then wash it off, they then put their hands under the dome and watch how the light picks up any powder still on their hands. I explain this is how germs survive and the importance of washing their hands thoroughly. Makes great pictures.
Am I ranting or do you want more?