Family and dramatic play

Dough

• dough
• a range of utensils, for example, rolling pins, shape cutters, garlic press, pots and pans, durable plastic cutlery and scales.

Dough can also be used with natural materials or collage items for creative play.

Family play

• small table and chairs
• tea set
• stove
• sink or bowl for dishes
• dolls, dolls bed, bedding
• prams, pushchairs
• ironing board, iron, brooms
• telephones, cash register.

Dramatic play

• dress up clothes, for example, doctor, police, fire-fighter, animal suits and other unisex costumes, ballet costumes, overalls, hard hats, cultural costumes and fabrics
• accessories such as hats, scarves, belts, bags, shoes
• mirror (safety glass or filmed, fixed to wall)
• accessories for shop, office, medical play and so on.

See under books/language/music for ideas for music and dance.

Provision for infants and toddlers

• soft toys and dolls
• small prams and pushchairs (well-balanced so do not tip easily)
• baskets for carrying things.

Exploratory play

Science

• magnets and a collection of items to test for magnetism
• magnifying glasses
• bug catchers or insect viewers
• scales, prisms
• collection of natural materials to classify and investigate for example, shells, leaves, stones, feathers, bark
• Sets of high-quality plastic creatures for example, domestic animals, dinosaurs, sea creatures
• circuit board or collection of electrical components
• provision for growing indoor plants, seeds, bulbs, etc
• a ‘feely box’ of assorted items for children to experiment with
• materials for mixing (for example oil and water)
• science books.

Live animals (insects, frogs, spiders, and so on) should be observed with care and returned to their natural environment as soon as possible.

Water

• water trough or plastic bowls
• sieves, funnels, boats, measuring beakers, jugs
• pumps and waterwheels
• plastic tubing, bottles, sponges
• items for floating and sinking (wood, stone, cork, shells, and so on)
• bubble-making shapes and mix

Equipment from other areas can also be used with water for example, dolls and dolls clothes for washing, brushes for painting with water, tea set for washing.

Provision for infants and toddlers

• a collection of different textured items for children to touch, taste and feel. Ensure items are non-poisonous and larger than a ping-pong ball to avoid choking.
• use fabrics of different textures (lace, hessian, fur, linen) to make balls, rugs etc for babies to play with
• provide a SHALLOW bowl of water and items for babies to splash and play with.

Constructive play

Blocks

• multiple unit blocks (plain wooden blocks cut to specific sizes)
• smaller blocks (could have smaller coloured blocks or Duplo)
• small and large cars, trucks and trailers
• plastic animals and people
• road signs (could be homemade)
• pieces of wood, card, fabric

Provision for infants and toddlers

• wooden or plastic hammer board.

Sand: outdoors

• sandpit and cover
• shade in summer
• tap/hose for water
• a selection of buckets, spades, shovels, rakes
• scoops, funnels, sieves
• trucks, diggers, graders, and so on
• PVC pipes and guttering, planks of untreated wood
• natural materials, for example, rocks, tree trunks, leaves, shells, flax
• driftwood, small planks.

Sand: indoors

• tarpaulin for the floor
• trough for sand and/or water
• dune sand (this can be purchased by the sack from hardware shops and stored in a bucket).
• equipment to fill, pour and sieve, for example bottle funnels, cups, water/sand wheels, spoons and small spades
• dustpan and brush.

Junk

• large cardboard or wooden boxes
• old curtains, bedspreads
• cable reels, tree stumps
• steering wheels, tyres
• planks of wood.

Carpentry

• a sturdy workbench at child’s waist height
• vices attached to ends of bench (left hand and right hand) or G clamps
• trolley or shelves for storage of wood, tools and accessories
• soft untreated wood in a variety of shapes and sizes
• hammers – light weight, adult sized
• variety of nails, magnet to pick up nails
• saw, small – ensure it is sharp
• good quality hand drill and bit, screws, screwdriver
• pliers (to hold nails with)
• sandpaper and block
• ruler and carpenter’s pencil
• accessories, for example, bottle tops, pieces of leather, fabric, card, vinyl, PVA glue, paint, rubber bands, cotton reels, natural materials.

Note: It is important to use real, well maintained, adult tools that work properly when children use them.

This activity is more suitable for older children and should always be closely supervised.

Physically active play

General

• movable equipment (for example, planks, reels, boxes, ladders, tyres, tunnels)
• swings
• slide
• hessian or old sheets for tunnels, houses
• covered mattress for rolling and tumbling
• space to run
• balls in a range of sizes, ropes, hula hoops
• trolleys, push and pull along toys, wheelbarrows.

Any fixed outdoor equipment should meet current New Zealand safety standards.

Copies of safety standards can be purchased from Standards NZ.

SNZ HB 5828.2:2006 – Standards New Zealand

Provision for infants and toddlers

• indoor/outdoor baby swing
• soft balls
• push and pull along toys
• baby gym
• textured rugs and cushions for infants to crawl over.

Books and language

Books

• bookshelves or display case
• chair or sofa where adults can sit with young children
• carpet square or floor cushions
• range of picture books to suit different ages, including:
  • story books
  • nursery rhymes/fairy stories
  • poetry/rhyme and finger plays
  • colours/numbers/shapes/size
  • science and nature
  • New Zealand stories
  • Māori stories
  • stories from other cultures
  • special topics, for example visit to hospital, new baby
• books which reflect children’s day-to-day lives, for example farming
• books which reflect children’s special interests, for example horses, dinosaurs
• books which show males and females in non-traditional roles
• puppets (displayed), wall friezes, pictures (at children’s height).

Provision for infants and toddlers

• board, cloth and plastic books
• picture books with simple text
• mobiles.

Music and movement

General

• display board for instruments
• tape deck and tapes
• song books/charts
• a selection of musical instruments, for example drums, bells, tambourines, shakers, maracas, clappers, cymbals, wood blocks
• a selection of dancing accessories, for example scarves, bell wrist bands, streamers, poi.

Provision for infants and toddlers

• rattles
• squeaky toys.

Creative play

These activities can be done on easels, table tops or the floor.

Painting

• aprons
• drying rack or line and pegs
• easels
• paints (powder or liquid tempera and pallet)
• plastic paint containers
• brushes of different sizes, rollers, and other items for printing and painting
• a selection of paper, cardboard and natural materials for painting on
• Formica squares, sheets of plastic or tabletops for finger painting.

Drawing

• paper of different size, texture, colour
• crayons
• plain and coloured pencils
• chalk
• felt tip pens
• rulers.

Clay

Purchase clay from Playcentre shops, quality toy shops or local potters' association. Detail the sort you want for example white, red, brown, smooth or gritty.

• bucket with lid for storage
• hessian (to work clay on)
• cutters (wire or fishing line)
• sponges (to keep clay moist)
• a selection of natural materials.

Collage

• glue (polycell and PVA), containers and brushes
• variety of cardboard and paper
• scissors and snips that cut properly, Sellotape, string, stapler
• variety of boxes, cartons and tubes
• variety of materials for example wool, fabric, natural materials, old cards, egg cartons, crepe paper, cellophane, magazines, glitter, corks etc.
• Messy play
• use a trough, trays on a table or, if on the floor, use a tarpaulin.
• ingredients to make play materials for example cornflour, Lux flakes. Polycell paste
• hand beaters, bowls, scrapers
• buckets for handwashing
• aprons
• towels.

Refer to Learning Environments for Playgroups for recipes.

Play ideas for learning – Tāhūrangi

Manipulative play

General

• carpet square or table and chairs
• a range of picture puzzles to suit different ages, from simple 1-piece puzzles with knobs to the more complex
• geometric and serrated puzzles
• form, fraction and shape boards
• collection of items for sorting by type, colour, size (natural materials such as stones, leaves, shells are good)
• items for matching for example, socks, shells, stones, leaves
• threading materials (ensure items for threading are too large to fit in a film canister – young children may choke on anything smaller)
• posting and nesting boxes
• games such as dominoes, picture lotto, patterning
• screwing activities for example, nuts and bolts, plastic jars and lids
• interlocking block sets for example, Duplo, Lego, Mega blocks.

Provision for infants and toddlers

• baby ‘activity boards’
• cradle gym or hanging frame with interchangeable objects
• stacking toys
• Duplo, Primo
• simple posting boxes
• simple inset puzzles with knobs
• rattles.

Other equipment

In addition to children’s play equipment the group may need the following:

Kitchen equipment

• adult cups, teaspoons and so on
• electric jug
• containers for tea, coffee, milo, sugar
• plastic children’s cups
• tea towels (wash regularly)
• cutlery, vegetable knife/peeler
• container to store this equipment (named and mouse proof).

Cleaning items

• broom
• mop, bucket
• cloths
• cleaning agents (ensure stored safely out of children’s reach)
• bowl for children’s handwashing (if needed)
• hand towels (wash regularly).

Preparation equipment

• large bowl for mixing dough, finger paint
• saucepan or electric fry pan for cooked dough
• spoons, spatula, eggbeater or whisk
• storage containers for flour, cornflour and so on.

Parent resources

Provide a range of books for parents on such topics as:

• behaviour management
• children’s development
• parenting
• health and safety
• music and play ideas.

The Ministry of Education also has a range of pamphlets available for parents.