In the current economic climate, with budget constraints so often at the forefront of decision-making, early years settings are rarely able to buy everything on their 'wish list'. There will always be resources and items of equipment that are only needed from time to time - to support one particular child, to explore a specific project or theme, or to celebrate an annual festival, for example. Buying items that will only be used infrequently not only puts a strain on nursery expenditure, but possibly presents long-term storage problems too. So it makes sense to look around for other, cheaper, ways of acquiring some of the things you need.
Libraries
One of the first ports of call is your local library. Many give special nursery borrowing privileges and all book loans are free, enabling you to provide constant variety in the book corner. There are other more specialist items that your local library may be able to supply too:
- Information books for occasions, such as craft or fancy dress ideas, seasonal recipes or festivals.
- Books to help with one-off situations. For example, if a child in your care has to wear glasses, is reluctant to give up his dummy or is struggling to come to terms with the death of a pet, there is bound to be a useful information book or a relevant storybook to share with the children. When the book has 'done its job' it can be returned.
- Extra large versions of children's picture books, making it easier for a group of children to see the illustrations clearly during story times.
- Storysacks containing scenery, props, puppets, board games, information and ideas to encourage children to interact with and get the most out of a story.
- Dual-language titles for a child whose first language is not English. These can be a valuable settling-in tool and a useful bridge between nursery and parents.
- Story and nursery rhyme tapes or CDs, video and DVD films, either free of charge or at a fraction of video store rental charges.
- Nursery classes may also be able to access their local council's Schools Library Service, offering multiple copies of books, large format titles, subject-related kits and other learning resources.
Toy library schemes
Toy libraries exist in most areas around the country. They are a great way for parents to borrow and 'try out' larger toys they may not have permanent room for at home, toys they cannot afford to buy, and ones they are not yet sure their children will enjoy. Nursery settings can get involved in this process too, forging links with their nearest toy library, investigating the possibility of borrowing toys for their own use, or setting up a toy library of their own to lend out toys not currently in use at a small fee, thus generating income and reducing storage problems.
Resource boxes
You may be lucky enough to have a museum in your area. Many will lend or hire out resource boxes, containing artefacts and hands-on objects, which introduce children to history, art, science or local information in a fun way, and are almost as good as a visit to the real thing! The Royal Institution of Cornwall developed a project with Truro Nursery during 2007 to explore how young children can engage in museums, and this has since extended into workshops and the use of loan boxes. Similar projects now operate all around the UK. Contact your local museum to find out what educational materials may be on offer.
Specialist resources for sensory or speech and language development may also be available to borrow locally, to help a particular child or for more general use. Ask at your health clinic.
Many local councils and government agencies operate road or fire safety training schemes which include the loan of resource boxes and role-play equipment. Children are never too young to be introduced to the concepts and practices of staying safe, and using interactive play equipment is a fun way to do it. So, before you invest in any safety-based resources, check whether there is a loan scheme near you.
Sharing and renting
It is always worth approaching other local early years settings to discuss a sharing arrangement before investing in large-scale expenditure. Some equipment, such as lawnmowers, laminators or video recorders, may not be used often and could be purchased or hired jointly. Larger toys and outdoor equipment can be shared or swapped between settings to provide variety. When arranging author, poet or travelling theatre company visits, or the hire of bouncy castles and equipment for summer fetes, you can expect a significant discount if two nearby events can be organised at different times on the same day, saving on delivery, collection and travelling expenses. And, of course, costs can be halved if the children from two neighbouring settings can be brought together in one place for a shared event.
To find new and second-hand items for rent you could try using an internet community website such as RentNotBuy. Items on offer are changing all the time, but may include musical instruments, bubble machines, PA systems, sports gear and gardening tools. Registration and use of the site is free at www.rentnotbuy.co.uk
Resources around the UK
Here are just a few examples of resources available to hire or borrow. Although most only serve their own local area, you can use them to explore possibilities and to seek out similar resources available near you.
- London Borough of Hillingdon Libraries offers a special library card for early years settings, playgroups and childminders, enabling them to borrow more books for a longer period. Their Schools Library Service provides artefact collections, project boxes and other resources suitable from age three, to subscribing schools. www.hillingdon.gov.uk/libraries
- Easton College in Norwich hires countryside resources to Norfolk schools for a small charge. Nurseries can hire incubators and brooders so children can watch chicks hatch. www.nfel.org.uk
- Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery hire out over 200 different resource boxes free of charge to schools in the Birmingham area and beyond, covering topics as diverse as ancient Egypt, natural history and toys of the past. http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/2004/loans/faqs.htm
- The Museum of Scottish Lighthouses hires out a nursery loan box, based on the popular story 'The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch' by Ronda Armitage, with a real lighthouse lens and flag, activity sheets, cut-out models and books. Another box, Inspirations, provides a wide range of activities relating to the lighthouse. There is a small fee. http://www.lighthousemuseum.org.uk/education/LoanBoxes.htm
- East Dunbartonshire Council hires out a range of 'discovery' boxes to local nurseries, containing props to use with stories and rhymes - the'Mary Mary Quite Contrary' pack includes grass mats to sit on and watering cans. www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk, search under 'discovery boxes'.
- East Midlands NHS Speech and Language Therapists have developed 'Listening Bags', containing activities, nursery rhymes and books, for nurseries to use in partnership with parents. http://www.tin.nhs.uk/index.asp?pgid=6991
- Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service lends Nursery Resource boxes to local settings, free of charge - but numbers are limited. These contain small uniforms, helmets, jigsaws, fire safety posters, books and information for staff. www.leicestershire-fire.gov.uk/services/education.shtml
- West Dunbartonshire Council supplies Pre-5 Road Safety boxes on free loan to local early years settings. These contain books, jigsaws, flipcharts, and an interactive road layout called 'Streetfeet' which includes road user tabards, crossings and destination mats. Play road signs and traffic lights are also available. Around 75 to 80 per cent of eligible settings make use of all or some of the resources annually. www.wdcweb.info/transport-and-streets/road-safety/pre-5-education.
CASE STUDY
The Sure Start Children's Centre at Barra Hall in Hayes, Middlesex, has special borrowing privileges at its local library.
'Our membership card allows us to borrow 25 children's books for six weeks, while most library users only get to take ten for half that time,' says Alison Dunstone, the children's centre services co-ordinator. 'This means we can change our stock around as often as we like, and find lots of useful information books we might need just for a one-off festival or project.
'We have sometimes forgotten to return books on time, and we once dropped a slim paperback down behind a fixed wall panel inside our Playbus. Although we knew where it was, it was impossible to retrieve, but the library is keen to encourage young children to read and has never charged us any fines. Ours is very much a multi-cultural community and we once borrowed the library's entire stock of Polish dual-language books in order to help out a family who had no children's books at home in their native language!
'Through connections with publishers and Bookstart, the library also supplied us with free resource packs, songsheets and balloons to enable us to hold a pirate-themed party and to celebrate the cartoon dog Kipper's eighteenth birthday last year.'
