Toys: Whereas large-sized toys can be put safely out of the way on shelves or stood in a corner when playtime is over, there is always a need to confine small toys and games somewhere safe, especially if there are component pieces that could easily become lost if left lying about on the floor. For a lightweight toy box, use 'Am (1 2mm) plywood. However, if a large, robust box is needed, then it is best to use Kin (1 8mm) blockboard instead.
Sometimes such toys along with potentially worthwhile and valuable experiences are consigned to, and remain in, the toy box, or alternatively children are given many items to explore simultaneously! In such circumstances the 'toys' frequently become mixed up, constituent parts separated, making 'educational' play described by Sylva et al. (1986) difficult because of the chaos of the nursery toy box which may appear to be a kaleidoscope of colours and small pieces bearing little or no resemblance or relationship to each other. |
