Tweet
What are you rules with toys during free play?
-
-
Put away what you are done playing with before moving on to the next thing.
Share and include others.
NO throwing or playing rough with toys (no roughhousing in general)
Inside voices
That's about it for me. Oh! No toys allowed in the living room. I only have this rule because I hate it when the toys get lost under the couch. -
Not much! They can play with whatever they want.
If the floor gets to the point that no one can walk then they pick up.
Free play is only twice a day for about a half hour - hour at a time so it doesn't get to out of contol. I find anything longer here fights start to happen.I have a young group though so I'm sure older kids can do free play a little longer.Comment
-
I can't list all the rules about free play here. I can't even remember them all until I see someone breaking one of them.
The basic rules are:
PLAY with the toys. Do not misuse them.
No throwing toys EVER.
Keep toys on the floor; keep trains on the table. No toys on the walls or steps.
No licking, chewing, mouthing toys. No toys in your pants or down your shirts. No toys in your socks.
Bins are not toys. You take the toys out and put the bins back on the shelf.
Books are in your hands at all times. No books on the floors. Books are not toys.
Do not stand on, sit on, or walk on the toys. No toys "on" you either. No toys on your head, nose, foot, etc.
The toys are mine and I share them with you. Therefore, you will share with everyone else.Comment
-
Great thanks! Sometimes I think I'm too strict BUT I do all this too so I guess not.
Comment
-
Comment
-
I dont have any special rules during free play that don't apply to our entire day.
Play nice, safe and fair. Everyone has fun and is respectful.......Comment
-
Nannyde, Most of your rules I also enforce, but have not written them down or even thought much about them. Most of the things you mention end in a fight and the toys go to toy time out anyway. But no throwing, knocking around, building way too high unless supervised, etc, are all followed here, but not really a "rule", just common sense. Like you said in your last post - just because it is free play does not mean we can be rude or careless.Comment
-
I know Chrystal posted about "this doesn't sound like free play" but I wanted to respond also.
Wow! After about 6 rules they started kinda blurring together. I don't seriously know as an adult if I could remember all those rules. I'm not joking either-that is alot to remember. I don't know if I could remember all those if I had made them unless I had a sign hanging up with them written down.
Some of them seemed to repeat themselves also, maybe that is why there seemed to be so many.Each day is a fresh start
Never look back on regrets
Live life to the fullest
We only get one shot at this!!
Comment
-
Comment
-
First, you say that this is a "partial list" of the rules....I can not even imagine there being more. I am not copying all of the ones you linked to here even, but these specifically I think are borderline absurd:
Blocks only at the block table. NO other toys on the table. so, no toy animals, props to use with blocks?
No toys above the shoulders. Ihave never understood why providers do this.....yes, I realize it can fall down and hit them. it's a good way for them to learn how to build stable structures that don't fall.
Block towers.. build wide then build high. No tower height above shoulders. same as above.
Take block towers down don’t knock them down. Don’t take your friends down. I'll agree on the not taking friends down. As far as knocking their own down, well, Half the fun of using blocks is knocking them down.
One hand on cars or anything with wheels. No two handed walking/running behind cars. One car in one hand at a time. No running two cars at one time in each hand. do you really enforce using only one hand on a car? what a waste of time.
NO DUMPING we've discussed that on before....I won't go into it further.
No repetitive clicking of toys. Not even sure what this one means? Can you please explain?
No carrying around heavier toys. Pick toy out of bin and pick a piece of floor to play with it.
Two kids only on each big toy (like kitchen or doll house) I cannot imagine limiting the kitchen to two kids....we have some fab tea parties and restaraunt play with much of the group at one time.
No “roar”ing or other loud animal sounds or monster sounds. seriously? they cannot dramatic play animal sounds?
No “stacking” large heavy toys on top of small toys. Stacking needs to have the base be broad and the top not be top heavy. I think this is one they need to learn on their own, from experience.
Play all “non fixed” toys on floor. Fixed toys are kitchen, doll house, tool bench, block table and the toys that are with those sets. I have never really understood the no table thng you have there, could you please explain it to me?
No dropping toys. When you get them out PLACE them on the floor. When you put them back PLACE them in the bin or slot.
Do you mean intentionally dropping them? I cannot imagine that it never happens accidentally, so you must mean intentionally?
I get to define “play” though. Well, of course you do.Comment
what she said! 
Comment