I always have an ever-changing (and ever growing) wish list compiled of interesting and inexpensive goodies that I can add to ny daycare.
The list is made up of Everyday Stuff like craft materials and art supplies, and then there’s The Good Stuff – the harder to find, unique items that hide out in attics, storage rooms and grandma’s cupboards. When I run across The Good Stuff, I feel like I’ve hit the jack-pot. 🙂
Here’s a list of things that I’m keeping my eyes peeled for right now. Please take a peek and keep us in mind if you’re ever tossing or donating any of the following items. We’d love to intercept and give your “stuff” a second life here!
I’ve split the list into categories: The Good Stuff, Treasures, Craft Supplies, Art supplies, Containers, and Instruments (non-musical and musical).
The Good Stuff
- balance scale (the old-fashioned kind for measuring dry items)
- pulleys
- sewing basket
- mortar & pestle
- large magnet (doesn’t have to be horse-shoe shaped, just nice and strong)
- wooden clothes pegs (the old-fashioned kind, not the ones with a spring)
- eye-droppers (or medicine bottles with a dropper i.e. infant Tylenol)
- plastic syringes
- aquarium stones
- rotary phone
- manual type-writer
- jewellery box
- magnifying glass
- jumbo calculator
- silk scarves
- wooden crates
- milk crates
- watering can
- tiny glass bottles and jars
- chalk board brush
- felt-board & pieces
- flat sheets
- plastic table cloths
- rain barrel (with or without spigot)
- large water jug with spigot
- steering wheel
- mail-box
- set of taps/spout for outdoor kitchen
- couple of old tires
- car mat (area rug type with roads or activities on it)
- small wheelbarrow
- Children’s song-book for the piano
- buttons
- beads
- glass beads & baubles
- sea shells
- sea glass
- costume jewellery
- glass or plastic “gem stones”
- marbles
- acorns/chestnuts
- magnets
- teeny collectibles & miniature sets of anything (animals, dinosaurs, sea-life, houses…)
- scrabble tiles
- board-game pieces
Craft Supplies
- artificial flowers and leaves
- tissue paper
- bubble wrap
- ribbon/fabric scraps
- stamps/ink pad
- spray bottles & squirt bottles
- wine corks
- feathers
- “easter grass” (that colourful plastic grassy stuff)
- pipe cleaners, felt, foam shapes/letters, pom-poms, jingle bells, sparkly stuff etc
- stickers
- paper plates, coffee filters,
- crêpe paper streamers
- card-stock
- spools (wood or plastic)
- paint brushes (any size)
- white glue, glitter glue, modge-podge
- tape!! (painter’s, masking, scotch, coloured etc.)
- tempera paints, finger-paint
- food colouring
- Easel
- sorting trays (wood or plastic)
- muffin tins
- ice-cube trays
- jewellery box
- sewing box
- wood baskets/bowls
- plastic storage bins and containers
- large cardboard boxes (if you get a new fridge or stove)
- mason jars
- tweezers (metal or plastic)
- tongs
- stethoscope
- chopsticks
- golf tees
- castanets
- finger cymbals
- maracas
- tambourine
- wind-chimes
- jingle bells
- triangle
- harmonica