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$20 Challenge!
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 4:36 pm
by Rebecca
My director has recently given me and the other group leader at our centre $20 for a $20 challenge. It is apparently a challenge in which we have to get as much new resources for our room for as cheap as possible! She sugested things like new multicultural outfits for home corner, getting different scarfs from around the world to decorate the room! Anyone have any good ideas? I cant make it to any second hand shop as they all have pretty bad opening times! Any help would be muchly appreciated!
Re: $20 Challenge!
Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 12:19 pm
by Lorina
Great idea!
Second hand shops is probably the best way to go but if you can't make it to any you could try "weekend garage sales". Some other options to look for resources are on Ebay, Bargain Shops, Lincraft, Spotlight etc. On I just thought of gumtree.com.au. You can buy just about anything from there.
Let me know what you come up with,
Cheers 
,
L.A
Re: $20 Challenge!
Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 4:42 pm
by Rebecca
I live in a rural area, so I guess Ebay and gumtree may be my only hope! Fingers crossed!
Re: $20 Challenge!
Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 6:57 pm
by Lorina
Hi Rebecca,
Just remember if buying second hand items to disinfect them and wash them before giving them to the kids or using them as resources in your room.
Another way to get Resources is to simply put up a sign in your room asking parents for items. Often enough they have a whole bunch of stuff they just want to get rid of and would be more then happy to donate it to the centre. The sign could be like "Turning Trash Into Treasure" - We would really appreciate any unloved items that we could use in our room. The children have great imaginations and will love turning your trash into treasure.... I don't know... something like that. Just an idea...
OH before i forget also you know how every few months the council does those big clean-ups and everyone throws everything out... well during that time keep your eyes open because you can find some great things to use. I recently found a blackboard, a wooden table and chairs and a bag of sea shells! I couldn't believe it???
I really like the idea of a $20 challenge... do you get a prize at the end??
,
L.A
Re: $20 Challenge!
Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:24 pm
by Rebecca
Hey, thanks for all your help!
Innitially we were going to get a prize for the challenge, but me and the other group leader decided we didnt really need one.
In the end I bought four flags off ebay (australian, england, italy and Japan) I went a little over my budget ($5). I bought my flags large enough to put them over a table and to use them as a tablecloth etc. From there im going to ask for donations, create some resources and even use some we already have and each week set up a table with the flag on it, with items that originate from that country on the table e.g for the australian flag, im going to put indeginous instruments, toy native animals, a puzzle which is a map of australia.
Eventually I hope to buy a few more flags to continue doing this!
Re: $20 Challenge!
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 9:16 am
by Lorina
Hi Rebecca,
I really like your idea with the flags! You mentioned that you were going to create resources etc, on a table that originates from the particular country where the flag is from, have you set it up at your centre yet? I just came up with another idea if you don't have many resources from a particular country... Get the children to cook foods from the country and set it up on the table for parents/children to taste. You can also add music from that particular country and pictures (which you print off google)...
Have you asked the parents to bring in any cultural items? I'm trying to get more parent involvement at my centre, however I'm finding it a little difficult!
Cheers ,
L.A
Re: $20 Challenge!
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 5:54 pm
by fchaudari76
Great idea, I used to do that in my Montessori class as we studied various countries. After we finished a few countries I made a flag colouring book that the children could use
I would make one which i would colour so they could use that as a reference and then colour their own.