This month, the Buddings teachers have taken on a shopping challenge: How to buy toys and games for preschoolers and toddlers that meet our values of sustainability, inclusivity, open-endedness, and of course, FUN!
The teams were drawn at our last staff meeting, and each one got $500 to spend on:
Art Materials – Ehlssie and our newest teacher Aida
Books – Sarah and Ayumi (they have the best books!)
Dramatic Play – Kezia, Anna, and Tomomi
Blocks and Manipulatives – Talia and Florence
We considered the materials used to make the toys, the packaging used to wrap and ship, and the number one criteria was durability. The kids who play all day need toys that can take a kicking and keep on ticking… or beeping, or whatever it is they’re supposed to do. ?
Florence and I spent two hours (stressful for her, and super-fun for me) at Toys R Us and MacGillycuddy’s in Kerrisdale – where our own Sarah MacDonald worked when she was a UBC student all those years ago!
The owner Lynn says Sarah was a doll even back then ?
We did our first ever Live Instagram Video as well. Flo’s the social media coordinator, so if you hop over to Insta, you can find us in the aisles of those stores – where we blew our $500 budget to the sky… oops.
Ehlssie and Aida went up to used art material store Urban Source, and Kez and Tomomi hit up the Value Villages for costumes. The great thing about buying second hand is that the packaging and shipping has already been accounted for, AND you can get the things that last and last! Plastic toys last forever (literally! check the landfill) so finding the really good ones, that are well-built, and paying half-price, gives them a second life, and eases our wallet, and our conscience about petroleum products.
The bags and boxes are starting to pile up, and the party is happening on Tuesday, Mar. 27! We hope you’ll join us, and East Van pre-loved children’s pop-up Shop Paper Scissors for the big unboxing, from 3 – 6pm.
As soon as we get the permits and licenses through, DEFINITELY join us for flexible occasional daycare at 1438 Cedar Cottage Mews in East Van.
Assuming we get all this other stuff organized…
