A Preschool Without Toys

A preschool without toys?

Yes, says Daisy Chains nursery in Wales. But that doesn’t mean the children won’t have any fun.

 

Daisy Chains has decided to remove all traditional toys and replace them with real everyday items. Think pots, pans, blocks, and real clothes (no princess gowns) for dress up.

Owner Rebecca Wright says by the end of January, she’ll have all toys removed and replaced. Surprisingly, this has led to no tantrums - among children or parents.

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Daisy Chains, Prestatyn. The preschool is eliminating toys. Photo by Ian Cooper

Wright says her goal is to fuel children’s imagination. "We need thinkers and doers. We need people who think outside of the box, we will need creative thinkers for the jobs that we will be creating in 20 years time," she told the Daily Post.

"When I told staff some were initially a little taken aback but they have quickly seen the benefits and everyone is fully onboard. Parents have loved it too, tech has its place and kids take pictures and make plans on iPads but parents love old school skills.”

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We couldn’t agree more. We love this idea and it reminds us of the adventure playgrounds that have popped up around the States. 

Daisy Chains, Prestatyn. Photo by Ian Cooper

"Expensive toys take away imagination, with this everyone benefits, the children, staff and the environment.”

"There is so much positive research that points to this approach being the way forward and we have decided to take the leap and be the first toy free setting in the area”, she added.

"They are dressing up using real clothes, using household things like pots and pans, pieces of pipes or building blocks.

"There was some apprehension over the crockery but everything we use is risk assessed”

She has a garden in the works as well, once they’ve completed the interior transition.

Wright said, "The next step is the garden, we believe the environment is the third teacher, we want to develop the garden so they can do things like build dens, again developing those skills. It has been brilliant so far."

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