Tuff Spots/trays

Hi all

Just wondered what people thought about Tuff Spots/trays and whether you would recommend them?

What do people put in them????

 

Hi all

Just wondered what people thought about Tuff Spots/trays and whether you would recommend them?

What do people put in them????

 

https://www.tes.co.uk/section/staffroom/thread.aspx?story_...

 

I'm moving to Reception next year, and would really like to get a tuff spot. But I think that as they look so big, it'll need to go outside. Does anyone know if you can get lids for them? I've visions of creating a wonderful little environment, and then everything being rained on or blown away if it's left out over night.

 

Not sure you can get a lid, we have covered with taurpalin weighted down with logs outside, rather than tuff tray inside my wonderful TA bought a long black grow bag tray from B&Q, excellent size that fits on top of the unit it was £7.00.

At the moment outside in tuff tray the children have grown grass, very effective they love hiding the insects and frogs in it or cutting it with scissors.
Inside tray has crabs, starfish, rocks, shells and water with blue glitter, before that small world pirate ships, rocks, sand.
BSMx

 

Thanks for the tips, ***

 

we have builders trays and they seem to be the same thing I think. Sometimes we use it outside sometimes inside. When inside it sometimes goes on the carpet and sometimes on the table depending what we put in there.

 

hi, how about sand wet or dry with cars/dinsaurs/ small consrtuction. wood shavings, rice/plain or coloured with food colouring. pasta or pulses. or if you like being messy - shaving foam/bubble bath mixed with sand/ whisked soap flakes. the list is endless!

 

Garden centres sell trays which have similar height sides to tuff spots but a much smaller, you could fit one on a normal Infant size table whereas the tuff spot needs two pushed together. I have got tuff spots but will probably replace them with these smaller jobs. (Think they are designed for potting up plants).

 

if you are wondering what to put in them try this book from the 'Little book of' series by Sally Featherstone - 'The Little Book of Tuff Spot Activities'.

we have ours on a circluar table and put in it small world environments/ role play activities /messy activies etc. we have had in ours this year
- gravel in it with bob the bulider/playmobile people, trucks, small buckets etc
- grass, soil, sand and mini beasts
- water and sealife animals
- cornflour and water (outside)
- soap flakes and whisks (outside)
- paint and cars for making tracks
- paint and large sheets of paper pressed on the top to reveal a pattern (outside)
- small world farm
- brio train tracks
- construction kits (helps keep everything on the table)
- beebot or pixie on mats relating to topic

alongside many of these activities (especially small world environments) we also have a 'half sized table' with mark making opportunites (pens, rulers, little books, paper, clipboards etc) so children can record/write about/draw what they have done and fiction and/or non fiction books to support the topic.

i would recommend buying one - we have three, one for outside and two indoors and they are always in use.

 

I have a builders tray and i'm pretty sure they are the same things. I must say i use mine indoors rather than outside (it fits great on the classroom tables)
You can get mats to go inside them like space, farm yead, dinosaur land etc i don't have one but am going to get one.

They are great for keeping construction in one place but i've also had snow, shaving foam, slime and jelly in mine!

They are great i would recommend to anyone you can get them from www.tts-shopping.com along with the mats and loads of stuff to put in them

Also ros bayley has a book 50 exciting ways of using your builders tray - its great loads of ideas

Serena

 

tuff spots are cheapest so far in tts, looking to get one for September so comparing now!

 

£14.99 in Wickes about the same in B and Q, picture liners are in catalogues.

 

we just got a slightly deeper one with mirrored paper bottom (removable) ideas needed-so far used it with small natural blocks, shiny pebbles, string and feathers ! Children liked reflections.

 

Thanks for all your ideas - I've ordered one from tts now. Can't wait for it to arrive for September!

 

hey
we have tuff spots and the tray itself has a stretch plastic cover that you can buy
good luck with your new job .