China Tuff Tray

More by the lovely Sue Baxter:

        

I would love to begin by drawing your attention to the map of the world hung above the Tuff Tray. The map was purchased from a Pound shop in the UK. Notice how China has been highlighted for the children to look at whilst they play? This has been created using the same concept used in The Gruffalo's Child Tray with the footprints. 

It's a great way to highlight not only where on the map China is but the defined outline will also give children a clear visual on how the country is shaped. 

If you were planning on keep a set up like this out for a while, you could even look at removing this outline after a few days to see if the children are able to locate it on the map. Include the flag of china for children to paint/draw at their mark making stations. 

The Pandas were purchased in a set from Amazon. They really compliment this tray well and we were able to discuss what their diet entails. The older children were set a challenge to see if they could find this information out a few days prior within their reading books. 

Green playdough complimented the tray well and allowed for lots of fine motor/imaginative play. The pandas were sunk into the dough to create prints. The dough became bamboo leaves and they used it to make shelter and pens for the animals. 

I always try to add numbers/letters to my Tuff Trays where possible. Today included some wooden number blocks that children use to count out the pandas. 

Various wooden blocks were scattered around the tray to give children the opportunity to build towers.  The grass Tuff Tray liner you may just recognise from the Pig Tuff Tray and Duck Tuff Tray we have shared with you previously. 

I put together a set of pictures along with text to use around the tray to make the play invitation, using a labelling app I have installed on my phone called Label Pics. I will pre-warn you that you will most likely become addicted to this app and want to label anything and everything. 

It is so handy to put together a set of cards that will really help support your play set ups, that you can't already find to download online already.  

The bamboo I purchased from a Garden Centre for £4. I brought the canes from Amazon and was able to cut them down and add them to the play invitation. The wooden holder at the back is for pencils but was the correct width for me to add the bamboo. I clipped on pegs to attach the word cards which was not only an effective way to display them.... but they went on to pose a great fine motor exercize for the children as they practices taking them off and clipping them back on.