Children's Play Area in Mosque: What Would You Put In There?

[umsami]

Often times, women with children will have a separate room where they attend the Friday worship area in a mosque.  (Some mosques just have women behind the men, but most like to give women who may be nursing or have toddlers and babies a separate area.  There is no expectation for kids to be quiet during the service, until they are maybe 9-10ish.)

There is a newer mosque in my area, with very little budget for anythign.  They have an old activity table for babies, a foam mattress, and some random plastic toys.  I'd like to try and add some things as my budget allows.  If you had $100 to spend, what would you add?  I may also look at garage sales/thrift shops.

 

[Rachel]

How big is the room?

[Daria]

I think that play kitchens are great for this kind of mixed age group.  Babies who are just siting can open and close the doors on the lower cabinets, and put stuff in and out.  Cruisers can pull up and drum on the counters and explore knobs etc . . . and toddlers and preschoolers can do some dramatic play.  

If you can find one at a yard sale (usually not too hard) you can fill it up with donations.  Plenty of people who couldn’t afford to donate a toy can find a tupperware that lost it’s lid or an extra wooden spoon to bring in so it becomes something that everyone can donate too, and it’s easy to clean since you can wipe down the outside and throw the dishes in the dishwasher or the sink.

[umsami]

The room is huge, but the play area would be in one corner....so maybe 10 feet x 10 feet?

I had thought about a play kitchen... ❤️ 

[Hilltopmom]

If you post locally on Facebook what you’re looking for & why I bet you get good donations.

Dont spend big $ on a play kitchen, I bet you can find someone who wants to pass theirs on.

Little People toys are good for a wide range of kids too. Some cars/ trucks to play with (dump truck) & a box of the big Duplos or megablocks for building with.

Several (washable) baby dolls with a doll bed of some sort. Easy to come by & always a hit.

Edited December 2, 2018 by Hilltopmom

[ktgrok]

Bristle blocks get a lot of play at my mom's group that meets at a church. 

[displace]

Maybe those cardboard bricks to build walls and knock down?  Easy stuff like masking tape on the floor with cars to make streets/roads.  

[Farrar]

Those Picasso Tiles type toys are great because they're good for a variety of ages but can't be swallowed. Same with Kapla blocks. But both are kind of pricey.

I think the number one thing you might need is an organizer for little things. So, like one of those Ikea things with the buckets.

[zimom]

Everything in the room needs to be plastic so it can be Lysol'd down.  So to me, that would be a big no on the cardboard bricks.   Church nurseries are such a breeding ground for germs and you want to be able to try to keep everyone healthy as much as possible.

 

 

[bolt.]

Megablocks are popular with a wide variety of ages — especially if there is a large enough set to create big towers.

[Rachel]

Play kitchen, train table, duplo blocks (assuming the noise of dumping won’t interrupt the service). Dolls with stroller. A small Little Tykes type slide.  

Hotwheels and a rug with roads seem to be a hit with a big age difference in kids. 

See what you can get donated. People with kids that have outgrown that stuff may willing to pass it on. 

[Faith-manor]

Cardboard building blocks. I have seen these much loved by children. They can set them up, knock them over, and do it again, and if a baby is sitting nearby, no worries about an injury if something tumbles over them. Easy to store, and dirt cheap so if some of them need to be replaced, no worries. On

[happi duck]

If you like to buy used:  I know someone who outfitted a play area in a church via craigslist etc.  She successfully painted faded little tykes outdoor stuff to use inside.  I think she spray painted.  They look great!

Also, when negotiating price she was able to get things donated or greatly reduced by offering a tax deductible receipt.

[73349]

Some Magnatiles.

And, anything that helps the kids pretend to do what they see the grown-ups doing (e.g., in a church I've seen flameless candles to light, a basket to put play money in, etc.).

[Daria]

3 hours ago, ZiMom said:

Everything in the room needs to be plastic so it can be Lysol'd down.  So to me, that would be a big no on the cardboard bricks.   Church nurseries are such a breeding ground for germs and you want to be able to try to keep everyone healthy as much as possible.

 

 

 

As a former preschool teacher, I have lysoled the blocks and they do OK.  

[itsheresomewhere]

Mega blocks, books, puzzles and an area for drawing.  Some paper, washable crayons and markers.

There is a cool bowling set for indoors you can make from fun noodles. Cheap and very little noise.

[Ottakee]

Little ttkea garden, tunnel, ride ons, kitchen, etc have all held up over 20+ years in the nurseries I have worked in.  They are durable and easy to clean 

[Condessa]

The number one most used toys across ages at the daycares I worked at before I had my own kids were the great big sturdy wooden building blocks.  (Little wooden blocks get thrown, but kids rarely think of that with the big ones). They had unending replayability and every age group could use them to their own developmental level, unlike the megblocks/duplos and wooden train set toys, which were wonderful for the littles, if you had a big enough set to allow for repeat use in many different ways.  And we lysol sprayed them, too.

[Tanaqui]

I'm going to both second the kitchen and the recommendation that you get it used if possible. How about some board books? Or are germs an issue there as well?