The perambulator problem
The counsel of perfection according to many modern ideas is that a baby, for the first few months, should be carried and not put in a perambulator - but this is nearly always impracticable. It is, however, possible and most important that every baby should be given a perambulator that will not jar the spine, that will allow plenty of sunlight and air to reach the child without exposing it to cold winds or glaring sun, and that it should run easily and be comfortable for mother or nurse to push. 10 March 1926
What a picture!
Every child should have a camera! Photography is one of the best hobbies for any time of the year - but especially for the holidays, since pictures taken can then be utilised for the making of 'Books of Memories' that will be a delight on many a dull winter's day.
28 April 1926
Stock up
A few hints to others starting a nursery as we did may prove useful. Have two covered, and one uncovered, slop pails as well as a dirty clothes basket.
The covered pails are for soiled napkins, the uncovered as a slop pail; the reason for no cover being that you may always be sure it is kept emptied.
Have separate marked dustpan and brushes for the nursery, and a bail for emptying the bath; otherwise anything will be used for the purpose, as the bath with a tap is a slow process.
Have different cloths for everything, and see that they are kept separate and used for the purposes intended. See that all washing is done at least once daily. Inspect bedding carefully every day; never allow anything soiled, even a bib, to remain on the baby; replace at once. Only by sticking rigidly to this rule can true cleanliness be observed.
26 May 1926
Ideas from a nursery school
The playroom has only four pieces of furniture, a small table, two small chairs, and a large cupboard; but there are several toys around the room which fill it with interest even before the cupboard is explored. First, there is a doll's cot, which always has an occupant. (Sometimes just 'put to bed' but often suffering from a sudden attack of measles or whooping cough or most often just a 'very bad cold'!) In another corner there is Teddy with his own little table and chair and beside him a large wooden box of bricks. There is also a tea set, a large trolley and Teddy's own suit case.
Inside the cupboard there are 'fitting' toys, and some Madame Montessori's cylinders and shapes. There are farmyard animals and little cars, wooden carriages which fit together, dolls which fit one inside the other and a box of large coloured beads which thread on to laces. There are also some simple jigsaw puzzles and a great deal of home-made apparatus, such as match boxes covered with coloured paper, and coloured cotton reels with pieces of dowel rod to fit into them. There are small black-boards and bowls of chalk, a roll of cream coloured wallpaper which is used of drawing.
1 February 1939
Bright ideas
W.V.S. London Region has been holding a most interesting ideas exhibition for members whose war-work is on the domestic front. A new idea on the toys stall were soft bricks, cubes made from American cloth oversewn together and stuffed with bits, while brightly-painted cotton reels with a letter of the alphabet stuck on one end and a picture on the other also made attractive playthings. There were a number of soft toys too, made from material or knitted, and children's slippers made from strong tapestry bound with braid. 13 May 1943
Springing forth
Suggestions for improving post-war prams are still coming in. Everyone agrees that C-springs are desirable, and almost everyone asks for a more efficient brake so that the pram can be left with the baby in it without fear of his energetic bouncing either a) tipping the pram over or b) releasing the brake. One reader suggests a plug-hole in the bottom of the carriage for the easier removal of 'gravel, mud, acorns etc' which collect there. 21 December 1944
Dummy issues
West Riding writes: A lot of nonsense is talked about clean dummies being far better than a dirty thumb. It is not, after all, the mother who puts a dummy into baby's mouth saying that he or she needs it? A thumb goes into a baby's mouth because he or she wants it to go in and not because mother wishes it. Perhaps the 'dummy mummies' are trying to justify their reasons for starting off this habit in the first place.
8 January 1959
Make it work
Plastic building sets can increase in scope well beyond the house-building stage once the basic technique has been mastered by the child. Now that wheels and turntables are added to packs, children can make their own taxis, trains and lorries as well as houses, from individual kits. Each pack contains all the necessary parts, plus instructions. 4 March 1965
On the box
Only about 10 per cent of primary schools, and 40 per cent of secondary schools, are equipped with television sets. Speaking at a recent conference, Mr Reg Prentice, the joint minister of state for Education and Science, said that he plans to ask all local authorities to aim at a minimum provision of one set in each school and college.
While he rejected too extravagant claims sometimes made for television and for other audio-visual aids, he felt that many teachers and educational administrators reject these new advances without sufficient study of the new dimensions that can be added to teaching methods by using them skilfully. 19 August 1965
Wood working
Soft wood cut-offs obtained from a local builder or joiner is the sort of wood to provide for the playgroup. Tools should be small in size, but real tools - not toys which will only frustrate the child when he finds they won't do a real job. If sawing is to be done, a vice should be provided.
Provide both types of hammers, i.e. claw and tack. Choose nails 1in and 2in long, also staples and a few longer nails. One playgroup I know provides logs of wood into which the children hammer nails of varying lengths - just for the fun of it. 2 April 1970
Cot of the future?
Once baby takes the helm of this cot-craft, parents may decide to mutiny! Here are some of the features of Atcraft's cot of the future, which will be on show at the National Pram Fair in London next week:
* Rigid, see-through construction
* Wheels for long-distance travel
* Personal television
* Large alarm bell 'to disturb the peace and to call for a nappy change'
* Mast with crow's nest and navigation lights (note miner's lamp!)
* Bubble pipe rack
* Canopy against wind and weather And how much will parents of the future pay for this? A mere 333.33.
3 October 1974
Dolls' world
Fisher-Price, leader in the manufacture of pre-school toys, has now branched out into dolls. The family consists of Julie, Cherry and Bonnie - all true baby dolls. There is a choice of blue-eyed blonde or brown-eyed brunette for each of them. All have moveable eyes.
15 March 1984
In bad taste
Reader Ms A W of Rhondda writes: I was disgusted to see a nightdress for a five- to six-year-old girl on sale with the slogan, 'I don't get headaches'. I was so angry. These days there is such a lot of publicity about child sexual abuse. Although I can't imagine any parents buying one of these nightdresses for their daughter, I suppose there must be some who will.
Nursery World comment: tasteless, insensitive and stupid. We hope nobody buys this nightdress. 10 April 1986
Nappy happy
Good news for those people who sometimes ring the office asking if we know where they can buy coloured nappies. Ashton Zorbit now make a range of nappies in blue, pink, and primrose yellow. They can be safely soaked and boil washed without danger of the colours fading and cost 6.99 for a pack of three. 24 April 1986
Nursery spy
Childcare professionals have expressed concern about a new KinderCam system enabling parents to view their children via a camera in the nursery which is connected to the Internet. With a user name and number, parents can visit the website and see live pictures of their children at play in the nursery from anywhere in the world. The system, developed by US-based ParentNet in conjunction with Axis Communications of Sweden, has so far only been installed in one nursery in a daycare centre in Georgia. The 150-place centre, part of a chain of nurseries called Kids R Kids, has three NetEye 200 cameras, costing $15,000. This cost is recouped by charging parents about $20 (13) a month to subscribe to the service - 80 per cent have already signed up. The Professional Association of Nursery Nurses expressed scepticism at the idea.
29 May 1997
All together
The new KinderVan from Community Playthings will allow you to transport up to six children. The moulded base supports four or six padded seats, according to need. Each seat contains a five point harness and can rotate 360 degrees and lock in the required position. The seat upholstery is foam-backed and can be removed for washing. The Van's tyres are foam-filled and can go 'off road', and there are optional canopies with mesh backing to permit the adult to see the children, while providing sun protection.
Nursery Equipment, Summer 2004