An illustration of cog wheels with icons relating to construction projects in their centre.

B2C2 Expansion Toolkit

Module 6 - Part 2 - Materials, Vendors, and Setting Up

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Acquiring Materials

Looking beyond the usual places. Not all of your materials have to come from an educational store.

 

Use Natural Materials

Provide and purchase/collect materials made from natural resources, such as:

  • bamboo
  • bark
  • boxes
  • cardboard 
  • clay
  • cotton
  • fabric
  • felt
  • hemp
  • leaves  
  • non-toxic plants and flowers
  • rocks
  • rubberbands
  • shells
  • silk
  • sponges
  • sticks
  • tree blocks
  • wood
  • wool

Donations

Have a conversation with staff about donations. While this may be helpful in some situations, it may also result in an abundance of plastic, one-purpose play items. This may lead to feeling obliged to use what has been given to programs.

Craft a message that positively but clearly articulates your requests in a wishlist format.

Outdoor Equipment

Whenever possible, include the following in your outdoor spaces:

  • balance beams
  • garden boxes and tools
  • logs, tree stumps and branches
  • loose parts
  • mud kitchen and accessories
  • music features
  • ramps
  • rocks and boulders
  • ropes and tarps
  • tables and benches
  • tires
  • trikes and bikes (helmets)
  • wagons
  • water feature 
  • water feature accessories
  • wheelbarrows 
  • wind chimes
  • wooden chutes

 

Working with Vendors

How can vendors help you save time and money?

Most educational supply companies offer services to assist you in furnishing program rooms. Some may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Direct customer service to assist you in making choices.
  • Room planning guides (some online tools).
  • Examples of age-appropriate room contents.
  • Excel spreadsheets with lists of suggestions for each room.
  • Information about the construction and materials used in furniture and educational materials.
  • Webinars and blogs for ideas.
  • Catalogues and brochures with wish list tags.
  • Short-term storage services until construction is completed
    • Do not settle on a specific date if construction is delayed to avoid unexpected storage fees. 
  • Financing for payment plans.

Don’t be shy about asking for discounts, particularly on freight charges. Planning and negotiating discounts before placing orders is best, so you understand better and know where to purchase at the best prices. 

 

Freight Charges

Basic freight charges usually include a cost based on weight, location, and logistics for the delivery door (street level, stairs, size of entryways, etc.).

 

Extra charges, if you choose, will include:

  • Removing pallets
  • Bringing products indoors to each room
  • Assembly of furniture
  • Removal of boxes and trash
  • Staggered delivery of items instead of one-time delivery from a single vendor.

Engaging staff in setting up their new program rooms

Whether expanding existing space or opening a new centre, team building is key to establishing good relationships and creating effective team dynamics. Setting up program rooms involves more than arranging furniture. It sets the tone for engagement and independence and gives children and educators a sense of belonging and ownership.

Using the principles developed by staff, engage teams in designing their own program spaces with the equipment you have ordered.

    1. Engage an experienced individual who understands design principles related to the early learning field or an early years pedagogue to work with the team to stimulate inquiries into each room’s purpose and goals.
      • Encourage them to search for room examples and share with each other their preferred look and feel, and relate their preferences to the principles confirmed.
      • Encourage each group to create a plan outlining spaces for activities and present them to one of the other groups for feedback, reflection and conversation.
    2. Next, each program room should have a separate budget for purchasing art supplies, decorative materials, and other items that they want to personalize the space. This budget should be separate from the furnishings budget. 
      • Challenge groups to stretch their money by sourcing materials creatively. This will support ownership of their room, build relationships with each other and help educators understand budgetary processes.
      • Create a wishlist of items that may have been missed during the ordering stage.

Planning for the delivery of materials and furniture

Effective planning is important to ensure the organization of deliveries goes well, avoid equipment damage, and ensure you receive all ordered items. Depending how much equipment you have ordered and how many vendors are delivering as well as the type of service you have paid for in advance, this will require people power. 

Regardless of whether items are being sent on different days, brought to the door or each program room, you will need to assign people for the following:

  • Act as the point of contact to provide information to vendors and delivery companies.
  • Designate the assembly tasks.
  • Oversee inventory checks.
  • Dispose of cardboard, fillers and plastic waste.

Organize the following for delivery days:

  • people power
  • storage space for materials
  • toolbox
  • box openers
  • dolly for heavy items
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Module 6 Progress
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