Garage Sale Finds = Equal = Classroom Treasures

People who work with young children can discover and collect wonderful resources for young minds and bodies at garage sales, thrift shops, flea markets, and estate sales. Second-hand items – things that others are ready to discard or part with – are a bonanza for educators who want a variety of learning materials in their classrooms.

Young children crave good toys and books, and they don’t care if a wagon has a dent or if a storybook cost 10 cents. And teachers don’t fret when a bargain toy is log through normal wear and tear. The loss is not significant.

Novel materials found in yard sales and thrift shops create many play scenarios in a classroom or family child care home. Experienced shoppers recognize that, for just a little money, they can enhance the quality of classroom centers and encourage dramatic play for weeks to come. Props for centers (beach equipment and camping supplies, kitchen and picnic items, dress-up clothes, and items to stock a grocery, jewelry store, beauty salon, restaurant, gardening center, and so on) wait for the imaginative teacher.

Another benefit of "garage saleing" is that the found items belong to the teacher. Many schools and child care centers do not fund classroom purchases unless they are pre-approved (and often purchased through a catalog or vendor). Bargain-hunting educators can use these school-allocated funds for other large purchases. And when they spend their own money, they have materials to take with them if they move to new positions.

Here are some tips for making the most of opportunities your community or neighborhood has to offer.

City newspapers and neighborhood weeklies are the prime source yard, garage, and estate sales advertisements. Look especially for sales that offer children’s toys, furniture, books and arts and crafts materials. Block or multihome sales offer great shopping because of the diversity of households and items. Also check out postings in public places (bulletin boards in groceries, drugstores, laundromats, and even libraries and churches). Watch for child care centers that are going out of business or public school teachers who are retiring. And let friends, family, and children’s parents know what you are looking for, so you get notified by word of mouth.

When money for supplies comes from the teacher’s own pocketbook, the necessity of a budget is obvious. With good records, some of the expenses may be tax-deductible. A few centers reimburse teachers for needed materials.

"Stuff" that looks real appeals to children because they can pretend they are grownup. Authentic items help children discover the relevance of the materials, an essential ingredient in constructing appropriate explorations for children (Bredekamp & Copple 1997). For example, adult jewelry is much more appealing to children than most flimsy plastic jewelry made for the young child. A real mixer (either bought broken or with the electrical cord removed) has more dramatic-play value to eager young minds than a cheap, child-size replica.

Wash thoroughly all durable, secondhand items with a bleach solution before children handle them. Machine wash and dry all fabric materials (see "Disinfecting Play Materials"). Role-play materials (hats, scarves, sunglasses) used by many children during the course of the day should also be cleaned regularly as well. Sometimes garage sales finds are so tempting that purchasers buy everything in sight instead of selecting the most useful items. Keep in mind that whatever is purchased will be used by children, so durable materials that are easily cleaned are best. See "Things to Look for in Garage/Yard Sales and Thrift Shops" for suggestions.

Whether on chooses a yard sale, a thrift shop, or a flea market, the shopping can be a delightful outing, especially if you take along a friend or your own children. Discovering the resources in one’s community benefits the educator who is dedicated to providing the best learning materials for children.

Bredekamp, S., & C. Copple, eds. 1997. Developmentally practice in early childhood programs. Rev. ed. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Pam Payne is a pre-kindergarten teacher in the Huntsville (Texas) Independent School District. Pam has served as an early childhood mentor with Sam Houston State University and Texas Education Agency Region VI.