I was thinking recently about the question, “If there was
one thing I would buy for my program to increase scores in the Environment
Rating System (ERS), what would it be?”
I think my answer would be a good set of diverse play
people.
These people would pack a big bang for the buck –
·
they count as “people” accessories for the block
play item
·
they count as gender diversity, age diversity, ability diversity
and race diversity in materials for the diversity item
·
There are sets appropriate for toddlers, too
You can find these play people in a variety of catalogs, and
in a variety of sets. Try to find ones
that have age, gender, ability and race diversity all in one set, if possible.
Many other items in the ERS can be homemade, bought at the
dollar store, or thrift shop. A good set
of play people would be worth a little investment.
