26 Material Checklists

Materials and Equipment

Developmentally appropriate programs for infants and toddlers include activities and materials to support play and learning in a variety of areas. The provision of high-quality open-ended materials and equipment sets the foundation for a responsive and inclusive environment that will nurture and stimulate development of the whole child.

The following checklist must be completed annually and kept on file as part of the Ministerial Requirements for the Daily Program in Licensed Child Care Facilities. One checklist for each age group at a facility must be completed. The checklist must be kept on file for two years from the date of completion. It is not necessary to send it into the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development for submission.

The Licensing Officer (LO) will verify that there is a completed the checklist during the annual licensing inspection and may request to review it at subsequent licensing visits or inspections.

An Early Childhood Development Consultant (ECDC) may review the checklist during a program consultation and provide  assistance when there are questions.

Infant and Toddler Checklist

General

The materials and equipment are:

•  Available for children to choose and explore during free play.
• Developmentally appropriate and reflect the interests and competencies of the children.
• Easily cleaned and set aside for cleaning. A cleaning schedule is posted and describes the process and expectations for cleaning toys and equipment.
• Organized so that most are easily accessible to children. For example, organized in containers, or baskets on low shelves that can be easily accessed by the children.
• Appropriate to enable children’s participation in clean-up. For example, child size brooms, dust pans and a supply of towels/cloths for cleaning with water are available.
• Rotated and presented to children to reflect their emerging interests and developing competencies, keeping favorites to ensure familiarity.
• Stored when not in use so they can be accessed by staff, as needed.
• Culturally diverse, reflecting diversity of gender roles, racial and cultural backgrounds.
• Arranged in the environment to provide a home-like atmosphere for children that is reflective of their lived experiences and families and where they can interact together and find places to be alone.
• No less than 4 cm in diameter. Small toys and items can be choking hazards. Generally, if it can fit through a toilet paper roll, it is too small for children under 3 years old.
• Inclusive of loose parts and open-ended materials that nurture creativity
• Other

Art Exploration and Creativity

The following (or alternatives) are available:

• Space for infants to engage in art activities and an area for drying, displaying and storing art
• Paints in a variety of colours and formats. For example:
  • finger paints
  • water colour paints
  • liquid tempera
• Painting tools and brushes in various shapes and sizes. For example:
  • paint brushes with thick, short handles
  • paint rollers
  • sponges

• Paper in various sizes, shapes and colors
• Large (beginner) crayons, markers and chalk
• Glue sticks and/or glue pots with brushes/spreaders
• Collage materials and found items. For example:
  • paper, magazine pictures, wrapping paper
  • stickers, ribbons, large cotton balls, large pom poms
  • natural items such as shells, twigs, and stones
• Other

Sensory-Rich Activities

• The following (or alternatives) are available:
• Adequate space for engaging with the materials
• Materials and tools for shaping. For example:
  • play dough, goop, paper mache
  • clay tools (spreaders, shape cutters, rolling pins)
• Sand, gravel, multi-textured, non-toxic materials presented in sand tables or individual boxes or containers
• Sand toys in various shapes and sizes. For example:
  • pails, shovels, spoons, containers
  • toy cars/trucks/diggers
  • natural and lifelike items such as sea shells, toy insects/animals
• Water-based activities. For example:
  • water tables, bins
  • sprinklers, hoses
• Water toys in various shapes and sizes. For example:
  • buckets, containers, funnels, pumps, tubes, plastic bottles
  • natural items such as sea shells, rocks, drift wood
  • dramatic play toys such as dolls, toys and dishes
• Sensory materials. For example:
  • unscented shaving cream
  • bubbles, goop
• Various types of tape and textured paper
• Other

Construction (Blocks)

The following (or alternatives) are available:

• Variety of soft blocks in foam or vinyl
• Variety of commercial and home-made blocks in different shapes/sizes and textures. For example:
  • cardboard, foam
  • wooden building blocks
  • plastic
• Lightweight large blocks. For example:
  • cardboard or foam blocks
  • large cardboard boxes
  • large wooden blocks and hollow blocks, loose materials for construction
• Age appropriate selection of vehicles, toy people/animals and accessories
• Containers to fill and dump
• Other

Language and Literacy

The following (or alternatives) are available:

• Materials and books displayed on low racks and shelves that are easily accessed
• Comfortable space for infants and toddlers to enjoy time on their own, or with an adult in a small group
• Comfortable furnishings. For example:
  • child-size soft furniture such as small sofa/armchair
  • area rug, pillows with washable coverings
• Variety of age-appropriate books that reflect the infants’ and toddlers’ interests including large and small thick cardboard, cloth and vinyl books that focus on topics such as:
  • babies and toddlers
  • animals and nature
  • familiar people, objects and routines
• Puppets, flannel board with props
• Laminated pictures and photos relevant to the infants and toddlers. For example:
  • their families and pets
  • familiar places and activities
• Songs and stories on tape/CD/streaming services
• Other

Dramatic and Pretend Play

The following (or alternatives) are available:

• Child size furnishings (table, chairs, shelving)
• Real and lifelike materials (dishes, utensils, appliances, telephones, artificial plants and flowers)
• Props to support re-enactment of the real-life experiences:
  • variety of dress-up clothes such as shoes/boots, purses, costumes, shirts, dresses, skirts
  • household items such as pots/pans, woks, chop sticks
  • water to wash dolls, clean dishes
  • play foods that reflect the food groups identified in Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide and are culturally diverse and representative of the children and families in the program
• Art supplies, open-ended and loose materials to use as, or in making, props. For example:
  • play dough, blocks, wheels, gears
• Dolls and accessories that represent diverse cultures. For example:
  • multi-ethnic dolls, doll clothes, puppets
  • blankets, crib, stroller
• Play buildings and accessories. For example:
  • wooden and cardboard boxes that can be transformed into buildings and objects of interest
  • barn with animals and small props
  • doll house with furniture and figurines
  • toy garage with vehicles
• Unbreakable mirror (securely fastened)
• Other

Fine Motor/Manipulatives (Thinking & Reasoning)

The following (or alternatives) are available:

• Grasping and squeeze toys
• Puzzles (wood, rubber, heavy cardboard, three to eight pieces with and without knobs)
• Rattles, stacking rings, nesting cups
• Cause and effect toys with sounds or responses when buttons are pushed
• Construction sets (large duplo blocks, take apart and put together toys)
• Large peg boards, large lacing cards
• Large beads, thick strings, laces
• Shapes sorters, materials for sorting, matching (variety of textures, shapes and sizes)
• Containers for filling and dumping
• Pounding boards with mallets
• Other

Music and Movement

The following (or alternatives) are available:

• Real and home-made musical instruments in a variety of styles. For example:
  • drums, maracas, rhythm sticks, cymbals, shakers and rain sticks
  • xylophones, tambourines
• Musical toys in a variety of shapes and sizes. For example:
  • toy instruments
  • musical push/pull toys
  • music boxes, soft toys with bells/sounds.
• CD/tape player with a variety of CDs/tapes
• Music from a variety of genres, cultures and languages
• Scarves and loose materials for dance/movement
• Gross motor equipment. For example:
  • low climber with slide, structures for climbing and rocking toys
  • tunnels, soft mats, cushions, inflatable inner tubes, beach rings, hoops for crawling, jumping and climbing
  • variety of soft balls in various textures, sizes, and colors. For example
  • beach balls, cloth balls, nerf balls, textured balls for easy grasping
  • large and small push, pull toys
  • low platforms, ramps for setting up simple obstacle/climbing courses
• Ballet Barre and large unbreakable mirror or alternative space for infants to pull themselves up and support their emerging desire to walk and travel around the room
• Other

Science and Nature

The following (or alternatives) are available:

• Natural objects to explore. For example:
  • stones, bark, large shells
  • leaves, driftwood
• Non-toxic plants and flowers
• Living things. For example:
  • aquariums, worm composting, gardening, bird houses that can be observed
• Lifelike objects. For example:
  • plastic and rubber insects
  • animals and plants, that look real
• Pictures, models and photos of interesting items, places and objects. For example:
  • x-rays, factual books
  • maps, globes
• Magnifying glasses, prisms, microscopes, pulleys, levers, smelling pots, feely boxes, sink and float items
• Other

Chapter Attribution

Adapted from Government of Nova Scotia. (2020). Section H: Materials and Equipment Checklists in Licensed Child Care Facilities (pp.3-8). https://www.ednet.ns.ca/earlyyears/documents/ministerial_requirements/Section%20H%20-%20Materials%20and%20Equipment%20Checklist%20EN.pdf