to think that 30 1-2 year olds is too many in a class?

[honeytea]

I have started looking at nurseries for ds, he's only 3 months and he wont start till he is 1 (at least probably more likely 18 months)

I am not in tge UK and the child to adult ratio is 5:1 for 1-2 year olds. I am happy with this in theory but today we went to visit a nursery and there were 30 kids with 6 adults.

The adults were all responsible for an activity, play dough, water play, painting, nappy changing, eating and dressing up. The kids were free range over 6/7 rooms tgey were allowed to choose what activity they did.

Not all the rooms had an adult in but all the rooms were child proofed.

Aibu (and pfb) to think that 40 people is too many for a 1 year old to see on a daily basis? I think for a confident sociable child it could work but a quieter, less gregarious child would probably slip into the background.

tge nursery we went to see today is very very popular and it is the nursery all the parents want their kids to go to, we have a high chance of being allocated a place tgere because we live very close.

I have been to see a couple of other nurseries which are seen as a little rougher full of immigrants of which I am one but dp isn't the groups were smaller and there seemed to be more structure.

I also have been to see a waldorf/Steiner nursery with tiny groups and consistent teachers I loved it but it's 5km from our home so not as convenient.

I must mention that tge nursery is state funded using a queue system you get 3 choices and you are allocated a place, childminders or a nanny isn't really an option as tge nursery would be pretty much free.

[insancerre]

YANBU
and this is why-
Not all the rooms had an adult in but all the rooms were child proofed

[Sprite21]

That does seem like a lot of babies in one place. If an adult is assigned to an activity how will they keep track of individual babies?
The ratio is 3:1 at DD's nursery and I still don't think she gets the personal attention she needs. At that age they can't talk to say I'm hungry, thirsty, tired, bored, etc. so they need someone who's really paying attention to figure it out.

Where is this? Sweden?

[honeytea]

Yep it's Sweden, the kids did mostly seem happy, a couple of tiny ones were wondering around looking a little lost, one held her arms up to me to be picked up. I guess at least the kids are not shy!

They seemed good for older kids, a little too child directed in my opinion (I hope ds doesn't think he can decide everything at home too)

I think maybe we could choose the waldorf/Steiner nursery till ds is 3 and then move.

[wimblehorse]

Not all the rooms had an adult in?!
That would be a deal breaker for me. How do you childproof a child? I can imagine all sorts of toddlers bashing/hitting/poking each other in a child proofed room.

[honeytea]

Exactly wimblehorse, also one of the rooms with no adult was the cloak room, there was coats and waterproof trousers hanging up, a child could possibly hang themselves on that. Sometimes I do wonder if I am being precious and should just embrace the Swedish health and safety or lack of standards.

[VikingLady]

You are not being precious about it! DD today was almost stabbed in the eye with a spoon handle. A room full of adults, so I managed to grab her in time, but an 18m child had enough of her following him around and went for her.

Go with your gut feeling.

[Goodwordguide]

I'm not sure I could stand mixing with 40 toddlers for any length of time so I wouldn't want my child to. That amount of noise and activity would be exhausting and I can't see how the children could possibly get enough attention, particularly if they were shy or quiet (eg, my son didn't speak until he was nearly 3 and is still quiet outside of home).

I think you'll find opinions really vary on this but it's not something I'd choose.

[honeytea]

Good point about you spending time with 30 toddlers goodword, I would feel the same.

There also didn't seem to be any relaxed sort of activity, no book corner where the children could just go and chill out if they wanted to, one girl was curled up ynder a blanket in the corner poor thing.

[gloucestergirl]

I'm in Sweden and DD is just a year and has started at nursery. Through sheer luck and chance she is at a Waldorf nursery. The kids are divided into little groups. She is in a group of 3-5 kids depending on the day and it is so calm. She went through the inskolning with no problems. Lovely outdoor space and such a nice lady to look after her. Is there no way that you manage the 5 km to get to the Waldorf nursery in your area? You could go the whole swedish hog and pop her on the back of the bike if transport is a problem. The most important thing is that you are confident.

PS If she is in a room of 30 kids won't the germs spread like wildfire and you'll be home from work loads looking after her?

[gloucestergirl]

Oops. Forgot that you have a little boy instead of a girl.

[PurpleStorm]

The bit about not all the rooms having an adult in sounds worrying, even if the rooms themselves are childproofed.

And being with 30 kids sounds like a lot at that age.

[WishIdbeenatigermum]

Dagis? I had a wonderful experience of one for DDs age 4 and 2 and judge and find all childcare lacking since.

[honeytea]

We have a car so dp could drop ds of at the waldorf dagis on the way to/from work and I could cath the bus and cycle in the summer maybe ski in the winter ;)

There is no chance really of a place at the waldorf dagis in the spring so we would have to wait till aug 2014 for ds to start, we need to work out if we can afford the extra time off work.

my dp is a little reluctant to use the waldorf dagis because they serve vegitarian food (I han't told him about the no picture books and no black clothing and gereral hippiness but he is not interested enough in ds's education to research it)

[Viviennemary]

Go with your instinct. If it doesn't seem right to you then it isn't. All rooms should have an adult.