My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

AIBU to worry that marbles in the nursery are a choking hazard?

26 replies

ProbablyBeingPFB · 03/06/2016 11:11

Right, I'm probably being very precious and ridiculous here, so please go ahead and slap some sense into me.

My son is at a lovely nursery in a room with kids aged between 3 and 5. He is the youngest there (3 and a bit). The other day when I collected him I noticed he was playing with a marble run. I know I'm probably being ridiculous but to me those small little glass balls look like a dangerous choking hazard!

I know most children in that age group would be smart enough not to put random objects in their mouth. Although my son doesn't usually try to "eat" inedible stuff, I do sometimes think he lacks common sense and I worry about him just "putting one in his mouth" and then choking on it.

Would you be comfortable with your small child playing with marbles unsupervised? (Well, there are adults there but it's a big group, and they are not watching every kid all the time!)

I'm being ridiculous aren't I?

OP posts:
Report
WhirlwindHugs · 03/06/2016 11:14

Yes, sorry!
Over 3s should be okay with small objects and they are supervised at nursery anyway.

Report
Longtalljosie · 03/06/2016 11:15

I don't think you are being that precious actually. DD2 is 3.5 and puts stuff in her mouth for a reaction sometimes Hmm

I'd let her play with marbles but only under close supervision. I'm surprised it's in a setting like that.

Report
PrincessHairyMclary · 03/06/2016 11:15

A little OTT yes, they are for children 3+ so an issue in the babies/ toddlers room but not in the ones he's in.

Report
MrsJayy · 03/06/2016 11:15

A teeny bit ridiculous yeah you instantly thought omg but they could choke on a tiny farm animal or a bit of lego etc etc .

Report
Medusacascade · 03/06/2016 11:34

I think the same as you but I know I'm very I've cautious. Especially when working with other people's children and marbles is something I wouldn't risk using personally.

Report
Onlyicanclean10 · 03/06/2016 11:38

Mmmm as a cm I wouldn't have risked it to be honest op. It's amazing what even the most sensible toddler wants to taste.

Report
ProbablyBeingPFB · 03/06/2016 11:52

An interesting mix of responses so far... Thanks guys.

OP posts:
Report
Buggers · 03/06/2016 11:57

My dd is 3 and never really been one to put things in her mouth but I probably wouldn't risk getting marbles for a while & I'm pretty laid back about stuff like that usually.

Report
MrsJayy · 03/06/2016 11:59

I was a bugger for putting stuff in my mouth as a kid i have choked on a marble and various things

Report
Artistic · 03/06/2016 12:06

There was a recent incident where a child in a nursery choked on such a marble and sadly couldn't be saved. But she was not yet 3 years old and had wandered into that room during 'free flow' play. Very very sad. My DD once swallowed (completely) a small bead (1cm diameter) when she was 4 years old. I don't see how such a major risk can be minimised just because the child is a magical 3 years old? Some children are possibly mature in this matter but some are not. Just something silly like wanting to hide your favourite marble by putting it in your mouth - can be disastrous! Sorry to cause you more worry than what you already have about this - but you are correct. I would speak to the nursery and see what they say. It's hardly a toy that kids at nursery can't live without!

Report
honkinghaddock · 03/06/2016 12:06

I'd have not been happy with it. Ds puts everything in his mouth but didn't have 1:1 at nursery.

Report
Roomba · 03/06/2016 12:08

My 3 year old would be fine with marbles. My older DS managed to swallow a magnetic marble when he was 3 at nursery though. We had a panic/A&E/X-ray as he wasn't sure how many he'd swallowed. If your DS i the youngest I'd expect the others would be okay, though I'd also expect vigilant supervision.

Report
toffeeboffin · 03/06/2016 13:29

Why do they even need to have marbles?

There's literally hundreds of other toys that they could have instead.

I don't think they should have marbles in nurseries, period. In schools maybe, but even then, I don't think think they are safe, they are such a hazard.

Report
FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 03/06/2016 14:43

Choking is one of my biggest fears.

I think marble runs are best in one to one settings and not nurseries, as much as I like them.

Report
mummyto2monkeys · 03/06/2016 16:20

Yanbu a child in a city close to where live, choked on a grape at an after school club, he was five and he died. Now grapes are similar in size to some marbles, I would expect the children who are playing with the marbles to be closely supervised. My son is eight and autistic, he still puts things in his mouth. He would need 1:1 support in a setting with dangers like that.

We have had marbles at home for years, we have marble runs and marble trees and my son loves his marbles. However we make sure that our children are supervised when playing. I bought larger sized marbles for my dd when she was 18 months, they were too big for her to fit in her mouth but we still supervised her playing with them.

Have you asked the nursery how play is supervised?

Report
nanetterose · 03/06/2016 16:27

I don't think they need them really.
I'm quite shocked they decided on them. There are are so many educational fun things available. I work mainly with 4\5 year olds, l get nervous when they are counting with the little glass beads!
Children are unpredictable. Until it can be guaranteed they won't eat something tiny - why not use something else?

Report
ateapotandacake · 03/06/2016 16:31

I swallowed a marble when I was 6 and I'm still here. That doesn't help does it...

Report
ProbablyBeingPFB · 03/06/2016 16:34

Thanks all for your replies! I think I will mention it to the nursery.
nanetterose you are right when you say that children are unpredictable (or at least, mine is!), and this is what worries me - I know a 3-5 year old child wouldn't ordinarily put a marble in their mouth, but in my mind it's just not worth the risk!

OP posts:
Report
MrsJayy · 03/06/2016 16:51

Yes if you are concerned then say to the staff

Report
museumum · 03/06/2016 16:55

My ds is in an age 2-3 room and they have a marble run but not marbles, they put dried peas down it I think. My ds LOVES building it and changing it and learn so much from it. If you are going to say something please suggest they think of other ways to keep the activity.

Report
Threefaries · 03/06/2016 16:56

YANBU. I asked my eldest child to keep her marbles away from my three year old the other day. I've had the joy of dealing with a floppy choking child and it's not fun.

Report
NavyAndWhite · 03/06/2016 17:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Abbinob · 03/06/2016 18:04

YANBU ds us almost 3 and wouldn't usually put things in his mouth but yiu never know, they might decide to play something else in their head and pretend it's food or whatever.
DS was trying to eat money the other day pretending it was chocolate coins

Report
MrsDoylesTeaParty · 03/06/2016 21:30

I agree with you OP and I'm pretty easy going about most things. I think playing at home while supervised is fine but in a setting like that where they can't be watched every second.. 3 is still very young to be trusted to be sensible all the time.

Report
Aeroflotgirl · 03/06/2016 21:38

Yanbu at all, even kids 3 + can put marbles in their mouth, it's not worth the risk. I would relay your concerns to the manager.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.