More than one playgroup/preschool/nursery

[DeccaMitford]

My son is nearly two and has been going to a private nursery for two afternoons a week for a few months. We've just moved house and I'm looking into local options now...

There are so many variables I'm struggling to get my head round it all! I think I'd like him still to go to a private nursery for a couple of afternoons a week (1-6pm) as he does now, but some of the good local preschools start taking children from 2yrs, so I quite like the idea of doing that as well/instead. As the sessions are shorter (2-2.5 hrs) and he has mainly dropped his nap it might be good for both of us for him to go to on the days he doesn't go to nursery.

But I'm worried if I send him to a nursery plus one or more preschool playgroups it will be too much and confusing for him to be with different adults and children on different days of the week.

What do you think? Is variety good or continuity better?

One other thing, I really liked one of the preschools as the staff were lovely and they did lovely big group activities in the large hall for part of the time, but one thing concerned me, and that was that there was a wooden a-frame up inside the hall, over a metre high, with no padding underneath underneath and kids just climbing in it, loosely supervised. Would you be OK with that and I'm just being PFB about it, or would you worry it was indicative of lax health and safety and run a mile?

Thanks in advance!

[KleineDracheKokosnuss]

If he likes the various groups/pre-school, I'd think variety will be fine. My DD alternatives between nursery (2 days), grandparent 1 (3 days) and grandparent 2 (3 days in the alternative week to grandparent 1. She's fine with it and thinks all the above options are fab.

Next year we'll be adding the pre-school of her future school to the mix as well...

[KleineDracheKokosnuss]

"a wooden a-frame up inside the hall, over a metre high, with no padding underneath underneath and kids just climbing in it, loosely supervised. Would you be OK with that and I'm just being PFB about it, or would you worry it was indicative of lax health and safety and run a mile"

Depends - would the fall be onto concrete/a very hard surface, was it much more than a metre and were there staff members around? If is was not much higher and the drop wasn't onto concrete, I'd probably be OK with it (not having seen it mind), but then I have a climber and I'm inured to heart-stopping moments involving heights now. I'm also fine with a bit of risk. What does your gut tell you?

[lynniep]

Both mine have done mixed nurseries. DS2 just started school this september, but before that he was doing 1.5 days at one and 2 at the other. He loved the variation and the fact that he had two sets of friends/grownups/toys to play with.
Before he got funding at 3, he was in one of them 1 day a week (the expensive one!) and the other 2.5 and he was in no way confused by just spending 1 day at the pricey one. It really depends on the child.

As for the A-frame - I probably wouldn't be too worried (but I may have with DS1!) as DS2 has always gone on higher climbing frames than that at the park. I'd be happier if it was on a soft mat though.

[DeccaMitford]

Thanks for your replies so far! Any further views also welcome...

Re the a-frame, I guess it was probably about 4 ft or so and it was just on the wooden floor of the hall. There were adults nearby but not watching over it. It was up because it was wet outside so they had some kind if outdoor play indoors.

I think my gut is telling me it's probably not a deal breaker for me, otherwise I'd have counted them out completely already, but just wanted to check what others thought. I might mention my concern to them casually if it's up next time we visit and see how they react.

[bearwithspecs]

Mine did it and lots of friends too - never an issue. Forget about the a frame - non issue