To ask nursery not to let my child play outside when it’s dark out

I very much doubt the nursery garden will be as big as a park. It’ll be small, enclosed, and already fully risk-assessed.

Oh no! Your child will be darked on!

Surely it's a safe enclosed nursery garden. He should be wearing warm clothing though if he's outside.

This nursery sounds good. Getting the children outside is just so important, I know of nurseries where they barely go outside. It's so much fun in the dark, something different for them.. let them crack on ask to wear a hat etc (although some kids just won't wear them). Relax.

My eyes hurt from the pain of reading this.

Unless your child is being sent out to play in a space with no adequate lighting, then I think you aren't just being unreasonable, but slightly ridiculous. As for the gloves and hat, it would be great if he was wearing these, but I found that my youngest hated wearing hats and gloves and generally refused or took them off. It was frustrating, but the relevant part is ... he survived.

Agree

You said it yourself OP when you pick him up he is very happy but cold. It wouldn't be fair on him of you said he cannot go out after 4 when it would be supervised and presumably enough adequate lighting and safer than home more likely as usually tarmac grounds not uneven grass. He would see other kids and possibly feel sad. In my opinion nothing wrong with it as others have said different rules for different environments is okay and it teaches change. Definitely though I would ask for hat scarf and gloves currently having the same issues with p1 not applying appropriate outwear and sick of constant coughs and colds 🙄

My daughter LOVES a nighttime stroll. Takes her torch and tries to look for bats, shines the torch on the trees to see the leaves light up, looks for foxes and hedgehogs in bushes etc.

Just ask that he has his outside clothes on. But it's easier playing with no gloves and hands soon warm up.

This

I took my near 3 year old to the local park the other evening, around 4.30pm, when it was dark. He absolutely loved it!
Usually nurseries have lights or something so it's not like they can't see the children

We used to take ours on torch walks in the dark, they loved it. Surely there are lights in the garden at nursery? and if you don’t have the at home, get some. Outdoor play before bedtime is great for a healthy sleep imo.

Ask them to ensure he is wearing hat and gloves. Do you want him sitting inside on his own whilst his friends are outside? If there are lights i don't see the issue if wrapped up

The child won’t get the message though as they’ll see the other children playing outside. No being adequately dressed for the cold is the issue.

Of course your nursery will be happy to...
Not!
It's a group setting. Not 1:1.
Get your child before it turns dark if it's so important to follow your own rules for playtime

If there is some light in the garden, and I am sure there is at the nursery otherwise the staff would not be able to see the children, I can't see anything wrong with them playing there in the dark. They'll have outdoor clothes on too to keep them warm but they will be active, running about.

My son and his friends always played in our back garden when it was dark, they loved it.

What is the problem?

Why? What is the issue with playing outside in the dark?
Appropriate clothing is another issue, but OP just needs to make sure that its provided and ask staff to try to make sure her child wears his hat and gloves (but if he takes them off because he's too warm from running around then that's up to him really, unless its below zero)

OP, you can't ask nursery to keep your child inside, they most likely will not be able to staffing-wise, and it would also be incredibly unfair on your child to separate them from their friends. The end of the day play outside was the most looked forward to part of nursery for both my children, and for half the year it was always in the dark (and cold, as cold as -20 before nursery would keep them inside, grumbling as they'd want to go out)

Presumably, if we discount the risk of spiders willies and being 'darked on'... you're worried about what exactly... trip hazards?

I'd assume there is some light, and that the outside space at nursery is, unlike your garden, specifically designed for very small children to run around in safely...

Dark walks were my favourite thing as a little 'un, we used to walk to a friends house and back in the pitch black with Mother and without the torch for most of it as she demonstrated first time how the torch actually reduced your vision in many ways and we'd see more without it.

If clothing is an issue.. well supply appropriate clothing that is easy to get on and off for staff. Being out in the cold actually won't hurt him as long as he's dry and running around, if he's happy then he's happy!

Please tell me this one of those reverse April fools early/late joke things?

Children are perfectly able to differentiate that different people mean different rules.

Delighted to see fellow MNers had the same thoughts as me about spider willies and being darked on.

I think the situation is irrevocable. Throw him away and get a new one. Or you could give him an extra wash in the washing machine and hope for the best. They’re the only possible options.

Oh no….wait….that’s washing. Not children.

Nursery rooms have ratios. Probably the whole group would be impacted by your child staying inside. Don’t be ‘that’ parent. Ask that he’s dressed appropriately, but it is silly that he has to be inside at 4pm simply because it’s dark. I presume it’s a fenced area. Nursery will have different rules and routines than home.

Everyone's already said it, but asking your child to stay inside is one of those you will look back and feel embarrassed of asking.

Don't do it, your child will be fine will enjoy the novelty and if not will let you / the nursery know. __

I took my DC to the park once just as it was getting dark. Never again it was really hard to supervise them properly . Both have severe autism my son was a runner. Ex's brother took his DC to an adventure playground in the dark. His DD walked into a tree got a black eye.

What I'm saying is I don't think they will be taking them outside in the dark. It would be impossible to supervise all the children safely. They will most likely have outside play when it's daylight hours.