Nursery 'stay and play' for parents. How does it work/does this sound a bit odd?

[SarahAndQuack]

I will start by saying I absolutely love DD's nursery; in general they couldn't be better.

Tell me if I am being very mean-spirited? I want to know what you think a 'stay and play' event should/should not involve.

Ours today was meant to be a 'Christmas party' with Christmas songs. It wasn't very well organised, which I can put down to it being the first time they've done it. But one thing bugs me. Parents were invited to come at 4pm (ie., two hours before nursery ends and during most people's normal working hours). This is also the usual time they give the children a meal.

We turned up, played, then sang some songs. At 5pm it was all over and it was announced that children whose parents were there would be going home, and the rest would be moving into the other room as the 'party' was over.

AIBU to be confused why, if they had activities for an hour, they didn't make it 5-6, so people would lose less time at work? I am a bit irritated that they assumed we'd be happy to lost an hour of paid-for care, too. I think they fed the children earlier than usual, so I expect DD wasn't starving or anything, but I was expecting a party at a meal time to mean they'd provide party food instead of a meal.

I honestly have no sense of whether or not this is precious, so do just tell me.

Nope that is rubbish. Stay and play at nursery or school should always be just after drop off or before pick up and never be a way to get rid early!

Whew! I usually think they are amazing; I've never had a bad word to say about them, so I was surprised and second-guessing myself.

Our nursery shuts at 6 but children start going home from about 5- i or my husband try and pick up DD by 5.30- so I actually understand the 4-5 to
ensure most kids can attend and enjoy.
I think YABU about what essentially is a nice thing

YY, I thought that too @only.

It's definitely true people pick up from early, so some children would miss out if it were 5-6. But what bugs me is that, if you pay for 8-6 and pick up your child at 4 or 5, that is a choice you knowingly made about sacrificing some time you paid for. It is different from being told you have lost it, if you see what I mean?

It was such a nice idea, and I'm sure they meant well. I just want to know what is the usual expectation with 'stay and play' so I know what they're trying to achieve here.

It’s an hour!! Have you never been let out early from your job? I think you are being grossly nit picking about a very underpaid, slog of a job...childcare! Sorry OP

That's fair, only. As I say, they are generally excellent and I posted being unsure whether I was being OTT or not.

I don't have the sort of job where you get let out early (because I work from home and choose my hours), and nor does DP (because she clocks in and our at has to account for time to the quarter hour). So I think we probably felt more aware of losing two hours than some might. We have to make that time up if we don't work it.

Our stay and play is 2:30-4:30.... I went for the Mother’s Day one and my kid mainly ignored me I’m not taking another half day to sit on a midget chair and awkwardly follow her about (joking)

Oh, it's crushing, the rejection! Ours was delighted to see us, then ignored us for an hour. I like the whole idea of it, but I suppose it is weird for them and they're not quite sure how to react.