I thought it would be easier to find a nursery with a no outdoor shoes policy !!

[Noshoesnursery]

Every one so far that I’ve looked at they all wear outdoor shoes inside meaning the carpets and rugs are not clean ? I thought they would be outdoor shoes off at the door for children and staff and just clean indoor shoes inside ?

is it really that unusual ? It’s a deal breaker for me but I need to find one !!

I’m sure they do, I wasn’t questioning that. It was just a genuinely interested question about the differences between nurseries in different countries. I’m sure Swedish nursery provision is absolutely excellent, don’t worry 😊.

That's undoing (and they do that all the bloody time!)

That's not the same as getting them off and putting others on.

How many children can do that quickly, independently, at home?

Do they do Forest School?

I can only assume playgrounds are an absolute no-go, seeing as outdoor shoes have been all over the equipment and the closest it gets to a wipe down is a good bit of British rain? Same goes with sandpits, or just general parks, grass and outdoors? Legitimate question.

Every school and nursery is a petri dish of infections. My kids got and gave lots. My Grandson (3) does so now.

DIL is a primary teacher and brings a different urti or tummy bug home with monotonous regularity.

In Scandinavia and much of continental Europe, no outdoor shoes are the norm in nurseries and primary schools. Less because of a fear of germs, but more because it's extremely unhealthy for growing feet to be squeezed into rigid outdoor shoes all day long. They should be in softer plimsoll-type shoes when indoors. Funnily enough this is never a problem even though children go outside much more often there than in the UK. When they are very young, parents change their footwear at the beginning and end of each day, and during the day key workers help. They learn to take their own shoes on and off from an early age.
I grew up like this myself and was pretty shocked when I found that this wasn't done in the UK. And that children were kept indoors, often watching cartoons, at the slightest bit of rain. But you have to pick your battles so whilst not ideal, I accepted that this couldn't be a deal breaker.

This is insane lol, what on earth 😂 maybe just send lo in, in a bubble, no germs will be in his vicinity then.

School nursery and reception will be similar as they are outdoors a lot and then have carpet time for stories etc!

How on earth do you think the human race has survived all these years?

You shouldn't try and eradicate contact with 'normal' dirt.

Were you like this with your other children?

My eldest's nursery made them change from wellies to slippers in the cloakroom every day. The parents had to do it in the morning but I presume staff did it during the day. I always thought it was a monumental waste of time and effort!

That said I honestly couldn't care less about shoes indoors. I change when I get home but it's because I like snuggly slippers, not for germy reasons.

I’m just thinking one factor might be what the outdoor area looks like and how big it is? We are outdoors about 6-7 hrs a day. Our outdoor area is quite big, it’s a forest area with lots of trees to climb and has cycle paths for them learn how to cycle. A football field, areas with swings and 4 different slides/climbing walls and a few big sand pits. Lots of picnic tables to eat outside. Grass areas to pick flowers or make snow men and hedges where they make little caves. A hill where they can run up and down or use their sledges during winter. Play houses. A fire pit where we make food sometimes.

They have lots of different shoes for different weather. They can’t be left alone there, and if they were to wear outdoor shoes indoors it would look like either sand/mud or puddles from snow or rain..it simply would not work.
Because we are outside in all weathers.

It’s not because of germs. Also because it is certainly not good for little feet to stay in indoor shoes all day.

I don’t know how that would work anywhere, but it obviously does in the UK so.

I seem to remember my kids nursery asked you to supply slippers for them to wear indoors.

The bottom of the slippers were black with filth so I don’t imagine they were much better than outdoor shoes, germ wise.

Are you Italian per chance. All nurseries are socks inside only here and our daughter always come home with lovely clean socks so they must be very strict with it.

Of course it is. Children will be in and out all the time (assuming there is outside space which I would consider very important). Do you really expect nursery staff to supervise every child taking shoes on and off umpteen times a day, none of them at the same time? Totally unrealistic

Nurseries are supposed to be free flow to outdoors as much as possible how would a no shoes policy work? In reception and school nurseries children sit on floors they don't wear slippers?
Building immunity is important.

That's not a normal baby group.

What will you do when they go to school, kids all keep the shoes on and sit on the carpet every day in the early years.

Years ago outdoor play was controlled with children only getting short breaks in good weather now the doors are supposed to be open all weathers with free flow....often the doors magically open when inspectors come.

My kids nursery had this and I didn't realise it was that weird!

Not a problem either by the way. Kids got changed into indoor shoes or slippers as you dropped them off. Easy.

As for getting them changed during the day....well it's not like they have pressing engagements is it?! If it takes 20 minutes to get shoes off and on, then it takes 20 minutes!

The pandemic must have been your worst nightmare. Are you still wiping your shopping?

Nurseries i worked in twenty years ago we’re slippers in baby room.

Carpets were only part of an area of a room with wet floor/mopped vinyl flooring. The carpets were cleaned too.

To be honest how snotty, slobbery, messy and germy kids are with playing with toys then another child comes along and chews that toy, maybe picks their nose and wipes it on the table and so on right up to school. The carpets are the least of your worries😂😂.

Yes toys are cleaned but not after each child has touched it.

Never heard of this, and it never crossed my mind when we looked at nurseries recently. Nurseries are always going to be a bit mucky, like any place with lots of kids. If you want to have such tight control; you might be better to find a childminder.

I’m interested to know what you think the babies and toddlers do when the kids play outside. I can assure you that they are not held….

Worked in a reception class for a year and i never saw any toys washed….not like the private nurseries very regular cleaning regime!

So you're not going to allow them to go to the playground? I don't understand this. I'm super hygienic, wouldn't dream of shoes indoors but with kids you have to let it go or they literally can't be kids and experience the world as kids do..