Woodwork at nursery

[KnockMeDown]

OK, am feeling brave so posting in AIBU, but also because I am genuinely not sure if I am right to be concerned about this or not.

DD 3.4 goes to a fabulous nursery, where they do a huge range of activities, and in general, I completely trust their judgement. But she has just started doing woodwork, which involves hammering real nails into wood, through various metal bottle tops and other objects. The results feature nails sticking up to a height of 1-2cm. The nails are then covered with masking tape to make them safer.

I think I am ok about DD taking part in this activity, but not 100% happy. But I really don't think that a 3 yr old bringing home a piece of wood with nails sticking out of it is safe. The masking tape will not do anything if she was to fall on to the wood or lean on it with her hand. The first time she brought one of these home I did not know it was there - it was in a bag of other work, which was mainly drawings, as you would expect.

I raised it with the nursery at the time - her key worker said they would discuss it with the staff. The wood on that occasion was also very roughly sawn - a splinter waiting to happen. Today, she has brought another one home - this time smooth edges, but nails still sticking up, covered with masking tape.

So, am I being excessively PFB, or is this not something you would be happy with? All comments appreciated.

PS if I get my act together, will try to post pics of the offending article later.

What was said object supposed to be anyway? Clearly somebody who thinks you can make sticky out nails safe with a bit of masking tape shouldn't be teaching woodwork.

This is a fabulous thing to do with pre schoolers, you are very lucky to have a nursery that will do stuff like that.

I work with early years and I could bang on for ages about the brilliance of stuff like this.

YABU and PFB.

I think you should treasure your dds creation and give it pride of place on the mantlepiece for at least a month.

They do woodwork in the Early Years Unit at the school my kids go to, but I don't think they take the wood home afterwards. I like it.

My children nursery had woodwork, they loved it, as did all the children, all the accidents seemed to happen in the soft play room, and out on the slide.

I'm jealous. Our nursery does loads of fab stuff that I'm sure MN would deem "dangerous" including Forest School sessions involving building fires, but I haven't yet come across them doing woodwork. I might suggest it though.

My DS's preschool does this, he loves it
I have to admit that they don't send it home though, I would probably be a bit 'WTF do I do with this?!' if they did

Seen as totally normal here (Sweden) for small children, under supervision to hammer nails into wood, either playing at home or at nursery. As far as I can tell there aren't any serious injuries as a result

I remember doing proper, bang nails into wood, woodwork at a state nursery when I was 4, in the 1970s. I have really good memories of it.

DS1's nursery introduced an "atelier" (!) a few years ago where they do the same thing, so I was delighted when he came home with wooden creations!

"the bits of wood with nails sticking out coming home un-announced in a bag of stuff DD would normally happily review and play with by herself"

You need to get in the habit of frisking nightly (good practice or primary I you want to get Pupil Post letters on time). There could be all sorts of 'treasures' secreted in there (particularly i fthey have free-ish access outdoors.

My dc did this at their nursery. They loved it. Teachers gave us the results directly though, and it was minus tape. Perhaps this is the way forward for you.

Sounds fantastic to me - I'd sign up my dd! I think you are worrying too much - why not put creation on higher shelf so you look at it together if she wants to see it? Can't see how much harm it is going to cause then?

The activity sounds fine, but if they want to send the finished pieces home they should hand them directly over to you.

Sounds great. We did this when I was that age about four decades ago, just without the masking tape.

Thanks all. The positive comments about the activity have made me re-think my caution on that, but will ask again that any creations are handed to me direct.

What a great sounding board is MumsNet!!

Awww

YABU. I'd be thrilled if my 3 year old did something this brilliant at nursery.

My dc have a game - hammer and tap, you hammer bits of wood into a cork board to make pictures, was it something like that?

Useful life skill hammering nails in without banging your fingers :)

The dc's did a a woodwork session at their nursery. It was heavily supervised. They were allowed to bang nails then take it in turns to use a saw.

On one occasion the older kids were in charge of assembling the flat pack toy Ikea kitchen for nursery. The adults read the instructions and the kids were armed with allen keys, I think it was DS's best ever day.

Is part of the early years curriculum. They have to do it and will get marked down in inspections otherwise I think.

Maybe not in Scotland? Anyway, would be happy for DS to assemble furniture. It's a bit like doing a large, badly fitting puzzle (often with missing or damaged parts)..

I think it sounds fantastic!

If a child scrapes themself on a nail or gets a little splinter, they'll learn to be more careful.

My Dad and my Grandad used to supervise me in their sheds at that age, and I was always banging nails in wood and sanding things down etc...

My sons would love this. I don't think they have done woodwork but then they never tell me anything.

Maybe not in Scotland?

Yes I am in Scotland and was part of a playgroup management committee. We had to provide woodworking stuff.

At forest schools nurseries they get to use saws, drills and light fires. All under close supervision of course and with plenty of reinforcement of the safety rules.