To think pre-school uniform is a bit sad?

[CulturalBear]

It's that time of year, the FB full of cute pics of kids off to school for the first time.

This year though I noticed a huge number of those heading to pre-school are in full-on actual primary school uniform.

They're barely 3 years old some of them! AIBU to think this is a bit OTT and frankly, sad, trying to force kids into conforming and growing up at earlier and earlier ages?

I could understand taster days in the last few weeks before summer (possibly) but for a whole year? Seems a bit much...

No boater Molly, thank God. Polo shirt, logo jumper / cardi and joggers or pinafore / summer dress. Pretty much the same as Reception excl. joggers. We ended up getting the pinafore and summer dress as my DD refuses to wear trousers, little diva that she is.

I am not into the whole skirts, tights, polo shirt and cardigan look for the pre-schoolers as I think it's a bit much but Dd is obsessed by painting and covers herself in it daily so she wears just cheap sainsburys polo shirts with dark leggings.

I refuse to buy the actual nursery polo shirts which are white with an embroidered emblem as the paint stains and I'd rather replace polos that are £3.50 for 3 as opposed to £7 a pop.

My dd3 starts nursery school on Monday - the uniform is jogging bottoms, polo shirt and a sweatshirt and a pair of indoors for indoors . I've had 2 dds through the nursery school and I've found the uniform brilliant. No faffing about with what they will and won't wear - no insistence on wearing bloody dressing up costumes.

My friend's ds is in nursery and they have to wear grey trousers, white shirt, black jumper and a tie!

I think that part of the reason I don't like a uniform is that I love buying clothes for DD and couldn't buy as many if she wore a uniform all week.

But how do you get then to wear the uniform Wiggle? I'll kill someone if I have to deal with a tantrum every morning just to get my DD into the uniform.

The parents I know that do full school uniform do it because school uniform is ridiculously cheap. Small size polos work out at about 75p each. My dd goes in her own clothes because I don't care if they get trashed, she can still wear them back there. Her clothes usually 2nd/3rd/4th hand anyway.

Shizzy, maybe let he pick some very special school bows and clips for her hair?

I told her she would have to. I had no bother with my first 2, but dd3 is a law unto herself re clothes, if it's not pink, a dress and sparkly she doesn't want to know. But she wants to go to school, she knows she has to wear a uniform, she can wear whatever she wants from 2pm Mon - Fri and all weekend and on holidays but Mon -Fri 9am - 1.30pm she does what she's supposed to in school and that includes wearing a uniform.

DS2 started Nursery, it is new and the one my older two went to had no uniform. He has trousers, joggers, polo tops and sweatshirts and loves wearing a 'unicorn' like his big brother and sister
He does look grown up, not as much as some because he is tall. My friends DS had to have uniform made as he is only in 12-18 months clothes, he looks tiny.

I would rather the school had no uniform but it's not my choice.

Mine has worn a uniform since age 2. It's a shell suit-y type thing. Incredibly hard wearing, dries almost instantly and is comfy. I really like it, but I wouldn't be happy with more 'formal' uniform as wee kids like to rough and tumble and it doesn't seem that practical.

DS's preschool have logo sweatshirts these are optional though. we are regularly reminded to not send them in clothes we don't want to get trashed.

Ours have the option of wearing polo/tee shirt/ sweatshirt with logo, but I'm surprised at the amount that turn up in 'full uniform' type clothes. I guess as another poster says- at the end of the day it's a cheap option.
The town where I live only has designer children's shops, next and fatface for children's clothes ... It also has tesco - which has school uniform.

It's worked out really expensive for me because I've had to buy 5 of everything.

There's only me and DS here so I only do a wash 2 or 3 times a week, if that. His polo shirts are white and trousers & sweatshirts are black/navy so they have to go in separate loads. I just don't do enough washing to be able to keep up with it so it was either buy 5 of everything or put the washer on half full (mine doesn't have a half-load setting) both of which cost more money than just sending him in stuff he already has.

I appreciate that won't be the case for bigger families of course but it's a pain in the arse for me.

Plus DS is such a short arse that his trousers had to have several inches cut off the bottom before they were short enough to be turned up! They'd last years if it wasn't for the fact that he'll wear them out way before they get too small. Jeans are so much more hard wearing and practical than thin, cotton trousers.

DS1's preschool had an optional (though all the children wore it) uniform of the school sweatshirt/polo shirt. They wore their own bottoms. I liked it because I didn't have to think about or hunt around for something to dress him in, it meant they could be easily identified on trips out and the children liked wearing it.
School trousers and shoes is a bit much for preschool though. I used to put ds1 in loose fitting cheap joggers so he could get them up and down easily, they're comfy and I didn't care if they got messy.

I hate seeing children in uniform, and I'm extremely pleased that DD got into a non-uniform school. Why the hell would I want her dressed in bottle green polyester??? She managed to get through nearly 3 years of nursery (not a pre-school or attached to a school) in mainly Sainbo's clothes and hand-me-downs, none of which were wrecked, but who cares anyway when they're that cheap, I didn't send her in in her party best.

There are quite a few European parents at DD's nursery who are all at uniform at primary, or at school at all.

YANBU, in short!

Ds2 started pre school on Wednesday - their uniform is a logo sweatshirt. Plain navy joggers/ leggings and white polo shirts - 2 for £2 in tesco. They ask for them to wear velcro close trainers as well. DS2 is so happy to go to nursery in his umiform. I've had to listen to a gaggle of Mums this week complaining about the lack of proper uniform. One adorable little girl has been in every day with a pleated school skirt and shiny black patent school shoes with her frill collar white blouse and her sweatshirt.

DS2 has been waving at other kids when we've seen them later in the day and I'm sure it's the uniform. I think it's a great idea - cheap and practical and the kids have a real pride in their uniform and school

My ds2 preschool has an optional logo polo shirt and sweatshirt. I bought them 5 years ago when DD started and they still look like new. They are on DC3! I'm not precious though and often send him in normal clothes if the tops are in the wash.
Mine wore either tracksuit bottoms or shorts. There are a couple of kids in full uniform and they look so uncomfortable.

Aww Shoofly, vair cute.

He looks very pleased to be going to school. :)

The ones at our school wear a uniform. Navy tracksuit with navy polo and the school coat. Easy to use spares if there is an accident without drawing attention to things.

Ds1 has been looking forward to wearing his uniform all summer. He starts nursery on monday (attached to primary), the uniform is optional. I'm not a fan of ridiculously strict uniforms, but this is trousers, polo shirt, jumper. The trousers were £3 in asda, you cant get cheap jeans for £3!

YANBU it feels too young to me

This thread surprises me, pre-school uniform is very much the norm round here. My ds wore his happily and it was quite practical. Worse to see them arguing about who's wearing the coolest superhero t-shirt and worrying about what to wear every day (and yes as sad as that sounds this is very common with the 3 and 4 yr olds I know)

No but £5 jeans last 3 times as long as crappy, thin school trousers so, for me, it's a bit of a false economy. I realise that's because DS is a shorty though so his jeans last well over a year. I've only just given away his 12-18mth ones. The ones he's wearing now are 2-3 and are still turned up so having been going for a year already they still have at least another 6-12 months wear in them!