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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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To not let ds go on THIS school trip to...

149 replies

alltheworld · 14/11/2015 00:41

...Toysrus...
Their theme is toys this term and have just had letter back saying this will be educational and enjoyable and they may take five quid spending money.

  1. I fail to see how this is educational
  2. It is commercial
  3. We are broke and my life is spent managing dc's expectations down and I specifically avoid toy shops esp. At this time of year.
OP posts:
merrymouse · 14/11/2015 08:14

I would ask the school the reasoning behind the trip and what topic it coincides with.

There are a few topics that seem to come up routinely in the curriculum. Don't know how this has changed in recent years, but when DS started school in 2008 'toys' was a standard reception topic.

However most schools manage to teach it without a trip to toys r us in the run up to Christmas.

Janeymoo50 · 14/11/2015 08:17

Do parents really complain to schools about everything these days or just on MN?

merrymouse · 14/11/2015 08:17

Yes, merrymouse, I think we all know that, but thank you. There 4 separate UK school trips on the first page of Google results, and I would argue that regardless of your Google history, the odds are that at least one of these trips would show up within the first few pages if you have decent search skills.

Particularly now that the link is attached to a mumsnet page.

scarlets · 14/11/2015 08:22

It's only educational if someone talks to them about retail ie how the toys get from the design/ideas stage to the shelves, how pricing works etc. Doubt it'll be like that though! Not at that age.

CheesyNachos · 14/11/2015 08:24

Great post about the icecream Sanity.

TheWitTank · 14/11/2015 08:27

Yes merrymouse, but the school clearly haven't given any information to the parents with regards to what the purpose of the trip is or how it coincides with the current topic. When our school send out letters about trips they tend to lay out clearly how the trip will work educationally. They don't just say 'we are going on a trip to so and do, please send in £'. It would be interesting to see what they think the benefits are and where it fits in the curriculum. At least then the parents can make informed complaints!

merrymouse · 14/11/2015 08:32

Fair point wit tank.

However, I am an sceptical that any educational benefit could justify taking young children to a toy warehouse just before Christmas. (Unless it's to protest about gendering of toys?...maybe the topic is peaceful protest?...)

RJnomaaaaaargh · 14/11/2015 08:37

The Tesco educational programme is really well known to any of us working even on the periphery of education.

I am not aware of a similar toys or us programme but there isn't one local to us.

Op, I'd send him. He will hear and see these things from his peers anyway. It's time for a chat about what Santa can and cannot do if he comes back with a silly list. You won't be the only parent in his class doing it.

KittyandTeal · 14/11/2015 08:38

That is not educational. I would be tempted to write and request to know what nc objectives that trip is addressing.

I remember doing 'toys' with year 1. We always went to a toy museum or had someone in to show them old toys. Kids know what modern toys are like, they bloody play with them every day!

Appalling. I can't imagine why the head thought that was a good idea. It's basically a trip to a toy shop to buy a treat.

the idea of taking 30 kids to toys r us is giving me a headache, they'd just scatter!

SaltaKatten · 14/11/2015 08:47

A search using the word visit instead of trip shows several schools who have been to toys r us. Educational visit is the preferred word as it sounds better according to my headteacher =)
I can see what the teachers are thinking, an interesting visit, kids love toys etc. It's possible that they don't have children themselves and haven't thought of the implications for parents.

merrymouse · 14/11/2015 08:51

Every parent may have to manage expectations at Christmas but that is not the same as knowing that you will struggle to afford anything.

Talking about what you want for Christmas is not the same as wandering around a shop telling other children what you will get for Christmas.

Seeing the latest must have toy that toys r us want your parents to buy in the next 6 weeks is not the same as visiting a toy museum or looking at toys.

Queenbean · 14/11/2015 08:56

I went to Tesco on a school trip when I was a child!

OTheHugeManatee · 14/11/2015 08:57

Jesus wept. Of all the things you could choose to theme a term's work at school, they choose toys?

Sunseeker81 · 14/11/2015 09:14

My dd went on a school trip to Asda in year 1. They all enjoyed it. I don't think I would be too bothered about a trip to Toys r us. The money thing would bother me the most as not everyone has money to spare. Some will have more than others too.

Nanny0gg · 14/11/2015 09:17

Toys as a topic is very interesting. Compare what you played with as a child with what's available today.
Go back and see what the Romans played with as children.
Bring in or discuss your favourite toy. Design your ideal toy.
Why are girls' toys relentlessly pink? Can boys play with dolls?

Literacy, history, technology, PHSE... you can find something for every curriculum area in toys.

Children love toys (obviously) and they are fascinated. And toy museums are great fun.

Toys r Us - not so much.

And for those that think that any children not taking a fiver 'won't mind'...

Oh yes they will.

yorkshapudding · 14/11/2015 09:18

I don't know what's more ridiculous, school thinking that taking 30 kids to a massive toy store in the run up to Christmas when so many families are on the bare bones of their arse is a good idea or Pinot incessantly demanding that OP pm her with details of her DC's school Shock. What exactly are you planning on doing with that information Pinot? Are you going to ring the school to demand answers? Grin OP, please don't give Pinot the details so she can interrogate some poor receptionist about why the details of this trip were not published online on the mandatory, national database of primary school excursions that exists only in her head!

Seriously though, I wouldn't send him if that's how you feel. I doubt he'll be the only one as there will be many parents who are trying to manage their kids expectations for Christmas and this trip really won't help. Kids are already bombarded by advertising and peer pressure. Being dragged around Toys R Us listening to the more well-off kids point out everything that Mummy has promised Santa will be bringing them is bound to be frustrating and confusing for children who are in a very different position. At that age they are too young to understand why Santa doesn't bring everyone the same.

SquinkiesRule · 14/11/2015 09:20

When my kids were 5 (three separate school years) they went to the local shopping centre and went to the Post Office, The grocery shop and the Pizza place. All the kids had a blast. They went inside the back in all the places, saw how post is sorted, went into the big fridges and saw whole pig ready to be cut into pork chops etc and finished in the Pizza place where they saw how the dough is made and them made their own lunch and sat in the restaurant and ate it. My SIL used to do trips for the local school in the McDonalds she managed, they went in a looked around the back and she showed them how it all worked all the way to delivering the food to the customer.
Theres something to learn in every place you go. I doubt they are just going in to wander the isles and shop.

LeaveMyWingsBehindMe · 14/11/2015 09:21

I don't understand the supermarket trips either to be honest. What child has never been round a supermarket a hundred times? Confused

If you want to teach them about how food ends up in a supermarket, and the process of the retail journey of food, then a supermarket isn't really the place to do it.

TheSpottedZebra · 14/11/2015 09:21

Right, so I posted earlier that my nephew did this trip. I checked with his parents - he does does exist, as does his school (not one of those mentioned already), and they all def exist, despite PP's powers of google/wine taken.

Supposedly lost of parents were a bit Hmm about the trip before hand, but actually they seemed to have a good time. They all got to wear hi vis vests, and went in a staff entrance, saw a lorry unloading, looked at the staff room, briefly the shop floor, saw a till working. There was no selling or money taken. They then went and looked at a nearby leisure centre in a similar way. The trip linked to a 'My Town' topic, which covered who there were, types of house, types of transport, types of job, country of origin/languages spoken, hobbies etc. This was in reception and my nephew is now Y2. He has yet to become a grabby capitalist bastard.

ohtheholidays · 14/11/2015 09:22

OP I'm not surprised your not happy about the trip.

If it was me and it was for one of my DC I'd go in and speak to someone at the school and find out what the actual trip is going to involve.

I'm really surprised as well that they've said the children can take £5 spending money with them.At all of our childrens schools they always inform the parents to only ever let they're children take a couple of pounds.

And contrary to the regular assumption children do not have to attend any school trips.

I used to teach and on pretty much every trip there would be at least a few children that didn't attend various trips for various reasons.When this happened the children that weren't going on the trips went into another class(usually closest to they're age)and worked within that class for the day.

AmarettoSour · 14/11/2015 09:24

I imagine pinot must be cringing at her posts this morning. Her demanding the OP send her details of the school is nothing short of creepy and inappropriate Confused

Buttercup27 · 14/11/2015 09:29

If the school are following the Pink PSHCE scheme of work there is a section on commercialism and advertising and the media which they may be hoping to tick off.
But I think it's completely the wrong time of year to even contemplate a trip like this.

DawnMumsnet · 14/11/2015 09:31

Morning all,

Thanks for your reports about Pinot's troll hunting posts on this thread. Not on!

We've zapped them all now. As most of you know, troll hunting is against our Talk Guidelines and what's more, it derails a good thread. Enough already!

fastdaytears · 14/11/2015 09:34

I've done Farm to Fork (Tesco) with a non-school group and it was actually brilliant. There was lots of information and activities. When school trips can be so expensive, I think free is good. The low point for me was cleaning up vomit from a child eating some weird green cheese but I doubt that happens on every trip.

Retail if it's done properly can be an interesting trip.

Toys R Us in the run up to Christmas isn't very sensitive though IMO.

8reasonstohide · 14/11/2015 09:39

I would just like to add that I, yes ME, have taken my very own Year Two class to the local Tesco store for an educational trip linked to our topic of food. It was very educational. The children no only learnt about where in the world our food comes from (fruit and veg aisle) but they also learnt that there are many different types of fish (not just cod or haddock that is fried!) and how food is stored (we went into their large walk-in freezer and fridge), warehouse and also about jobs and the many people and roles it takes in a supermarket. The children found it entertaining with an educational spin on it and yes, they also made their own bread rolls which they took home.

Just because a store website doesn't have details about educational visits, doesn't mean it doesn't happen! The store manager could have arranged it as a special 'one-off'.

I must admit as a teacher who has taught the topic of toys, it isn't the first place I would visit but sometimes teachers need a stimulus to get the children engaged. There are 'better ways' to do it (museum - but not all children have access to a toy museum) and usually asking children to bring in a favourite toy is usualy all that is needed.

OP - obviously you like the school, other-than their wild idea of going to a toy store, but instead of making a decision based on facts you do not have, as you said yourself, why don't you arrange a meeting with the class teacher/head teacher and ask for a full itinerary of their visit and what the learning objectives are. I am not saying that you will, but you might be pleasantly surprised.

But I wouldn't allow ANY child to take money. That IS commercialism. Educational trips should not involved children spending money to buy toys.

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