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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Why do some nursery staff insist on overhelping children with their craft?

108 replies

Soubriquet · 16/12/2016 13:00

3 year old dd broke up from nursery yesterday and came away with a little Christmas bag full of the Christmas activities that they did

It is 100% obvious it isn't her work

It looks like they've applied the glue for her to stick or things like that

Even her name where they have to trace the dots looks like someone has helped her.

I know that because at home, when she tries, she can't do it.

I would rather have messy wonky looking crafts that are done by her, then decent looking things that have had a lot of intervention.

I thought this was frowned upon now in pre-schools and nurseries?

OP posts:

ShowMePotatoSalad · 16/12/2016 13:03

At 3 is she likely to be able to write her own name? The dots will help her learn to do it by herself. That's how many children learn to write in the first place.

If she were at school maybe it would be an issue but she's 3. Helping her stick things down makes sense to me.

Original poster

Soubriquet · 16/12/2016 13:05

No she doesn't even trace the dots.

We've tried. She likes to scribble around them.

And that's how it should be

I did an apprenticeship in a nursery years ago and was told NOT to help the children. They can put what they want on their crafts and where.

Which is why I was surprised to see Dd's look very adult

OP posts:

EdmundCleverClogs · 16/12/2016 13:05

Yabu. Would you rather they just sit back with a cuppa and just let the little darlings get on with it? The children would be covered in more glue and glitter than any paper. They are learning through help, plus less of a mess for the poor staff who don't want to be spending from here to New Year hoovering bloody glitter from god knows where.

It's helping with a picture, not like they're doing a GCSE art project for them.

glamorousgrandmother · 16/12/2016 13:05

I used to be an Early years teacher and hate that too. As a qualified, experienced teacher I felt I could explain why I sent home wonky looking crafts that children had done themselves but I think some, especially those in the private nursery/childcare sector feel judged if they do this. At Christmas, Mother's Day etc. I realised some people wanted something they could put on the mantelpiece so I'd plan something which was difficult to get 'wrong' but didn't require too much adult help - a bit of a compromise.

glamorousgrandmother · 16/12/2016 13:07

The alternative to doing their art work for them isn't 'sitting back with a cuppa' by the way.

Original poster

Soubriquet · 16/12/2016 13:07

Course I don't want them to sit with a cuppa

It's ok to say "what about a bit of glue up in that corner" not actually put the glue on for them

OP posts:

ShowMePotatoSalad · 16/12/2016 13:08

DS will be bringing home a Christmas bauble as his crafty thing. It's a salt-baked shape with glitter on it and his hand print. Fairly convinced he didn't make it himself....he's only 1.

Trifleorbust · 16/12/2016 13:09

Do you honestly think this is that important in the grand scheme?

Original poster

Soubriquet · 16/12/2016 13:09

Probably not Trifle but I'm allowed to be annoyed by it aren't I?

OP posts:

glamorousgrandmother · 16/12/2016 13:10

I don't think a three year old tracing dots is a good way for her to learn to write her name anyway. In fact holding her hand and forming the letters correctly would be better. Tracing over dots does nothing to ensure correct letter formation unless closely watched. As a rule of thumb if they can't draw a face or a 'man' independently there's not much point trying to get a child to form letters, they just won't be ready for it, and I'd say the OP's daughter isn't ready yet and would be better off practising pencil control by scribbling and drawing.

EdmundCleverClogs · 16/12/2016 13:11

The alternative to doing their art work for them isn't 'sitting back with a cuppa' by the way.

But the OP says it's obvious that the workers 'helped' with certain parts, not 'did it for her'. I doubt they had time to do all the children's 'craft' for them. I don't see what the issue is in helping, especially with writing her name. Obviously I'm in a minority.

Original poster

Soubriquet · 16/12/2016 13:11

Yes I think she's a bit behind with her pencil skills

She can't do faces or stick men either. It's literally scribbles

OP posts:

PineappleExpress · 16/12/2016 13:12

I think we need to see the art work

glamorousgrandmother · 16/12/2016 13:13

She's not necessarily 'behind' just not there yet. Don't worry about it but.

ShowMePotatoSalad · 16/12/2016 13:13

I wouldn't have said that she's behind if she can't do faces or stick men at 3. Scribbles sounds about right to me.

glamorousgrandmother · 16/12/2016 13:13

'but' wasn't meant to be there.

ReallyTired · 16/12/2016 13:14

I can't blame you and it makes me see red. The annoying part is that your three year old is missing out on the opportunity to develop motor skills. Dd did lots of busy fingers activites at school nursery. She mostly brought home scribbles in the first term.

Sadly the uk priorities ratios above quality of staff. Our nurseries are often run by teens. In other countries people with degrees often run day nurseries and are hands on rather than being the manager in an office.

School nurseries achieve more with the children as staff actually know about child development. I have to admit that I was horrified at the thought of Elizabeth Truss having poorer ratios for babies, but it made sense for PE schoolers.

Original poster

Soubriquet · 16/12/2016 13:17

The picture shows her normal pencil skills.

The tree ornament was definitely helped because no way would she just do a nice line across the the tree

And the bag that the children have done? No way did she do that

Why do some nursery staff insist on overhelping children with their craft?

OP posts:

EdmundCleverClogs · 16/12/2016 13:18

ReallyTired - seriously? Toddler comes home with a picture that's a 'bit too good' and you concluded it's due to something shit in the U.K., where all our children will grow up with poor motor skills? Really?

ShowMePotatoSalad · 16/12/2016 13:24

But surely the reindeer bag is a nice way of her taking the crafts home? It's more for her than it is for you, surely? As such does it matter if she made it?

It's very possible she made the lines on the decoration. They may have guided her hand but that's all part of learning. Sometimes kids need guidance when they are learning to do something. It's not a bad thing, in my opinion.

There will be plenty of opportunities both at home and nursery when she doesn't have the help and can do what she wants. This wasn't one of those times. Sorry, OP...but I think you have some nice stuff there and your daughter probably came home feeling quite proud of what she'd done (even if she didn't do it all herself).

Original poster

Soubriquet · 16/12/2016 13:27

She wasn't that proud...she openly said she didn't them

OP posts:

ReallyTired · 16/12/2016 13:28

It is shit if the nursery nurse has done all the work. Does it really matter if the quality of the craft isn't professional standard? That craft is blatantly made by the nursery nurse. Why does it matter? Well the nursery nurse could be doing lots of other things to help physical development/ fine motor skills.

Looking at the colouring of Santa going down the chimney, the little girl's pencil skills look fine for her age. Things like rolling play dough will strengthen her fingers. Dabbing paint with a brush would help hand to eu coordination. Dd did things like threading pasta into a string and then painting the pasta. Teachers in school nursery have no time to make fancy bags.

Children have to be allowed the freedom to get things wrong in order to learn. A craft should not be perfect and frankly my seven year old would not be able to produce craft like that picture.

Original poster

Soubriquet · 16/12/2016 13:28

plus she was more excited about the sweets she was given

OP posts:

Original poster

Soubriquet · 16/12/2016 13:28

Do them*

OP posts:

Coffeerun · 16/12/2016 13:29

What I think is that teachers and nursery staff can't win.

Some parents want this, some parents want that.

Is your child happy? Are the staff kind to them? Are they developing as they should be?

If yes then does it matter? I'm sure they do get lots of opportunity for free play. They probably are just trying to send home something nice for you.

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