Nursery is absolutely obsessed with mud and mess

[ineedaninstructionmanuel]

AIBU to think there's a limit between encouraging children to play freely and encouraging them to make a mess?

I don't mind a bit of mud but today he is absolutely encrusted in it. He was apparently rolling in a puddle. His jacket is soaking wet and completely filthy. I don't mind a bit of natural mess (most of his nursery clothes are paint stained handmedowns anyway) but this is over the top.

Since he started they have started to send out more and more tweets about creativity and mess being linked. They also tweeted this week a photo of one of the play areas which was totally trashed- lentils and beans poured on the floor, sticks everywhere, things trodden on and mashed in.

My older DS went there and they were much more sensible and realistic... AIBU to have a word?

Personally I think the muddier the better, is much rather mine was outside having fun than sat indoors. However, they should be requesting all children to have a waterproof all in one and wellies to be kept at nursery if that's the sort of ethos they want to have.

It's hard to imagine how creative you need to be to roll in a puddle...

Couldn't disagree with you more. Kids love mess and mud and sand etc and personally we don't do enough of it at home so love they do it at nursery. Put him in cheap clothes for nursery and just throw everything in one wash. Simples

according to this --
qanurserymagazine.co.uk/content/why-mud-kitchens-benefit-nursery-schools
mud/mess/water is good fun that is sometimes not allowed at home. however the nurseries I have worked in had puddle suits for outdoor activities and rainy play and the nursery staff should also be supervising them so that they get creative not just turn it into a mud bath
www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/puddle-suit

I think there’s a line between messy play and rolling in a puddle. It’ll also be confusing to him if he tries to do that when you’re with him and you understandably say no.

Get him an all in one splash suit and wellies for outside and ask he wears it, it cuts down on mess a bit. Then be grateful all of the child development boxes are being ticked without you have to get involved.

Could you speak to them about getting waterproofs, aprons etc for the children to wear?

The nursery we used had a stock of waterproof suits for kids to wear outside, and craft aprons for kids to wear inside, that protected clothing from the worst of the mess caused by messy play.

Personally I think that if a young child has the feeling of being allowed to do the things they want to do, being allowed to explore their impulses and the feeling of "getting their way", the more likely they are to do what you ask when you ask them! So if they want to make a mess and are getting the opportunity to I think that's great, and you'll probably find they're much more amenable to you saying "no" at home because they don't feel hard done by and like that's all they ever hear.

It'll be Ofsted barking out the orders.

One of mine has gone from only occasional changes at hers to about 5 full sets of clothing a day.
She is fully toilet trained so it’s down to the bloody mud and water.

Shame really because it’s pissed me off so much I’m going to get a new one (along with almost every single full fee paying parent) so it’s likely to end up a victim to the funded hours like loads of others around here have

I always see it as a sign of a good day. I love that nursery does all the stuff I don't want to do ie messy, play, painting ect

Could you speak to them about getting waterproofs, aprons etc for the children to wear?

I think that's the best way forward. I can't afford to have different jackets constantly needing washed and dried.

I am a bit worried about the behaviour aspect- the photo I described, I would have been horrified if my children thought that was acceptable, but I can cross that bridge if we come to it.

That’s what the told me Aww when I asked apparently ofstead love it.

I love painting etc, that doesn't bother me. I'm not that precious about clothes, as I say, they're mostly handmedwns. I know he'll get grubby, I just feel that they're encouraging them to be almost destructive in the name of 'creativity'.

It's the new trendy thing for nurseries to do.

Which is all well and good because dc love it, but as above I don't have the money for loads and loads of different pairs of boots or coats to have enough for washing and drying them all out.

If nurseries want them to do this then they should be providing and laundering them.

What's wrong with the photo? Beans and lentils all over the place- well of course! They're tiny things that get everywhere!

I love my DC playing in mud and water and actively encourage it, I have a video of my 2 year old rolling in a puddle, she had a great time!

The way forward in a good puddlesuit and wellies, I'm surprised they haven't asked you to bring one in but you can do that I'm sure.

Isn’t being messy and muddy the best part of being a child? If you can’t do it as a child when can you! Sign of a good fun day surely

As long as your not sending him to nursery in his best clothes, why would it be a problem

Paint doesn't bother me, just the bloody mud! And it's not jsut playing with it with their hands or stamping in it, as above, it's rolling in it, sitting in puddles up to their waists.

And we then have a cold wet child to drag home on the bus not a nice warm comfy car journey of 5 mins who did bring a change of clothes, but not a change of coat or wellies as didn't expect them to be filled with water, and even mud on the inside of the "waterproof" suit.

If you don't like it then send your kid somewhere nice and sterile. They'll probably be glad.

Yes fooffighter, it's grim!

I don't want sterile, just sensible.

Its food play that makes me seethe.
There are people starving in the world. Foods not for playing with

Is this the new thing, like forest schools were a few years ago?
I think a waterproof all in one is fine as a one off but surely it's still wet and muddy when they need it the next day?

Sounds like a fabulous nursery! Hope he has the greatest fun while he's there.

Send him with a waterproof all in one suit.

And a room full of under 5's will NEVER keep lentils and beans in beautiful piles on the table.

Are you really going to complain about the lentil bean mess?!

I didn't realise it was a 'thing' but it's definitely a change in nursery practice/ policy.