Inappropriate nursery toy?

[Underworld345]

So we’re thinking of moving to a new area and I went to have a look round the nursery in that area.

It’s in a community centre basement but seems like lots of outdoor play however, the children aren’t split into age groups.

One thing that totally put me off was a plank of wood with lots of nails in it, which one of the older kids was playing with (next to all the younger ones). AIBU to think this is a no no? I get teaching them about nature and ‘real’ objects etc but this just totally put me off.

The nursery is so close to where we want to buy though and it’s very flexible and cheaper. But I think I’d rather go for a more expensive nursery and go out of town.

Didn't you enquire about it? I would have asked in case they'd got hold of something they shouldn't have!

It wouldn't completely put me off though. I would have asked about it though.

It is all about positive risk taking. Hammering nails, tree climbing and fires can all be part of an early years setting where risk is assessed and children are appropriately supervised and supported.

I would be ok with it (assuming it was nails with the spike in the wood rather than the spiked part sticking out).

My dc use a variety of tools at school (during their once a week forest school day) including hammers and nails, saws and knives. They have to get hold status for behaving sensibly and then they can use them unsupervised. This is from reception age, so a bit older I accept.

Maybe find out more about how they manage tools and you might feel reassured?

We had that at our local nursery for the 3-4 year olds, complete with real hammers.

It really put me off. I'm not against kids using it per se if there was a small ratio of say 1 adult to 4 kids but there was one adult outside and about 20 kids. I thought, it only takes her to have her back turned dealing with one lot of kids before little Jonny can pick up a hanger a whack another kid over the head with it. That was the only reason I didn't send my children there. They didn't seem to have it there a couple of years later when my nephew attended.

I read the title of your thread and knew it would be the plank of wood with the nails . I remember thinking the same, but the nursery teachers assured me that no one had hurt themselves with it. I've no idea how they stop the kids from bonking each other on the head with hammers though.

Yeah I guess it wouldn’t have bothered me so much if the older one was separated a little with more supervision. It was very crowded and probably one adult to 8 kids in the immediate area as one of the ladies was showing me round. I was more worried about the lack of care when that “toy” was in the area. All it takes is for one of the more unstable walkers to step or fall on it.