Outdoor Nursery

[pinguwings]

DD has her first day of nursery today. She is 2 years 9 months.

The nursery has a huge amount of outdoor space, including some covered areas. The nursery have said that due to COVID the children will be outside all the time, at least until half term.

I am happy with this. DD loves being outside, the space and facilities are great and the area is secure.

However I was told today that I shouldn't send her in an all in one waterproof again as she couldn't take it off by herself to use the toilet. Apparently they have a minimal touch policy (despite taking children in nappies.)

I totally get trying to teach independent skills, but for a two year old, this is a tricky item of clothing and will take a while to master.

When she's going to be outside for 6 hours at a time on a rainy day I want to know she's going to be dry. I don't want her in just a coat, as her trousers will be soaked. She will have similar issues with the waterproof overalls I think although I could try them.

Am I being unreasonable to expect the nursery staff to help?

Yanbu! My LO is 3.5 and attends outdoor nursery. She gets help at the toilet if needed, and ALWAYS needs help to get her waterproofs on and off for the toilet. In fact surely some of the kids will be in nappies? So staff will need to change nappies?
This sounds like absolute nonsense, the kids need to be appropriately clothed for the weather but they are toddlers, they need help with their personal care. What nonsense!

Look for waterproof trousers. I found them more practical in winter as you could use a thicker coat.

But yes, YANBU to think they should help a 2yo with outdoor clothing.

A 2 year old might well need help with normal clothes when using the loo whatever they're wearing on top. Aside from covid our school asked for waterproof trousers not all in ones as they were quicker for the kids to get on and off. The dungeree ones are good as they're super easy to slip on and off.

Waterproof trousers - I recommend the caretec ones sold on amazon

Yanbu to expect them to help with waterproofs, but they should do that when it’s raining for when they aren’t using a covered area. I can understand why they don’t want a child to be in an all in one waterproof all day.

The nursery is being unreasonable. My dc attended a mostly outdoor nursery and they needed assistance with winter layers until they were about 4.

Those all in one waterproof suits are wonderful - I was gutted when my dc got too old for them!

That seems like a daft policy considering the age group. Children that young will sneeze in your face/lick your eyeball and will fall over and need hugs and definitely need help with clothes to get to the loo quickly. Are they really going to stand there with their low contact policy while a two year old has an accident because they can’t get undressed quickly enough?!

YANBU. DS will be moving from babies to toddlers soon at 23 months and will still need his nappy changing although some in his room won't. They need individual help, not a minimal touch policy for arbitrarily age categorised children within a bubble.

Daft policy considering the setting and age group but I always bought two piece waterproof setups for my kids for the toileting reason - Lidl do fantastic ones around this time of year - it's bloody inconvenient that DD1 long legs has outgrown their biggest ones.

Not a nursery I would use. No nursery I know, including the one we use, has such covid re: policies. They still console the children, use the inside facilities, help them etc...what the hell do they do with toilet training?!
the only “rules” are increased hand washing, no adults on premises (drop off/ pick up at the door), no soft toys, no soft back books.

Thank you! I was questioning whether my child was massively behind.

The staff member acted like she'd done us a massive favour by helping DD today. Well it was either that or she would have peed everywhere!
I was really pleased and proud that DD had had the confidence to go to the toilet and ask for help

It's just made me really uneasy about their lack of flexibility and willingness to help. I don't want DD to be feeling like she's an inconvenience

I will definitely get her some waterproof trousers - thank you for the Lidl recommendation!

I would actually raise questions about their minimum contact policy. To me that sounds quite inhumane where small children are concerned. The children need to develop a bond and trust with their key workers to feel safe at nursery and enjoy the time. Surely the nursery could form a bubble.

Came to reply to say Lidl.

They go on sale tomorrow for £5.99

Although I do agree the nursery is being unreasonable. My DTs are the same age and are still in nappies. They would also get wet through in 5 minutes without an all in one.

YANBU. Without waterproof bottoms, she'll be soaked in minutes and then stay wet for hours. Not great with winter approaching. You can't really socially distance with toddlers anyway... Many that age will still be in nappies/potty training.

In principle yanbu, but if they seem a good nursery overall I’d just go with it. Outdoor nursery sounds so great, i wish my dc could have had that. They must sleep so well!

I’d also recommend separate waterproof trousers and coat. Decathlon are brilliant.

A lot of outdoor 'forest school' nurseries seem to be quite hands off, and don't really do the teaching and nurturing of little ones you would expect from a nursery.

A friends little one went to one, but she pulled him out after realising they weren't really teaching them the things little ones need to know - early literacy, numeracy, drawing and painting, getting dressed and toilet triaining. The whole day was basically count some leaves, look at a tree, eat some toasted marshmallows. That was the basis of the early years education, the 'power of being outside'

My kids indoor nursery started potty training them before I did, got them reading and writing, Did crafts and dance every day, taught them to dress and undress way before I'd even thought of it, basically did everything that a good nursery should while still taking them outside once a day (in good weather, not horrible British rain) and letting them count leaves and look at trees.

I think some of these outdoor nurseries have misinterpreted the scandinavian kindergarten education Scandinavian 5-6 year olds get, and think it's suitable for tiny children who need cuddling and nurturing.

As an aside, I didn’t like the fleece lined trousers where the lining wasn’t stuck to the outer. Total nightmare to get in and off! Also remember to put the trouser legs over wellies to stop water getting in! And to the pp who said that forest schools aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, you’ve probably had experience of a bad one. Just as you can get bad “normal” nurseries. Counting leaves is still counting, writing in sand is still writing and they are definitely taught to dress and undress, do crafts and dance around! No point in training children to wimp out in British weather..,no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!

Well the preschool where I work are using them so yes they are being unreasonable.

I dont think they should have a minimal touch policy at that age. Toddlers still need cuddles etc when upset, tired etc.

The nursery my son goes to provides their own all in ones for children who don't have them. Sometimes my toddler will wear his own all in one, sometimes he will be wearing one of theirs. They are brilliant for keeping them dry whilst the splash in puddles.
I think your nursery is being unreasonable.

As a childminder - i have had a 2 year old who is in a very clingy food and hasspent half the day on my lap or hip. I helped him put his coat on off, licted him on play equipment at the park changed his nappies along with the normal playing with him.

I have no idea how i could do minimal contact with a 2 ysar old. My 7 year old mindee gave me a big hugwhen she came out of school.... so no bit normal

I’d be uneasy about minimal touch policies at nursery but mine did forest school in two different settings and they asked for separates rather than all in ones once the children were potty trained.

Get waterproof dungarees, and put them OVER the coat, not under. straps are elastic, so very easy to just slide down

even with covid, nurseries here give our children cuddles/change nappies/pants etc- its a bubble. not ideal with covid but id personally be really upset if my child did not receive the help when needed.
Also cuddles, every child needs a hug!
i literally have no issue with our care providers hugging our children. I would not be happy about that at all OP