Is it me or the nursery??

[Smellymoo]

My child goes to a lovely nursery for about 3 hours a day.

My AIBU is that they let them play in the mud constantly. This today has resulted in two changes of clothes. The first one at nursery and the second was as soon as the lady had put my son in his trousers, she then handed him his very muddy boots to leave which he then smeared all over his trousers.

I’ve stopped sending gloves in because I only have 4 pairs and they need to be washed every day because rather than say asking them to take their gloves off before they play in the mud it’s just a free for all.

Am I being unreasonable that if they do this sort of messy play, they should either ask for them to come prepared for it (ie. Full suit) but also if they are wearing gloves they should be telling the children to take them off before going to the mud kitchen???

Today his coat is coated in mud and has to be washed again - because not only is the mud all over the place but it’s soaking wet.

To me - 3 hours is not long enough to warrant this level of washing, and also if he was doing a full day, he would then need about 4 pairs of trousers at the rate they go t through them.

Am I being ridiculous????? I may well be!!!! Should I just suck it up or should I ask nursery to do something and if so what!!!

Just send him in in a puddlesuit every day? He clearly enjoys the muddy play. I'd try not to get annoyed about it and just pack plenty of changes of clothes.

Yep I second the puddle suit option. Easy to hose off and hang to dry.

I'd buy him a puddlesuit and some waterproof mittens (or lots of pairs of the cheap one size stretchy mittens - I buy them for £1 a pair) and let him get on with it, it's brilliant that he's got access to this kind of play. Don't send him in clothes that you don't want to get ruined.

This does sound a bit much. My son goes to a forest school nursery for three days a week (they basically live outside), and I don't have this much washing. They put them in water proof outdoor wear and wellies if it's muddy outside, so the kid's clothes are protected. Do you have some sort of all in one puddlesuit you could send in, and ask them to dress him in it if they are playing outside in the mud?

Just get him a wee all in one suit ?

I think it’s you … this is brilliant play ( and you don’t have to do it at home 😂) send him prepped and expecting it.
Buy huge bundles of clothes on market place etc and send him to them as a scruff bucket ready for little kid “ work “.

Keep nice clothes for home

Mine tells me to provide an all in one suit.

Puddlesuit all the way! Regatta do good cheap ones. I have a couple for DD to take to nursery and just rotate them. You can get separates too: waterproof overtrousers for example. And some wellies.

And multipacks of tops and trousers from Asda etc and don't worry about sending them in stained stuff. Half of DD's nursery stuff has paint stains etc on

No need for this mucky play every day. It would annoy me too.

Also DD is only in two days but I send like 6 changes of clothes. One day she had 4

It's you. You need to send your child with the appropriate clothing. A proper waterproof suit or trousers and coat. Pair of wellies they leave at nursery and and shoes to change into when inside or coming home. This play is fantastic and clearly what your child wants to do!

I also have a child at an outdoor nursery. Here's the set up that works well for us:

• Outer waterproof wear (I do separate dungarees and coat but you could just do a puddle suit) only gets washed at the end of the week. Each night it goes on the radiator to dry and in the morning I shake off the dried mud outside.

• I buy magic gloves (the cheap stretchy ones) which wash easily and dry very quickly. He wears a pair of those with waterproof outers but your child might only need the magic gloves since he can go inside and warm his hands up, which my child can't!. You can buy them by the dozen on amazon e.g. www.amazon.co.uk/QKURT-Fingers-Knitted-Stretch-Thermal/dp/B08M423KF6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?psc=1&crid=3UYMBS50QMKNG&keywords=magic+gloves+for+kids&sprefix=magic+gloves+for+%2Caps%2C102&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRUVIOFBQWFVUU0U0JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTQwNDQ5M0RHSzEwODlXMTdZUiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDA3NjA4MktKRFBGUlM5SDVENCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1643287919&sr=8-1-spons

This play is so good for your child and you are lucky to have a nursery that facilitates it!

@Viviennemary

No need for this mucky play every day. It would annoy me too.

But if it's what the child enjoys...?

Well YANBU to be annoyed about it - at one point I was washing 5 dirty outfits from each day (2DCs at nursery) and I was very at the nursery staff who just insisted I send another couple of changes each day.

However the simple solution is for them to use puddle suits and wellies that you provide.

It is annoying but it won’t really be an issue in the warmer months and when he’s older he won’t probably get quite as dirty. So this is a temporary problem which a puddle suit could fix.

@Viviennemary there’s EVERY need for daily play that inspires the child. In this case it’s muddy. So he’ll need a waterproof suit, and lots of changes.

If your child is happy, I would just suck it up.
If they hate messy play, then maybe look at another nursery who doesn't do it so regularly.

Im sorry but I think this is a lack of planning and prep from you. You know its happening, your child enjoys it and yet you've made no changes to accomodate it.

Just send a puddlesuit and request that he/she has it on when they go outside. You'd have grounds to complain if they didnt use it.

Or you can request no more mud kitchen.

YANBU

I work in a nursery and for this kind of messy play we put children in waterproof all in ones.

If they don't have this then say that you don't want them playing with messy play after they change their clothes. Or request that they are in clean clothes when you pick them up.

I think this kind of outdoor play is brilliant for kids and if he enjoys it it would be a shame to stop it. Definitely all in one waterproof, waterproof gloves and wellies all the way. Our daughter goes through two changes of clothes on nursery days anyway (one at nursery, one on getting home) because food, paint etc. At home too there are always stains from crayons, play dough, bibs always in the wash, you name it.

The mucky play is fine but they need to be in waterproof suits and wellies for that and have clean shoes to change into instead of putting the muddy ones on with clean clothes. The school I worked in supplied the waterproof suits for nursery and reception children, they just had to have their own wellies in school to wear.

Also though, a little smear of mud doesn't have to mean a change of clothes. I wouldn't keep changing him unless he's very muddy.

Fine fine fine I’ll do the stupid washing.

Have ordered him a thinner onsie. The regatta one for £10.

I think I just get annoyed as it’s easy to do the fun bit of mucky play if you don’t have to do the washing. It’s hardly a chore to do that bit without ANY of the getting the children ready or sorting them out. If all you’ve got to do is say off you go kids, I don’t see how they’re doing me any favours by letting him do it………!!! Especially if they haven’t asked me to dress him appropriately ever - nobody’s told me to get a regatta suit I had to learn that from mumsnet.

The washing machine is on. Again.

Also I should say he was fine until today I decided it was too warm for his onsie… and he was fine when it was less wet. I’m not totally irresponsible, only partially.

I’m sure he’s learning so much from getting dirty.

@Smellymoo

Fine fine fine I’ll do the stupid washing.

Have ordered him a thinner onsie. The regatta one for £10.

I think I just get annoyed as it’s easy to do the fun bit of mucky play if you don’t have to do the washing. It’s hardly a chore to do that bit without ANY of the getting the children ready or sorting them out. If all you’ve got to do is say off you go kids, I don’t see how they’re doing me any favours by letting him do it………!!! Especially if they haven’t asked me to dress him appropriately ever - nobody’s told me to get a regatta suit I had to learn that from mumsnet.

The washing machine is on. Again.

Also I should say he was fine until today I decided it was too warm for his onsie… and he was fine when it was less wet. I’m not totally irresponsible, only partially.

I’m sure he’s learning so much from getting dirty.

Ok now you sound like a bit of a twit.

Why should they have to ask you to dress you child appropriately? Come on.

They need to be in puddlesuits for this sort of play.

Our nursery requests that at least 4 pairs of clean gloves are sent each day because the children get them dirty so I have a stash of cheap ones which I send. If the gloves getting dirty bothers you, you could try waterproof mittens.

Tbh I would expect the nursery to advise you on appropriate clothing for the activities which they are doing. There is no need for clothes to get muddy/dirty if they are wearing appropriate outer gear (although they may get wet sometimes!). My DC's nursery is mostly outdoors and they seldom come home in muddy clothes because the mud is all on DC's waterproof suit. Clothes are usually clean though can be slightly damp.

I’m sure he’s learning so much from getting dirty.

He really is. Messy play outdoors in the fresh air decreases stress, improves concentration and cognitive skills, promotes experimentation and awareness of their surroundings and helps children to sleep better.

MN is a bit obsessive about puddlesuits and while they have their uses it is sometimes not the best system, if only because waterproofs need a chance to dry out.