To ask nursery to do this?

[Nurserypainting]

Whenever my child paints at nursery his clothes come home absolutely covered in paint, understandably as he's only little!

But it never washes off so it basically ruins those clothes. He does have cheap nursery clothes but it still adds up when I have to replace those because they are getting paint over them at least once a week.

I'm thinking of putting some of these paint covered ones (washed and clean obviously but still stained) into his bag and asking nursery if they are painting can they change him into those first.

Is that reasonable? I know they are really busy but I can't keep replacing clothes because of paint. Is there not some sort of washable paint they can use?!

leave*

I understand about clothes getting ruined and things, I accept this. I don't expect his nursery clothes to be immaculate and I've bought lots of cheap clothes for him to go in (don't have any siblings for hand me downs unfortunately). I guess I just wasn't expecting them to get completely ruined in one sitting at least once a week often more.

Sometimes he comes home with the odd food stain or felt tip or whatever and that's fine. But when the paint comes out they are covered. When I picked him up the other day I thought he'd shit himself, he had brown paint all over his bum where he'd obviously sat in it 😂

I would just use the paint stained clothes as nursery clothes going forward, and only put them in nice clothes if it's a special day like parties etc.

Really they should be using products that wash out but I wouldn't expect staff to do a full clothes change every time something messy was happening.

And then, maybe this is just me being unreasonable, but I don't feel I can send him in again with a massive brown stain on his bum!

I don’t prioritise immaculate clothes. My children’s clothes are often covered in mud from fun days at the park/woods. The difference is I can wash mud out. I simply don’t like clothes getting permanently stained each week. There are tons of activities that children learn a lot from that don’t ruin their clothes.

We paint at home. The difference is that I have time to put a painting apron on so it doesn’t ruin their clothes.

How are you washing the clothes? I always get the paint off with vanish spray. Just spray them heavily as I chuck them in the machine.

Really they should be using products that wash out but I wouldn't expect staff to do a full clothes change every time something messy was happening.

Everything else messy he does I'm not bothered about. He's come home covered in glitter and mud and all sorts. But I can wash them out. It's the paint that bothers me because that's it then, the clothes are stained from then on. I appreciate that may be unreasonable but that's what was different for me if that makes sense. I don't mind mess whatsoever. Just would prefer it to be washable mess 😂

Have tried vanish. It just doesn't budge! Some of the lighter colours fade but the really dark ones don't come out.

I simply don’t like clothes getting permanently stained each week.

Get some cheap ones, second hand to send them into nursery in. Job done. Worrying about clothes rather than the children doing appropriate activities is prioritising your needs over the child's.

There are tons of activities that children learn a lot from that don’t ruin their clothes.

And lots of fun, educational activities that involve getting dirty. Glueing, glitter, mud kitchens. A good nursery will be ensuring they enjoy all those.

We paint at home.

you might be, doesn't mean other children get this. Painting is a classic nursery activity, it's about facilitating the whole group, not just one parent.

Completely covered... honestly I'd expect them to be looking at their procedures. They can't prevent every splash, but can try to minimise it.

My DD once fell into the paint. She had green hair, the whole back of her preschool pinafore (preschool in morning, then the nursery used to pick them up for the afternoon) was coated, socks and shoes. I was greeted at the door by the supervisor to apologise. Luckily paint is very easy to get out of the Teflon school uniform items. But her front was clean due to the apron.

Incidentally... its not foolproof but soak in cold water before washing.

My child got filthy at nursery. Big outside play area and cane home every day covered in dirt and paint. Sign of a good day I’d say. His nursery clothes were horribly stained and I’d only use them for nursery, not home. I’m just grateful he did so much painting there so I didn’t have to deal as much with the messy stuff at home. My other DC came home from their nursery considerably cleaner and I actually preferred the ‘dirty’ place

Might be worth flagging it up to nursery, because they might not realise they are buying paint that stains

there are literally hundreds of types of paint they could buy that washes out easily so maybe ask nicely if they can switch to another make?

I work in a nursery. We used to try and put aprons on the children when they used paint but it does take up a lot of time especially with younger children who do one stroke of paint then wander off. You take the apron off and 5 mins later they're back again. Whilst dealing with that child another is already at the paint trays painting their arms, legs etc etc. Some children will not wear an apron so they would miss out on painting. Children need to be able to just access activities in the moment, not wait while somebody finds their painting clothes or overall. By the time they're ready to paint they have lost interest. Nursery staff would definitely not have time to be changing children into a full set of different clothes for painting. No one is going to judge you for sending your child in stained clothes.

I don't understand why they don't use aprons. I've seen threads like this before so it seems common with nurseries not to use them. I was a childminder and always used aprons - whilst I obviously had less kids overall the ratios would have been the same. It wasn't onerous at all to put aprons on. If they can't afford to buy them or spend the time cleaning them surely you just ask parents to supply them and send them home with them for the parents to clean.

I work in a nursery and feel really bad sending kids home covered in paint because i know it doesn't wash out. Honestly, it's far better for us as a staff to see kids coming in in old clothes rather than fancy new things that we have to stress about keeping clean.

Another one here who sends in in paint stained clothed. My dd gets covered even with a pinny on but she loves painting (or anything messy come to think of it!).
i don’t think the staff would have time to change her

Both the nurseries (one children's centre, one maintained nursery school) my children have attended simply have aprons hanging up, easily available, next to the painting area (and also the water play). Children learn to get themselves an apron and put it on, with support if needed, as part of joining in the activity.

Is this not normal?

Obvs from time to time they'd forget and get at the paint first, or not succeed brilliantly with the apron and therefore not be too well protected, but mostly it was one of those nursery things they just learned. My eldest was in nursery from 17 months.

When I was at school we all had to have an 'Art Shirt' for painting, clay etc. It was one of your (well not your's, mine) Dad's old shirts and you just wore it over the top of your own clothes.

Came to say what PP has put. Aprons can really put some children off doing the activity, especially when younger. Preschoolers are generally more compliant and will spend longer at the activity but 2yr tend to flit back and forth more.

I tend to be happy seeing children in their stained, grubby clothes when they arrive. It means they can get messy without the worry of getting clothing spoiled.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles I’d totally forgotten about the Dad’s art shirt! My school did that too!

I would have a word and ask about aprons. No idea why they don't use them, or the old trick of asking families to send an adult sized shirt in for painting.

Put the clothes straight into a cold bucket of water until you wash them and then wash on 30, not hot! Doesn't stain as badly that way.

At my nursery they do exactly what you suggest, have a set of "paint clothes" there to change into. Although the paint clothes are just random white vests that nursery provide and change them into for any kind of messiness. Our nursery is absolutely amazing!

Just have older / already stained nursery clothes, so that it doesn’t matter. Too much of a faff to ask Nursery to get them changed.

Try a cold wash, Dd always covered in paint but rarely had permanent stains.