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?!

This

We send ours in with paint stained clothes because as you said it would be ridiculous to keep buying new clothes. We send them in with a nice jumper on top which hides everything (but tbh no-one cares as all the parents know that nursery= ruined clothes); then nice
Jumper gets removed indoors. If they get too bad- then in a bucket with some vanish and detergent and soak overnight. Normally takes the majority of stains out.

I appreciate people will disagree with me but I'd say he can't paint with them if this is how they're going to do it like this.

No aprons? Every nursery I've seen uses aprons.

I appreciate people will disagree with me but I'd say he can't paint with them if this is how they're going to do it like this

But why not just adjust what you send him in in?

Rather than have him miss fun educational activities that all his little friends are enjoying? Who loses there?

Came here to say this too. How bizarre. Also no wonder our landfill sites are full of perfectly fine clothes that just have a bit of paint on them

I always find these threads strange, DS has been in a nursery for nearly 3 years and they paint nearly every day cause I get his "artwork" home with me, but he's never had paint on his clothes! Even in the baby room when they did hand and foot prints there was never even a trace of paint on him.

If they don't use aprons or take their clothes off then definitely just send your child in wearing the stained clothes, no one has the time or money to be buying new or intensively washing stains every week!

Think I’m going against the grain a bit here.
Its actually very lazy that they don’t pop aprons on. I used to be an EYP and it’s an unusual nursery that doesn’t.

I’d pop an apron in your child’s bag and ask them to put it on. Completely reasonable and you would not be that parent. I’d be surprised if other parents were not doing the same.

Great they are allowed to get so messy but very lazy they aren’t protecting clothes by putting aprons on.

@Kindofcrunchy i don’t throw paint stained clothes into the bin. I don’t know that anyone else has said that they do either. You’re making a lot of assumptions there.

It’s largely because I don’t like unnecessary waste that I don’t like the clothes getting ruined. I pass all of my children’s clothes on to charity/other mums once they’ve grown out of them and I can’t do that with stained clothes.

I’d definitely send mine in the clothes with paint already on as that’s what I used to do.

As long as they’re not going in the same clothes every day then the nursery staff won’t bat an eyelid.

If in the photos he never has an apron on you could buy one and say something like - don’t worry if he gets messy as I bring him in old clothes anyway but there is an apron in his bag if you want to put it on him as I know how messy he is.

I’m surprised they don’t wear aprons as most early years settings or schools have them and they take a few seconds to put on each child.

I used to be a nursery worker. No one cares. As long as they're dressed for the weather then it really doesn't matter if they've got paint stains on

I pass all of my children’s clothes on to charity/other mums once they’ve grown out of them and I can’t do that with stained clothes.

Of course you can, just be clear they are stained and for messy play. I've had bundles passed on to me from friends with that proviso and have used them gratefully.

We really have to get over the idea that children need to be dressed immaculately at all times.

Can you find out whether there are any set days for painting and just send him in in the stained clothes those days?

I understand they might not have time to put aprons on loads of kids, in which case I wish they just didn’t do painting with the kids.

The staff won't be putting the aprons on the children. They will put them on themselves.

The same with getting changed. The staff aren't physically getting the child dressed. They say

'^Martin, go and get your bag off your peg and bring it here.
Now, sit on that red chair and take your shoes off.
And the other one, that's it.
Ok, now take those trousers off, yes good boy, pull the, right off over your feet. Now, put those blue ones on now and put the red ones in your bag.
I'll hold your sleeve and you wiggle your arm out of your jumper.
Good job!
Now the other arm.
Ok, now it's got to come right over your head.
Ready?
Go!
That's it, you did it.
Put it in your bag.
Ok, put the green jumper on.
You don't want to wear a jumper?
Yes, it is hot.
Ok, so in that case you need to take that T-shirt off so it doesn't get paint on it. You don't want to?
Yes, you do like lions and that's why you don't want to get any paint on it.
How about if I put the green jumper over your head and then you put your arms in?
Then you can paint.
Ok, perfect.
Zip your bag up.
Put your shoes back on.
Other foot, that's it.
Go and put your bag back on your peg.
Then you can paint.'^

Some of my DD's nicest clothes have been stained by the paint at nursery and I reached the point where she just wears stained clothes to nursery!

Nursery clothes get trashed. Mine were in 3 days a week, and I had a nursery "uniform" for both - cheap supermarket leggings, t-shirt and hoodie. They always came back covered in either food, paint or mud. I just washed and they wore them again - often with stains that wouldn't come out!

I completely understand where you're coming from OP. You could ask that they let you know which days are painting days? But tbh I just send my LO in in clothes I don't mind getting ruined. H&M, primark or asda are cheap. Or get a bundle off ebay.

I wouldn't send them to nursery in good clothes but that is irrelevant. Why are they being allowed to plaster themselves from head to go on a weekly basis? No other nursery does this, they wear aprons.

If the nursery can't provide the activity appropriately then I'd rather they missed out. What are they gaining or learning from this?

I send mine to nursery in paint stained clothes. No one has said anything negative about it and you are encouraged to send old clothes you don't mind getting ruined.

What are they gaining or learning from this?

Youre asking what are they learning from painting? Don't you know that? A quick google will inform.

No other nursery does this, they wear aprons.

Thats not true, plenty do and the reasons have been outlined clearly by a few posters already. Have another read of the thread.

They're not just painting though are they.

I wouldn't be happy with this either OP. I'm surprised they aren't using aprons. In the 4 years I've used our childminder, we've not had one permanent stain - and only rarely splash damage. They use paint frequently. They do messy play, but they don't get there clothes trashed, exactly the same way they wouldn't at home. Not even putting aprons on sounds v lazy to me.

This. Also an option a man’s old shirt is a great coverup while painting, maybe suggest to nursery ?

They're not just painting though are they.

Im not sure what you mean by this. Personally I think there are many more important lessons for toddlers to learn than keeping inappropriate clothing clean, but we all have different ideas on child rearing I suppose.

I'm shocked that they are using paints that don't wash out. Washable paint is no more expensive and is easy to find.

I used to be a childminder and always made sure everything was washable. We used little plastic slip over aprons too that the children knew to put on themselves before starting with the paint. If anything got particularly marked with paint I'd stick it in bowl of water with some stain remover in and rinse it out at the end of the day. I did this when we went blackberry picking and one little boy got covered in purple stains. A new outfit too. 🙈 It all came clean again though.

There's really no excuse for clothes to regularly be being paint stained at any nursery. I'd not find that acceptable at all.