Help for a 3 year old at nursery

[Sunsetswimming]

Is it reasonable to expect nursery staff to help a just turned 3 year old with the following:

• pulling their trousers down when they need the toilet (and back up again after)
• Changing from shoes to wellies and back again
• putting on and zipping up coat/ unzipping coat to help child take off coat independently
• changing top/ bottoms if drink spilled
• getting handsoap from dispenser (they can wash their own hands after that)

We’re currently working on these at home but don’t have them nailed just yet and they are still a work in progress. Some are definitely trickier for dc and will take more time than others

This sounds like the list of things my nearly four year old was expected to do when she started pre-school last September. She couldn’t do many of them when she started but by October half term was doing all of it, she learnt so much quicker from other children. The staff didn’t seem to mind helping her and never mentioned anything to me about her development being delayed.

Thanks for this. Was worried my dc would be the only one who couldn’t do everything! They have only just turned 3 too so I’m perhaps worrying unnecessarily

To an extent but it would also depend on the number of children needing support, staff ratio and if a child has a SEND unfortunately lots are behind and some because parents haven't worked on a skill, that means over stretched staff and less attention for those struggling

Mine has a speech delay. Nothing to do with using a tablet. You sound judgemental.

Some do I've had under 3s do it....but if you never ask them to try they won't. I start by joining up zip holding their hands and they pull zip up independently. Others stick at the needing me to hold the zip together over their hands for a few months. Threading toys really help with this.

Mine is the same age. He can take and put his shoes on and pull his trousers up/down. Very good at getting his clothes on and off. Also can wash his hands. He is however not potty trained and has limited speech but we do have a year before school!

Yes, they should help.

You sound defensive. If your child has never used ANY phones/Ipads/tablets then you’re doing a stellar job and no need to feel personally attacked. I’m speaking from extensive experience.

My literally just turned 3 year old isn’t reliably potty trained at all (we’re desperately working on it but it’s not clicking!) but can wash his hands on his own and get himself dressed. Cant yet zip his coat though.
extremely advanced at talking/understanding and also other fine motor skills though, they all develop at different rates and have their own strengths and weaknesses.
I honestly wouldn’t panic op!

There will be lots of 3 year olds who struggle with some or all of those things. Our DS was born premmie and very tiny. Intellectually he was fine but zips and buttons he found impossible until around end of Yr 1 at school. He went to a Montessori nursery which helped with delayed motor skills overall. He was exceptionally small, 2 yrs behind in clothing sizes. Now a strapping 6 footer

Tablet/Ipad use in young children is a problem. We are seeing the effects every single day in society. In years to come I think we will look back on it like we do with smoking now and be shocked at what people were doing.