Nursery Don’t Let Kids Outside Because it’s Cold

[FanofLeaves]

And I think it’s ridiculous.

its not a particularly spacious place as it is (inner city) but they have climbing equipment and bikes, a sandpit etc outside. ‘garden time’ is easily my son’s favourite part of the day. He’s 4 and just missed going to school this year so he’s feeling pretty frustrated as it is but he’s been livid this week that his outdoor fun has been curtailed.

Anyway, apparently it’s been ‘too cold’ this week to be outside even in a short burst. I pointed out that my son has mittens, a thick winter coat, woolly hat, boots and an extra jumper if needed, and one of the staff said that not all of the children do so it’s ’not very fair’ to have some out but not others. In fact they seemed a bit surprised that I wanted him to be outside in ‘these low temperatures’.

AIBU to think that a) it’s the staff not wanting to go out and be cold and b) they can’t be arsed to put hats/coats/gloves on the small children that can’t do it themselves.

Because I really can’t think of a valid reason not to let children outside, I know it’s been chilly and yeah I get staying in while it was raining for a bit yesterday but apart from that, we live in the south of England- and there’s no need to keep kids cooped up inside just because it happens to be winter.

Son only attends 3 days a week but they’re full days. When he’s with me we go out to the big parks, scoot everywhere, climb trees, out on waterproofs to be out in the puddles etc. I really notice a shift in his behaviour when he’s not had fresh air and active outdoor time. I don’t drive either so sometimes we just need to get from A to B whatever the weather.

Any other nurseries have this ridiculous policy? Would you agree with it if they did?

Our nursery and school kids have been out all this week. Nursery and reception not today only because it’s been icy and it’s not safe in their playground to go out due to ice.

I think prescribing outdoor play is the wrong way to go. If there was less pressure to make sure all kids went outside, then they'd not ever be forced to go when they really felt it was too cold for them.

You don't have to prescribe it - if kids really want to stay in, let them, but that's not a reason to keep ALL the kids in, all day.

The 2 nurseries my son attended both had scheduled outdoor time at least one a day (twice in summer), in all weather, even the babies. It was part of the curriculum.

@FanofLeaves They could always just take the kids with suitable clothes out. It sounds very much like the staff found it too cold so maybe they need some warmer clothing as well.
Show them this;
Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework for Childminders:
3.68 Childminders must provide access to an outdoor play area. If that is not possible, they must ensure that outdoor activities are planned and taken daily (unless circumstances make this inappropriate, for example unsafe weather conditions). Childminders must follow their legal responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 (for example, the provisions on reasonable adjustments)."

It's not even that cold! Kids in much colder places play outside.

Tbh I think it's the staff not being arsed

It does. When I was a school nursery teacher we had free flow in and out most of the day. It's not a new thing I was doing this the 80s and it wasn't new then.

All of them? Surely not every kid has asthma or sensory issues

Yes, but people in the uk (children in particular) don’t generally have clothing appropriate for spending lots of time in the cold outdoors.

Thats my point. My kids couldn't always stay in when they wanted because of the prescription of outdoor play in all weathers coupled with ratio demands.

That's just poor parenting though

Kids should be playing outside every day. It's not healthy to be inside all the time.

Well, that's a parenting issue, but it's not a reason for all children to be stuck inside.

That's something you need to take up with OFSTED then as daily outdoor play is a legal requirement, and they have no choice but to stick with the legal ratios.

Exactly. The UK seems like a weird anomaly when it comes to the weather - it's like we get surprised when it gets cold in the winter.

Kids here aren’t kept inside until it’s -25 or below.

Do you think that there are a lot of children who don't have appropriate outdoor wear and maybe the parents can't afford to provide it? I'm just trying to think of any reasons they might be keeping them in!

My mum used to put me outside in my pram in the snow . Ok it was the 60’s but I was wrapped up very snuggly. I didn’t actually put my son in the snow in the pram but we definitely went out in it a lot.

Ours have been out through free flow. Children whose parents haven’t provided decent clothing will have a brief run about and go back in once too cold but those with decent clothing have played out for pretty much as much as usual. Staff know to bring their own warm coats when it’s chilly.

Oof. That would annoy me Op. One of the reasons we chose our nursery (children in primary now so was a few years ago) was because it "free flow" so children could be outside as little or as much as they liked, whatever the weather. The adjoining preschool, that they moved up to at 3, was the same.

It's pretty poor IMO to keep kids indoors all day. Seems like laziness to me.

DD (2) is also in a nursery that is inside/outside and they have access all day if they wish. Got some lovely pictures of her in her padded full suit and hat in the snow today :)

Probably the staff just didn't want to go out which is not good enough really.

What's the weather like where you are? I'm in the NE, have had snow the last few days, which has melted to slush by lunchtime, then refrozen overnight. The kids have had mostly inside playtime at school and every time they've been out in the garden at home they've been cold wet and miserable within 10 minutes, then needed a complete change of cloths, which just wouldn't be practical with a class of 30 3yo's.

If you do have spare warm cloths, definitely offer them to the nursery. My kids schools have both been sending out emails asking for any outgrown wellies, coats or socks. It's the first year they've been actively asking, so I'm guessing more kids then usual are been sent without (COL?)

We stayed in this morning as it was Baltic, but went out this afternoon to a national trust park.
(I am a childminder)
Two children age 2, one child aged one.
Its DEFINITELY the staff being nesh!

Thats awful. I would be looking at a different nursery. All the nurseries around here are free flow. We also have 2 outdoor nurseries in the forest where the children are outside all the time. There are a few wooden canopy, shelter things and a large hut that is used for drying off clothing but they are outside all day every day.

The coldest day was yesterday when it was -2 for a short while, and the wind was pretty biting. Short spell of sleet.

This morning has been cold but sunny, and there was a frost but no ice. In any case the play area they have is asphalt so I don’t think it would be slippery. Incidentally I looked around a primary school at lunchtime ahead of January applications and ALL the kids were out in the massive area they had, running round and having a grand old time. Annoyed me to think of my outdoor loving son not ten minutes down the road cooped up indoors yet again.

I wish the nursery would communicate if they needed wellies and other spares for the children that might not have, I’d donate in a heartbeat and I’m sure others would. Nothing we have is new anyway as we aren’t well off by any stretch but I always make sure I’ve done the Vinted and charity shop rounds to get everything he needs.