Baby's skin covered in pen after nursery

[Robin17]

My baby is one and goes to nursery two days a week. In the past month he has come home three times with his skin covered in felt pen (see attached pic). The first time I didn't think much of it but now it's becoming regular occurrence and it's starting to grate. When I mentioned it politely his key worker just said they use pens in the baby room, she didn't seem bothered I was unimpressed. Clothes is one thing but I think on a baby's skin crosses a bit of a line. Has anyone experienced this? I want to ask then to stop using pens with him but DH thinks I should just wait and monitor the situation. I don't see why as bound to happen again. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I can’t see the picture but assuming it’s not permanent marker, I tended to view mess as a day well spent for DS.

It’s hardly toxic.
Stick him in the bath.

I don't think the nursery staff are spending all day drawing on him, are they?

He's obviously using them himself and getting more interested in holding a pen and creating something. This is a passing phase - his fine motor skills have reached it, and they will soon surpass it.

Lol.

Just wait until they get to the toddler room! Messy play city!

Felt pens are much easier than crayons for mark making with babies and toddlers, also (apart from caps) are generally safer regarding choking as bits don’t break off. How old is your baby?

Bet he had a great time doing it!

Easier to wash off skin than get pen stains out of clothes, I’d let them crack on. Assuming they’re washable felt tips not sharpies they won’t do him any harm.

Be grateful he can do this messy stuff there instead of getting felt tips all over your cushions and floors! Coming home messy is a good sign.

He’s doing it on himself. That would PMO too. They’re not as easy to wash off as people say.

This wouldn’t bother me in the slightest, it will wash off easy and he’s clearly had fun. Fondly remember DD coming home after a special ‘sensory messy play day’ at nursery where they had a massive vat of baked beans and the kids had spent ages burying things in the beans, moving beans from one tub to another with various implements. She had bean juice in her nose, her ears, her hair….. all the kids looked like they’d been tango’d except for their front, back and the tops of their arms where the long sleeve plastic apron things covered them 😂

Your toddler was using pens at nursery. Totally normal and it will come off with a bath. This is ridiculous.

My boys always needed baths after nursery days. Mud, paint, snot and general grime! Presumably these are washable markers ?

Honestly this wouldn’t bother me at all, they’re happy and having fun, exploring, messy play and making a mess is all part of it, children are perfectly washable- thankfully the state mine get in after messy play😂

What line is crossed? No different to coming home covered in paint. It’s creative play.

I honestly pictured nursery workers covering a 3 month old in pen.

Unclench, this is what toddlers do!

Your son is learning through play! Please don't complain over nothing. Also, a nurswry wardrobe is a must. Old clothes that you don't mind getting wrecked with pen/mud/paint etc.

🤣 poor nursery workers have it so tough. Can’t win

Thanks all for your comments, maybe it's because this is a new thing for me and clearly I need to chill out a bit!

Does it come off in the bath? Assuming yes I can’t see the issue personally.

Is it easy to wash off ? That’s the crux of it.

Wait until he discovers mud kitchens @Robin17! But honestly it’s all part of open-ended creative play that encourages children to use their imaginations - I promise it’s all good. Yes they get messy in the process, but it’s brilliant for their development. I’m going to a colour festival soon with one of my charity groups to film kids throwing paint at one another! I went and bought a white vest top today as I know I won’t get away scot free either! I honestly would look at those little scribbles as a happy sign of time well spent fostering his creative brain. As long as he is happy then I think it’s all a very positive thing.

Sounds like a great nursery, using messy play to help develop fine motor skills although I realise it may be a shock if it’s your first child. As pp’s say, if they are messy at home time, they’ve usually had a great day!

They will be sourcing non toxic washable safe to use children's felt tip pens.
It is a huge part of their development to mark make and the first steps towards learning to write amazingly.
They wouldn't have someone to do a 1-2-1 activity with him whilst they did crafts so he might just have to sit by them but not take part if you don't want him using pens.
They eat crayons and pencils are too sharp.

It's a bit strange when we first see our fresh clean babies turn to toddlers who get filthy, covered in pen, paint, shaving foam and whatever else but it's all good for their development.

Not a parent but I would assume they're pens marketed at children ie easy to remove from skin and clothes. He's had a good day at nursery and while he's using pens at school he's not using them at home and getting them on the walls and furniture!