Marbles at preschool?

[blondieee]

Today I took my nearly 2 year old for a visit to the pre school he is meant to be starting in the new year.. he had a great time, played nicely with the other children, wasn't shy, and the staff seemed nice. However, there was a marble run set up and the kids had access to marbles, something I would never allow my DS to play with, they also had a little pretend shop set up, where they had coins they could play with, some plastic and some real (1ps and 2ps) and lastly there was lots of arts and craft stuff with loads of tiny little bits.

Now I can't seem to stop worrying about it and my son hasn't even started there yet, at the time I didn't feel confident to ask the staff about it. I did make a comment about how my son does put little things in his mouth to which one of the staff said 'yes there is lots of little bits here but there is always a staff member in every room' well, even so I don't believe 1 adult can keep an eye on every child every second. And it only takes a second for any child to pick up a marble and swallow it. I just dread to think what could happen

Now I feel like I can't send him there, is it normal for a pre school (for 2 year olds) to have things such as marbles and coins to play with?? I'm a first time mum so I don't know but it seems absurd to me

Pretty normal ime. They have to start learning not to put stuff in their mouth at some point.

Marbles are a serious choking hazard. I would not be happy with that at all.

I would also not be happy with it

I'll bet the marbles are of a certain size for safety.

I wouldn't be happy about it either. Not until they're nearly three, but depending on the child.

@FlibbertyGiblets
That’s a good point.
Did you see the marbles @blondieee?

They were average/ regular marbles which would choke if easily swallowed. They weren't the big marbles which I wouldn't have been too worried about. I think I'm going to send an email to the pre school with my concerns. I understand that at some point children have to learn not to put things in there mouth, however my nearly 2 year old does put things in his mouth no matter how many times I tell him not too. He hasn't yet learnt so therefore I can't settle for 'hoping' someone manages to stop him in time

The company bright horizons call small part activities red dot activities which have to be supervised. Red for danger. Dot for small enough to swallow or choke on.

Small resources have to be supervised at all times and out of children's reach when not in use

We started marble run at 2, but I certainly wouldn't expect to see it at a pre school. Depending on the child its extremely unsafe. I think I would look elsewhere.

If a preschool setting is not aware of choking hazards like marbles then I would look elsewhere.
It will be interesting to see what their response is.

What was the set up for these things? Easily and freely accessible to children all the time?

It's a no from me and I work with children aged 2-4 years
We wouldn't have marbles out until age 4.5 really

@ AccidentallyOnPurpose
The op says
However, there was a marble run set up and the kids had access to marbles

My reading of that is that the marble run and marbles were freely accessible to the children.

Yes the marble run was set up on a tuft tray table thing, and the marbles were just on the table, my son walked up to the table where some other little children were paying with it and picked up a marble and I took it off him and put it back. There was a staff member in the room but she wasn't constantly watching the marble run table

I wouldn't be happy about marbles. I have several DC so youngest has always been exposed to little bits associated with play sets but marbles and small bouncy balls are a no from me. Really surprised they would have that. Seems more appropriate for reception age and even then with supervision as some will no doubt put in their mouth at that age.

Go somewhere else. I wouldn’t trust them if they can’t exercise simple common sense about choking hazards.

My gut is telling me to go somewhere else, It's such a shame because he seemed to really like his little session there, but I know full well I wouldn't be settled leaving him there unattended, so I guess that settles it. Do I just leave it there and find somewhere else and not say anything, or shall I tell them I will be looking elsewhere because I would be too worried about marbles ect. I don't want to come across as a d*head so what would be best?

Big no no.

DD is 4 (almost 5) and I've only just let them play with a marble run. She does still put things in her mouth.

@blondieee

Yes the marble run was set up on a tuft tray table thing, and the marbles were just on the table, my son walked up to the table where some other little children were paying with it and picked up a marble and I took it off him and put it back. There was a staff member in the room but she wasn't constantly watching the marble run table

Yeah, definitely not good enough then.

If it comes up in conversation, mention it. If not, then leave it.

I wouldn't be happy with that either that's a serious choking hazard and toys in a nursery should be choke tested, marbles certainly would not pass.
Also there should be more than one adult in that room assuming that there are more than four children in the class as the legal ratio is one adult to 4 children with 2-3 year olds. There's no way one adult can keep a close eye on all of the children at the same time to make sure they aren't putting marbles in their mouths.

Really? There was 3 staff members there today, I don't know for sure how many children, looked more than 12, the children just roam around the rooms as they like so there was more than 4 children in a room with one adult on multiple occasions when I was there today.

If they weren't even closely monitoring the use of small marbles round 2 year olds I would report them to be honest. That sounds extremely dangerous. I'd also mention the potential understaffing.

Marble runs will have age guidence on box as will play coins definetly be at least 3 plus personally I would raise it will management and tell them that is why I am not taking the space as if this is used a staff member should be at the table not just in the room.

That would be a no for me as well. Huge difference between getting an activity out to do with kids with a constant adult presence, and something just left out for kids to use when they want with no direct adult in the sight line.