3rd update on Katymac's Eco/Sustainable/Low Carbon Nursery

[Katymac]

As promised

1st issue - what is my nursery is it eco? is it green? is it sustainable? is it low carbon?
Which band wagon do I jump on - I consider all the issues important but what do I tag the nursery with?

2nd issue - would it be sad to offer to plant trees for the parents to offset the petrol used to travel to the nursery?

Architect has had some interesting ideas
Foyer outside the barn (to maximise floor space)
Window in Foyer on to Oval(?) kitchen so that the parents can see the food being prepared (not sure about this)
My office above the kitchen (on a mezzanine?) with windows all the way round so I can see all the nursery

Highways have agreed an entrance but it will cost me a fortune in paving an 80m driveway

Hope someone reads this

I find it really sad that having outside space has to be a statutory requirement (iyswim) I would have thpught it was just expected

My nursery will have both hard surface and grass (I hope)

I'm very glad that the nursery ds1 went to, and ds2 will be going to in due course has lots of "real grass", and sometimes "real mud" too! And that the children get to go out, dressed appropriately, even if it isn't bright and sunny, and make mud pies, jump in puddles, throw snowballs, etc.

In fact if I was looking for nurseries again one of the first questions I'd ask would be whether they ask parents to send their (toddler+) child with wellies and waterproofs. A "no", unless they said they supplied them, would rule them out for me, regardless of how good other facilities are.

While grass may be optimal for outside space, I think you have to remember that not all nurseries are in the country. My nursery is in a suburb and has a large garden area. However, I live in central london and sent my son to a local nursery which does have an outdoor space, but it is on top of the roof of the building. There is absolutely no way that most nurseries around here could have grass gardens. I have seen one local one which has a room play space like the one I sent ds to, one that has a sort of basement courtyard area, etc.

Actually, my nursery does not have grass in the garden. One half is bark chipped where the climbing equipment is and the other half is brick paved for the bikes. However, we are lucky enough to be able to walk right out the back gate onto massive fields.

How about a sustainable nursery

"A Nursery that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need"

or something like that?

Katy. How's it going? Are you still in the planning stage? Or do we have an opening date yet?

I have an architect

We have (tentatively) agreed an opening date - End of January 2008

We will be having under 2's at childminding and 2-5's at the nursery

It's getting scarey