'Slippers-only' at nurseries - please can someone explain why?

[ceebeegeebies]

DS2's nursery has suddenly introduced a 'slipper-only' rule at nursery (they keep their outdoor shoes in their bag to put on when they go outside). I have thrown away the newsletter now which mentioned it but it stated it was something to do with the EYFS and the children's well-being Why do slippers help with the children's well-being??

I don't have a problem with it other than it is just another thing to have to do when I do the drop-off/pick-up as DS2 is not great at putting his own shoes/slippers on yet and I am always running late as it is

[Meerkat24]

We don't walk about the house in outdoor shoes so why is it happening in some nurseries? All sorts of germs and parasites being brought in (threadworms eggs for instance). Bad practice.

[sparkleshine]

At my sons nursery, they have introduced a no shoes policy in just the baby room which is up to about 18 mths. Staff have their own slippers kept there for this purpose. Some babies have slippers or slipper socks or just crawl around (mostly carpet) with socks. There are shoe covers if parents wish to go into the room.
It's not caused problems as far as I'm aware.

[BackforGood]

Depends on the size of the Nursery Woodlands - the majority tend to move them out of the baby room once they are moving on their feet for most of the time.

[Woodlands]

But baby rooms tend to cover the age range 0-2, at least they do in my DS's nursery. When he started at 13 months he was crawling round and putting stuff in his mouth, but now he's 21 months and running around in outside shoes in the same room. Bit gross really but it's the same at baby groups etc and it probably boosts their immune systems. I did visit one nursery where they had a 0-1 room and a 1 year old room and there was a shoes-off rule in the 0-1 room, which seemed a good idea.

My DS rarely has his shoes on when I pick him up anyway - not sure whether he takes them off himself or what! Other kids have theirs on. Actually now I think of it when he first got shoes (cruisers, before he was walking) I asked the staff to only put the shoes on if he was going to be outside so maybe they think I still want them to do that.

[Henwelly]

I prefer it and the adults used to have to take shoes off too before entering the rooms!!

I dont have shoes in my house either so its a dream come true for me

[dribbleface]

No back for good your right but you may have siblings/parents and staff walking in and out. All the staff/visitors etc in our nursery are shoeless or have covers (covers for dropping off/collecting only - no shoes in babyroom for safety reasons)

[surroundedbyblondes]

It's the old 'do you wear shoes in your house' debate...

[BackforGood]

In the majority of Nurseries, babies aren't crawling around on the floor where older children are running in and out of the garden, or are playing. The babies (funnily enough) will be in the baby room.

[surroundedbyblondes]

I think it's gross to have kids crawling around on the floor where people have walked in outdoor shoes. Strict shoes off policy at our kids' place. Parents also take their shoes off at the door or put those little plastic covers on their shoes and I don't have a problem with it.

They are just in socks indoors though. Some have bobux or moccasin type things but no actual PJ type slippers.

[heather1]

I am in Switzerland and all kids here at kindergarten and school have to wear indoor slippers. I really like it because the carpets arent muddy and in wet weather it stays really nice a clean inside as they take their shoes off right by the door. Maybe get some doodles if feet are big enough as they are fitted properly by Clarkes. But it does cost so much more especially when they have growth spurts.

[Bramshott]

It's partly noise I think.

[MousyMouse]

because shoes are dirty and babies might suck the carpet?
same at my dc's nursery. not a big deal imo.

[Rubirosa]

Instead of slippers, why not just get some well fitting indoor-only shoes?

[juneybean]

It's daft, in my old nursery we wore slippers but then to take them outside you traipsed through the playroom any ways to get to the door but I love wearing my slippers.

[splashymcsplash]

Personally I think its a great idea. Keep the carpets clean.

[TiggyD]

The Antibacterial Carpets is the spin off from The Inspiral Carpets. They didn't sell many albums but they're big in Japan and with health and safety officers.

[saintlyjimjams]

Antibacterial carpets???

Agree that slippers don't sound great. Although I worked in a secondary school in Japan and everyone wore slippers inside there. The kids had special plastic flip flop ones

[cate16]

I always insist the children wear something on feet - once had a bomb scare in cold weather and it was a nightmare with staff holding barefoot children!

[TiggyD]

In my experience the number of injuries prevented by not wearing shoes is far far less than the huge number of injuries cause by children wearing stupid slippers. I hope your nursery is not going to let children wear mule type slippers. Children should not have to concentrate on keeping their footwear on when they're just walking. I also hope that it won't result in an hour's worth of staff time during the day spent putting shoes and slippers on the children.

[Groovee]

Our upper school has an indoor shoes only because of the new antibacterial carpets they have in the classrooms. Some nurseries I work in have a similar rule due to the mess which some children came to school. It's a good way to get children to learn how to get their shoes off and on too.

[PosiePaques]

My nursery has always done it, but then by 2.5yrs my dcs could do this themselves.

[dribbleface]

At our nursery it for hygiene and also is in keeping with our home away from home ethos, we are in a converted house. our wear socks or slipper socks mostly.

[ApplesinmyPocket]

I used to work in a daycare setting and the reason we asked for 'light indoor shoes' (such as Doodles) was because little fingers do get stepped on when children are playing/sitting on the floor (as IDontWanttoBe.. said) and it makes a big difference if it's a great Timberland tread clumping down or a light soft shoe!

Also, what malinois said - normal feet don't need 'support' from shoes.

[wonkylegs]

DS's nursery have wellys kept in the welly cupboard for when it's wet / muddy in the garden and wear their regular shoes or just socks inside.
In the main room it's lino not carpet - babies room it's carpet but most of those are pre shoe aged kids/ crawling.
I would have thought it's more of a faff - also wouldn't work in his nursery as in summer the whole wall opens up so the garden/ main room are open to each other all day and the kids can run in & out

[SardineQueen]

Agree that sloppy slippers are not a great choice of footwear for an active young child.

maybe they should have said plimsols rather than slippers. or totes toasties or something