How long can a toddler stay in a nursery?

[Fiona2011231]

May I ask for your advice on how long you should let your child in a nursery during the day?

For some reasons, we would like to move my child, a three-year-old, to a new nursery. However, that nursery said they only receive children from 8 to 6. We cannot come later or leave earlier.

Is it too much for a child?

Thank you.

My 3 yr old struggles with 4 x 4 hour days so there's no way she would manage such a long day. I know if several nurseries that do this - they are just trying to get the most money out of you!

That's mad, every nursery I know has sessions so you can do morning or afternoon or after school or a combination.
Do you live in a very commuter orientated town?

Thank you. Reading this, I think I cannot move my child to that nursery. I will try to look for another school.

Regards,

Ours charges for a full day 7.30am to 6pm, but you can drop off and pick up whenever you want, without notice.

Just because the nursery offers a service from 8 till 6, it doesn't mean that you have to leave your child for that long.
You are the customer, you can decide what hours you want your child to attend.
I think you may have misunderstood- no nursery would ever insist that a child attends from opening to closing.

I can't believe they would insist on the child being there for the whole time. We pay for the full days but drop off and pick up when it suits us. FWIW it's no problem a child being in a good nursery for that long, they are in small groups, the staff should plan the day with a variety of activities, plenty of snacks and regular down time for the kids. DD1 was more tired after 6 hours at school than 9 hours at nursery.

I expect the nursery means that they charge for 8-6, so they couldn't cater for you if you only wanted three hours a day. However, they almost certainly wouldn't want everyone to drop the children at 8am and pick up at 6pm. It would be mayhem if everyone did that!

Both my DDs went to daycare at just over a year at an 8-6 nursery. They usually did/do around 9-5.30 depending on our work. It's fine, not too tiring as the nursery is very friendly and welcoming, they both loved it there (DD2 still there). They are only there three days though- I wouldn't have wanted to do it full time.

Do you need all day care (for example, whilst you're at work) or are you looking for somewhere to put your child for the free 15hrs?

The place you're looking at sounds like a private day nursery which will be open all year rather than a pre-school which will be open term time only. DD has been going to a private day nursery since she was 15mo and had to do 8 - 6 as DP and I are out of the house for that long. There's usually a queue of us on the doorstep at 8am and others frantically rushing in at 5.55pm to collect. Most, if not all, of the parents are WOH. Whilst you can drop off and collect your DC at any time at this nursery, if you drop them off after 8.20, they don't get breakfast, they strongly discourage you going in between 12.00 and 1.30 as that's lunch & quiet time and between 3.30 and 4.00 as that's tea time. If you collect before 5.00, your child is normally brought to you at reception rather than you going into their room as they don't want to start all of the children asking when their parent is going to arrive to collect them. As the nursery qualifies for the free 15hr funding thing, they do offer 3hr slots (they have to) but in reality don't actually take any children as they don't have any spaces. Even if they did, I'm not sure I'd want to send a child there for, say, 9 -12 or 12-3 as they'd be dipping in and out of activities which are set to run from 8 - 6. So, for example, circle time is at 8.45 and 4.30 so would be missed by children there for just 3 hrs.
On two of the days I don't work, DD also goes to pre-school in the village. This is open from 9.00 - 3.30 term time only and the DC who attend that can either do the whole day, from 9.00 - 12.00, from 12.30 - 3.30 and the morning & afternoon children can add lunch on too from 12.00 - 12.30.
So, to answer your question, lots of 3yr old are in nursery from 8 - 6 but that may not be what you want or need for your child, especially if you are a SAHM.