Would you send your child?

[Tobermorie]

To a nursery with lovely indoor facilities, but no outdoor play area because they’re close to the beach where they regularly take the kids to play? I’ve been assured that when they take the kids on the beach there’s a 1:4 staff ratio and they’re well supervised. And they obviously have been checked by Ofsted and have appropriate risk assessments in place. And they’ve done it for years and never had an incident. DH thinks I’m being paranoid, but to me it just seems dangerous taking 2-4 year olds on the beach.

To be honest that would stress me out.
No shade
Risk of drowning
Busy place with loads of unknown adults

Nope. But I like my preschooler who loves running to be enclosed by fences!

I couldn't, My anxiety would be sky high

I think it sounds absolutely fine. If they’d ever lost a child or a child had been hurt, I’m sure you would have heard about it by word of mouth or in the media.

They put up tents on the beach and a toilet tent so there is shade. They take kids in groups of 12 with 3 staff and they stay out for a half day. But my main concern is that the staff need only be distracted for a minute on one single occasion and a child could wander off towards the water... and you don’t get any second chances. But then I think they wouldn’t be allowed to do it if it wasn’t safe? So I don’t know.

I'd say it was fine too. DD's Nursery has outside space but they also took them out lots of times. They'd never had a problem and your DD will probably learn lots being on the beach each day.

No, i would be too worried.

I wouldn't but mainly because I think the lack of garden is a bit rubbish. Our kids are out in the nursery garden almost all day from March to October.

The only thing that would worry me is my child not being able to be outside every day, if they are picking groups of 12 at a time.

No I wouldn’t but because I choose a nursery that has free flow outside space so my kids could be outside all day long.

Also, safety wise, we go to the beach weekly and my kids are reckless there, I wouldn’t trust others watching them, as they run straight into the sea, my 4 year old thinks he can swim when he can’t!

Nope

It sounds fabulous - I'd sign DS up in a heartbeat.

It’s a small nursery so the kids get 4 half days a week with the outdoor team (or 2 half days if they attend part time). So there’s plenty of outdoor time. The indoor space is lovely and the nicest I’ve seen in terms of resources; they do singing and games and yoga, and they teach them French and have loads of good quality toys. If they were taking them in a field for their exercise I’d be fine with it. It’s just the idea of being on the beach with a 1:4 ratio that makes me nervous.

No. I would want my child to have outside time morning and afternoon.

I'm a childminder and I've never taken more than 2 unders 3's to the beach at once. I need one hand per child and you can't take a pram on to the beach. 4 year olds are a bit different I suppose.

How big a beach, is it a big busy beach or a small local one where they can see the kids easily?

I’m fine with the amount of outdoor time. It’s the location of the outdoor time that worries me. Playing in rock pools, or in beach tents 100m from the water with no fences. With 1 teacher watching 4 kids. I suppose if one child needs changing then that leaves 2 teachers with 11 kids.

DH thinks I’m being overly protective and DC will love it. I don’t dispute that - I just don’t want my child to drown. Yes they’ve never lost a child but there’s always a first time and it could be my kid that runs off into the water. Am I paranoid?

I don't really see it as being that different to a park with a pond. DS goes out to see the boats on the canal most days with his nursery class. The children are all remarkably well behaved.

100% and really surprised so many wouldn't

I wouldn’t get worried by this if there was appropriate supervision and a beach I felt was safe.

I’d probably go and have look at how they run things from a distance.

No, I wouldn’t be able to relax. I don’t think a 1:4 ratio is enough in that situation.

My first thought was - I want to go that sounds great!

Maybe you should ask them more questions? Such as the one you've mentioned below, if one child needs changing what do you do. What are the procedures you follow to ensure safety etc

I can understand why you would be hesitant. My partner says similar things to me, it sometimes feels like it's easy for him to say I worry too much because I've taken on the worry for the both of us!

A nursery must have outdoor space IMO. Children need grass, trees, places to climb, explore and be free.

I would certainly NOT choose a nursery for great indoor facilities. What child wants to be inside???

How big a beach
Not massively busy but there are other people and dogs. There’s a small sandy bit down the end of the pier that’s maybe 50m x 50m, they set up their tents and mats and do activities with the kids. Or they walk them along the rocky part of the beach (about 300m long) to poke in the rock pools and collect pebbles. No lifeguards.

I personally wouldn’t send them there, because my children are bolters who coordinate their escapes in their twin language and run off in opposite directions to danger.

Weirdly, I’m happy for them to go out to the forest whilst at nursery, but that’s only in a group of 6 kids with two adults so feel it’s safer (despite the bolting risk). Maybe it’s because there’s no immediate water?