Are all nurseries a bit grubby?

[BluPeony]

I have viewed 3 so far and they're all grubby to some degree.

Is this normal or is it just my area? Should I look further afield?

We're about to send our first child to nursery in case that wasn't blindingly obvious 🫠

Depends - like dirty floors/walls? All nursery age children are a bit grubby tbh 😁

Hmm. Not in my experience.

Nursery kids are a bit grubby when you pick them up

Yes they're covered in paint and glue and food and mysterious sticky substances 😅 although I would expect a baby room to be relatively clean as non mobile babies aren't generating quite as much muck as toddlers do.

A hot and sweaty child covered in sun cream attracts dirt like nothing else.

Yes. I hate them. Go and check out a few childminders.

Yeah scruffy walls, banged up window sills, carpets that look like they could do with a hoover.

One place had what was basically a mud pit as their garden and said they laid out mats when the babies went outside - the pile of mats were also covered in mud.

What is grubby OP? I would go on the staff and the vibe you get from the nursery most importantly.

Do you mean untidy from lots of play or worn/old equipment?
Which areas did you find grubby?

I don't think I can (emotionally) send my baby to a child minder.

I don't think you've found the right one yet. Keep looking, you'll know when it feels right. I saw lots that felt grubby or smelt damp and it was such a different feeling when I found the right one. To be honest it gets messy and the building is aging but I don't notice it at all and am very happy with it

@BluPeony out of interest why would you struggle with a childminder and not a nursery?

In my experience anywhere totally clinically clean would be a bit of a put off.

Ours is a bit grubby to be fair 😂 but I don't mind, it's lived in and the staff are absolutely amazing which is my priority. We looked around some absolutely beautiful nursery's but they seems to be staffed by bored looking 20 year olds!

I had the same reaction 😅. We ended up at a nursery that was brand new and shiny when DC started and less than a year later it’s looking completely battered. It’s also the most expensive nursery in the town so I’ve been really surprised!!

It’s not generally unhygienic though, just looks like it desperately needs redecorating, the lift is always out of order, the hand dryers don’t work etc. The kids loos are a bit grim but they’re at early potty training age and DC isn’t ill very often so I’m assuming it’s just superficial! So my answer is yes, but I think in the way you’d expect an average primary school to be at the end of term!

You won’t lose anything by meeting / talking to a few childminders. And if you still choose a nursery at least you’ve explored all options.

My DS went to nursery for a year before we changed to a childminder, best decision. His nursery actually wasn’t grubby but he used to come back filthy and I hated that he’d been wearing a top wet with stew all day until it dried all crusty.

I met one childminder where I didn’t get the best vibe - she just had a pile of toys on the floor with loads of mismatched bits. The childminder we went with in the end has a beautifully organised playroom full of lovely toys. That’s not to say that I’m bothered by appearances (I’m not) - but it was clear the care and attention she put into the environment - and she is the same with the children.

Definitely not. We’re in Ireland and our creche is pristine.

Not in my experience. The staff clearly work hard cleaning down each day and they do regular maintenance on weekends. My kid definitely comes out grubby...glue all over paint, everywhere, food down her top...she has a great day!

You'd be better off with a childminder.
Better for your child too, someone else to love them.

I'm not expecting clinically clean, I don't know what I'm expecting really. Each nursery we've walked into has been a bit dirty in one way or another. I think I maybe expected it to be a bit more like school? But that was decades ago so maybe I'm not remembering properly.

I just feel odd about sending my baby to someone's house. I'd rather stay home myself but we have a mortgage to pay so he needs to go to nursery. We also want the stability - I don't want to be scrambling to find childcare or taking a day off if the CM is ill or on holiday etc. as well as the inevitable days we'll be off when he is ill himself.

@BluPeony you will know yourself when you’ve found the right one. I am a first time mum and went to the first nursery I viewed and just didn’t have a good feeling. I rang my husband and said I just don’t like it and he said maybe it’s just because you don’t want the baby to go in general that you’re put off but I just didn’t like it. I then viewed the second nursery and fell in love with it. It’s very clean, great staff, very modern and was the same price as the other one. Trust your gut.

You don't want dirty, but you don't want pristine. I've worked in the latter and the reason why they're so clean is that they don't do messy play and staff prioritise cleaning over children.

Why? I have looked at 5 nurseries in my town and couldn’t have left a baby in any of those. My toddler loves his childminder like an auntie and has stability and a second home. Yes sometimes she is sick or has holidays, it’s a more personalised care especially for a very small child. Plus he is a lot less sick than his nursery friends.

We have used 2 nurseries and both were pristine. The kids come out filthy but the facilities were great.

I walk into work in the morning and our nursery is pristine.

Within 20 minutes of the children arriving it looks like a wild party has taken place.

Ours is a bit grubby and the toddler does come home every night covered in paint and food stains all over (even his outdoor coat! which baffles me) but that’s because they spend the day exploring and learning and playing. The staff and the curriculum are amazing, and the kid is having a blast.

When DC2 went to nursery I was shocked at the state they would be in at the end of the day, covered in food, sticky hair, total mess. DC2 is now at a childminder and they return cleaner than when they arrived half the time! I’m not saying this to diss nurseries but I know I always felt uneasy collecting DC in this state and whilst the nursery was in decent condition, it was not in the best way.

I think instinct counts for a lot when it comes to childcare. I knew from the off I wasn’t happy with the nursery but we had limited options. The room was ok-ish but not in the best way. Visiting DC’s current childminder I felt so at ease. It was a home environment (including guinea pigs!) in a clean condition.