Nursery expectations

[Whathefisgoingon]

My 2 year old started nursery in April. He does 3 half days a week.

I have absolutely no idea what he gets up to there other than from 2 emails I’ve had telling me what their focus story is for this term.

He has never brought any crafts home.

I see lots of other kids this age bringing home lots of paintings etc, am I expecting too much?

They have an outstanding report but don’t use any apps to update the parents.

We have one this age in nursery. He doesn't bring massive amounts home but more importantly, the kids pictures and crafts are everywhere in the nursery building and we get pictures of them. They did some holi paintings with the coloured powders which I would frame too lol.

We have an app called Famly and get pictures and a personal update on something about learning every day, plus they record anything he's eaten and other metrics. We use it to say if he will be late and stay in touch too. The app is great - if your nursery doesn't use it maybe worth suggesting, as I suspect the staff find it a major timesaver.

We get a weekly newsletter with what they have been up to
Once a month or so art comes home with him
They have a tapestry app where they update with photos etc every week

Our nursery tend to send art home in batches every so often. But you should be having a handover when you pick up where they say what they've done, etc.? Do you not have any discussion with the workers when you collect him?

My children have attended a few different nurseries due to moving and I have found the level of updates parents get varies massively!

One thing I would say is that just because you aren't getting updates it doesn't mean that arts and crafts aren't happening. You may find at the end of term/when they move rooms they have a big sort out and send home loads (I speak from experience). Or that art may go on walls, as a PP said and then not be kept when the display gets changed.

Also, it's worth remembering that if staff are updating apps and sending photos that time is taking them away from engaging with the children. I'd rather get fewer updates if my children had more interaction.

I usually ask what they have done when I go and collect and so often get a verbal update about what they enjoyed that day. You could try asking...

Thanks.

Handover is very quick. We’re not allowed inside the nursery due to covid so I can’t see if there’s any paintings up. They just tell me he’s been great, ate his tea, or if they’ve spoken to him about sharing or anything like that then they’ll mention it. He has come home with paint on him once so I suppose it has happened at least that once!

Also, it's worth remembering that if staff are updating apps and sending photos that time is taking them away from engaging with the children. I'd rather get fewer updates if my children had more interaction.

This is the thing! I'm a nanny and the parents like me to Whatsapp them 2 or 3 pics of their toddler every day. I feel like I spend half the time I'm with him trying to get a decent pic, and that's all time I'm not actually in the moment with him! OP if your little one seems happy I really wouldn't worry too much.

Does he seem happy?

You're not expecting too much.

I have two in nursery now and one that was at the same nursery and is now at school. They have a 'learning journal' online and we usually get a couple of photos and and brief sentence or two about what they have been up to that day. There is also a 'daily diary' section which tells me what they've had to eat and for my daughter who is still in nappies it says how many wet/dirty.

The bring a bit of (crappy, let's face it) artwork home most weeks, but at the end of each term we get a folder home of all the half decent stuff they've done for projects and events and things.

Honestly, it's a private nursery and they charge a kings ransom, so I kind of expect good service, but I think you should be getting more feedback than you do. The learning journal app is the norm round here, not specific to our nursery.

This is a good point. We often get the app updates in the evening (like 8pm) and I do wonder who's job it is to do that, but they don't seem to do it during the day.

The other thing to think about is do they like doing crafts? Nursery is free flow and activities optional. Lots of children, especially this time of year wheen it's warming up just want to be outside playing so little craft activities are done.

Lots of reports home on apps is not a good sign.
Some children spend all their time doing active play rather than creative play. What does he like to do at home? Does he seem happy to go there in the morning?

He loves crafty stuff at home, paints, drawing, play doh and other things like that.

Like I say he has only been going for 4 weeks so he has only in the last two sessions been actually excited to go, before that there were tears at drop off. Now he takes his bag from me to hand it over and runs in!

Maybe I should ask more questions of the staff but honestly it does feel a bit rushed, more so if he’s had a morning session and I’m collecting at lunch time.

Ask the questions, you pay a lot for this.

Ask them?

TBH if he is only there for half days, he might not be there when they do crafts. My youngest did mornings when he was 2 and that was usually their outdoor play time. Especially in the spring/summer terms and nice weather. He only seemed to do crafts in the winter or rainy days.

Our nursery stop the app updates after they turn 2. Also only brings crafts home for occasions like Valentine's Day or Mother's Day for example. So I wouldn't be concerned about this. Since turning 2 I just ask at pick up if he slept/ate ok and if there was anything to inform me about, they would. 4 weeks is a relatively short amount of time.

3 half days is absolutely nothing to be fair. There's really not much to fit in in the space of four hours considering that'll include breakfast, morning snack and lunch at our nursery.

If he runs in this is a good sign. His reaction matters far more than what staff tell you with their own spin on it.

We don’t have an app and get a quick summary of the day at the end. There is a milestone book that we get to look through at parents evening. Art once a week maybe.

It doesn’t particularly bother me because I’d rather them spend time with the children playing, which is what they do. For example they set up a huge inflatable paddling pool and big slip and slide in the paddock when it was hot. She runs in and asks to play with her key worker when we are at home too. I’m sure if it were horrible she wouldn’t do any of these things!

Thanks all.

also....... he’s not allowed to take in any snacks of his own (they provide 1) and they aren’t allowed to apply sun screen - I have to do it before he goes in and even if he’s outside in the sun all afternoon, they wouldn’t be allowed to re apply. Is this normal!?

Yup, imagine trying to apply suncream to 15 toddlers! Nightmare. Get a good long lasting one.

Yes, normal according to my experiences of nursery and school.