Nursery or childminder

[Allthesweets]

Hi all,

I have a lovely 2.5 yr old, who is more on the shy side, loves to play with little figurines, has been looked after at home by grandparents and isn’t great around other kids his age yet.

He has been offered a place at an outdoor nursery. The ethos is having the kids outdoors in all weather for the whole day. It had a huge garden with trees and huts, campfire etc. My concern was there didn’t seem to be lots of 121 time with the workers and times when the kids were up at the top of the garden or in one of the dens out of sight. Might be being over anxious.

Ive also found a lovely CM, lovely home, a couple of other children in her care. She has been a nursery worker for 15 years, has her own children and seems like a great fit for my DS.

Im just wondering what everyone thinks or what they would choose? he’d be there one day a week.

Child minder at this age.

I wouldn't leave my child at an outdoor Nursery, all year round, in sleet, frost, hail, torrential rain.
I wouldn't want that for myself, and so I wouldn't inflict it on a child.

I think getting outside for a while each day is great. I understand you can ear coats and wellies and go out in the rain now and then. But 8 hours in one of the storms we get with increasing regularity ? No thanks. The reality of an outdoor Nursery is very different from the lovely picture.

So, in this case - childminder!

But, I would be looking for a childminder that takes the children to playgroups, etc., or I would look for a different Nursery.

Childminder. Some kids need to run off a tonne id energy, but you're doesn't sound like one of them so I don't think this setting would particularly benefit him.

I'm a big fan of being outdoors and take my kids out every single day. But not for the whole day, shelter from bad weather isn't such a bad thing!

I would absolutely go for the nursery. That sounds lovely.

I actually found that my dc got lots the one to one time at nursery because they weren’t just with one adult stretched between children. While ratios have to be what they are, nurseries have more hands on deck, which means that the children who need it can get the attention, which they won’t with a CM with multiple children rushing around on the school run. Both ours were in nursery from 11 months and got lots of attention.

And the outdoor focus would seal the deal, so much better than just driving around all day in a CM’s car going to groups and soft play. They get so little outdoor time once they start school as well so really important they get as much now. Ours went to a largely outdoor nursery and it was fab. You can really see the difference between them and their peers now they are older because being outdoors, not stuck in front of screens all the time is just what they’re used to.

We've found our childminders to be fantastic and bonus they don't seem to get ill much there. We did nursery for a few weeks with our second and she got ill constantly. That might be less of an issue at an outdoor nursery though. I like that the childminder took them out and about lots and provided a real home environment. Both benefited from pre-school from 3.5 though, one whilst still at the childminder on other days of the week.

I wouldn't choose an outdoor nursery. normal nursery over childminder every time, no having to find alternative childcare when the CM is on holiday or sick

In this scenario I would go for the childminder.

Childminder hands down. A smaller group and a single member of staff for him to get to know.