Graduation ceremony for four year olds. Madness?

[MummyPenguin]

It seems odd for me to be posting in the pre-school section as I haven't had a child at pre-school for years, but.. saw a picture in my local paper of some four year olds who have had a full on Graduation ceremony on departing pre-school for primary. We're talking mortar boards(is that what they're called? The hat type thing - you can tell I didn't go to Uni ) and cloaks and certificates for 'graduating from their early years education.'

All seems a bit or is it just me?

OTT with mortar boards I think!

Although ds(4)also had a "graduation" at his nursery at the end of term. He had to dress up as a pirate and got a big pack of felt tips. Does that count?

That sounds very normal.

barmy ,we are becoming very like the usa. LOads of things I love baout usa ,but this is not one of them

Glad ds's nursery doesnt do this odd thing

Is it? I do know that it's a mutli-lingual nursery (not in the sense that kids graduate being multi-lingual but that they have lots of different nationalities there) and is called the Al-Abah something...

You know, the people who run/work in this nursery are only trying to do something nice for the kids and parents.

No need to be so nasty.

sounds really sweet

One of the two local (state-run) pre-school nurseries does this.

I always though it was quite cute.

my nephew had one of these it was so cute , i think it a lovely idea xx it a big step leaving nursery it a good way to mark the occation xxhe hAD a picture taken they all wore the hats and gowns too

PMSL at the little tots in their mortar boards and gowns . What excessive nonsense!

Dd's nursery hold a Leavers' Party at the end of every term, all the children get to wear fancy dress (or whatever they want) and those leaving for school get a present and a special goodbye and goodluck song sung to them by all the other children. Parents watch and take photos. Very sweet and unfussy.

they loved it it made them feel special on thier last day xx

If the little ones enjoy it and feel special, and are having fun then what is the harm? Leaving nursery can be a really big thing for little ones, why not make it a special day?

I think it sounds really nauseating. There are lots of ways to give 4 year olds and their parents a good send off without that nonsense.
PrettyCandles, our playgroup has a little event pretty much like you describe. Special enough for the children and their families but not over the top.

Hi, my son does not leave pre-school till next year (he isn't 4 till 10th Sept), but at the end of term they held a concert for all parents, friends etc. The children who where leaving, recieved certificates in a presentation, it was really sweet. Although they didn't wear gowns they all had hats that they had made at school.

dd's montessori did this (the mortar boards were made out of sugar paper, tho): bonkers. the children had no idea what was going on.

dd2's nursery does this, I thought it was quite sweet

ours did this, they made their mortar boards out of coloured paper and had a little ceremony where they were given their work books for the year and a uniform sweatshirt for big school next year. i admit i was a little at the idea but in practice it was sweet (and not even slightly poncy). the kids really enjoyed it and was nice way for them to say goodbye to teacher/tas (who had been in dd's words like mums) and to involve parents too.

dd1 did this and it was lovely

all the staff close to tears, children beaming

what is not to like?

you grumpy old gits

can someone explain why they find it so terrible?

(some people had camcorders but all you will hear on their soundtrack is me hissing at dd2 to SIT DOWN NOW 20 times)

Not keen on treating children like mini-adults.
Or mini-teenagers.