Would it bother you if you dc nursery had no outside facility?

[minniedot]

I've been to look at a pre-school for ds this morning, he'll be 2 in August. Was thinking about putting him in for two mornings a week. The pre-school is in the next village to me so quite handy and is set in a church hall.

It had a nice atmosphere and the ladies who run it seemed lovely, but my only bugbear is that there is nowhere for the children to play outside.

Am I nit picking or is this a genuine concern?

it would bother me, because my DS is very outdoorsy and hates to be cooped up all day, no matter what activities the preschool arranges

Yes. Ds would go potty.
Isn't exercise outside part of the pre-school standards thingy?

Yes, it would bother me. Outside space key for small ones I think.

Not for two mornings only of preschool. More than that, yes.

My DS1 is at nursery two full days a week and they have a big outdoor play area with slides, cars etc. I do think it is important. However if he is only there for two mornings, and comes home at lunchtime, then he can easily play out with you in the afternoon. If everything else is lovely then I don't think it matters too much. Will he eventually be doing any full days there, or will it always be half days?

Esp at this time of year, they spend a lot of the time outside at DS1's nursery, which I know he loves more than anything. Do they ever take them out on walks etc?

it would depend on the child and the circumstances.

2 mornings a week - no probably wouldn't worry me. You can take him to the park in the afternoon - they are unlikely to go out every mornign and every afternoon tbh.

Full-time, especially with an active child, yes it would worry me as they wouldn't be getting enough active outdoor play.

is it ofsted registered? I thought all pre-schools had to have out door play facilities...
do they have physical play at all?

I can't see how they can fulfil the EYFS with no outdoor space. Do they take them to a local park or on other small outings?

Depends if they take them out for walks, if not then yes it would bother me, even for 2 mornings a week.

Thanks for your input.

It has just been ofsteded ( if that's a word! ) and got ' good ' for everything.

They do take the older children out to the park ( over a main road ) for some fresh air, but not the children under the age of 3.

He'll be going to a different pre-school when he's 2.5, one that has a lovely garden, but they don't take children at the age of 2.

I'm going to look at another one
tomorrow aswell.

if it's only for 2 mornings for 6 months and you like everything else about it, then I'd not worry!

It would bother me as my kids both are outdoorsy & dd spends most of her time outside when at nursery.

I suppose it depends on your child & your feelings about it, it may only be for 2 mornings now but what about when you "up" the mornings would you be happy about it then or would you want to move your ds?

Sorry X posts with you.

For 2 mornings for 6 months, I could put up with it.

It would bother me more to settle a child into one nursery for 6 months & then change it for a different one, tbh. I'd personally be tempted to wait the 6 months & go straight to the nice garden-y one....

I'd much rather they didn't have any indoor facilities!

In general, yes, it would bother me a lot. For 2 mornings a week for six months, not so bad. I agree with funnypeculiar, though -- might be better just to wait until he is 2.5 and start him at the other place (unless you really need the break, in which case go for it).

Yes I wouldn't use it. I've always used amount of outdoor space and how often the children are outside as a measure of a nursery or preschool.

am very impressed with dd3's preschool, when I went to spend time there, they are outdoors playing for 45 minutes, twice a day, in all weathers. Including on cold wet days when I wouldn't bother going out.

Yes it would bother me. I want my daughter to run around and burn off energy, race her friends, collect sticks and leaves and feathers, play in the sandpit etc

Not for two mornings - but surely you are likely to increase his time there when he is 3,4 etc and will you want him cooped up 4 or 5 mornings a week? Else you will have to move him once he is settled.

Yes, totally.

at my DD's old preschool they did have an outside area BUT if weather was bad they had a big climbing frame with tunnels and a slide that they set up indoors. The children loved it.

Maybe worth asking if they have anything similar, better still sit in on a session if you can and see how they do things.

How bad would it be for him to be moved to a different pre-school after 6 months?

I feel he could possibly do with a couple of mornings at pre-school from when he's 2, but wouldn't want to upset him by moving him.

There's always something to worry about isn't there.
Alternatively there is a different pre-school that has a garden that he could go to from the age of 2 and he could go there there instead of the other nice one.

It wouldn't bother me as DD only ever went for 3 mornings a week before she started school and we have a big garden and trampoline etc at home.
The company was more important than the outside thing and the other children and teachers were lovely.

Re moving him... welll. Took ds (average type child, I'd say) a good 1-2 months to be settled (on 2 mornings a week)

Perhaps start a separate thread re length of time kids take to settle, but I'd have thought moving after 6 mths is a little disruptive if you can avoid it easily....