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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

School nursery/reception - what do your dc's bring home?

34 replies

themuppetshow · 29/09/2012 20:50

DS has just started nursery class attached to primary. I know it's very early days, but he hasn't done anything to bring home in three weeks.

I know that they learn through play and they choose what they want to do without any directed outcome etc, but I was thinking I might get a painting or drawing, something cutted and sticked, junk model, mask, anything, by now. We had to buy a school-branded book bag to take things home in. Always been empty!

I'm just not entirely convinced that within a 3 hour session of free-play, some guided activity with a end-result can't take place. Story time not every-day either.

Does this sound typical and is reception likely to be more of the same!

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olibeansmummy · 29/09/2012 21:08

Ds is in a private nursery rather than a school nursery, but brings paintings etc home must days.

purplehouse · 29/09/2012 21:10

In nursery and reception my kids brought back mountains of craft

Rubirosa · 29/09/2012 21:11

Nursery children are (should be) free to choose what activities they do - some children aren't interested in things that produce an "end result". Creative activities are for the benefit of your ds's development, not so you have something to stick on the fridge.

SandyChick · 29/09/2012 21:14

My ds (yr 1) never really brought much home with him but he did do loads of crafts, paintings etc. I just dont think he remembered/was bothered to bring stuff home. It doesn't mean that he's not doing all of those things. My ds just wanted to be outdoors rain or shine.

sleeplessinderbyshire · 29/09/2012 21:16

my 3yr old is in the preschool part of a private nursery ans brings home loads of pictures every day as well as baking, models and other such stuff. I am running out of space (eat the baked goods obviously!)

pollywollywoowah · 29/09/2012 21:19

When DD was at preschool - mountains of glittery pained crap every session.

Now at school nursery - nada.

All their "work" is on display or kept for end of term bag of crap

Thank God.

simpson · 29/09/2012 21:27

DD has just gone into reception but when she was at nursery she brought paintings etc home and had show and tell every week.

Either taking in a favourite toy, book, or making a musical shaker to take in etc...

FreddieMercurysBolero · 29/09/2012 21:28

DS is in preschool. He brings home leaf rubbings, drawings, paintings and nits. I ooh and aah over them all, execpt the nits:)

Original poster

themuppetshow · 29/09/2012 21:29

Thanks for your replies.

You see I'm not sure they are doing any painting or crafty stuff - ok no glittery crap for me (bonus) but I know my DS and he'd love to do painting. He would definitely put it in his tray too because he loves the idea of having something to put in there to take out. Might just ask about painting next week.

Yawn to the lecture rubirosa. I knew someone would tell me that dc's should be free to choose blah, blah, blah. And it is my DS's development I'm thinking about - ridiculous to suppose that I want to frame it!!

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wannabedomesticgoddess · 29/09/2012 21:34

DD is in a preschool joined to a school. She brings home paintings and cutted and sticked stuff everyday.

They have also done hand prints, baked buns, and used glitter.

I know they have choice but all the kids have something in their tray to take home everyday.

scarlettsmummy2 · 29/09/2012 21:36

Daughters same age in a pre prep class. She does a picture most days, but has also brought home a strawberry plant, decorated a shoe box, and planted a hyacinth.

Original poster

themuppetshow · 29/09/2012 21:44

Oh it sounds the nursery isn't nearly as stimulating as some. I thought there should be more going on. I was in with him for 2 days to help settle, and play-doh was as crafty as it got (been the same since). But they just go on about free-play blah, blah, blah.

So it's possibly a bit shit then?!

So glad I asked.

Thanks.

OP posts:

DeWe · 29/09/2012 21:53

Dd1 and dd2 brought back stuff daily (often more than 1) from preschool and reception. Ds brought perhaps 2-3 things a term. There was the stuff to do, just he tended to choose to be doing things that weren't craft.

Sokmonsta · 29/09/2012 21:54

Ds is in preschool. Dd is in reception at the same school. I know they do arts and crafts in preschool because of the state the children came home in. But I rarely got to see the fruits of those labours. Ds is only 2 so wouldn't think to bring them home himself, they're usually wet when I pick him up and gone by the time they are dry/we go back. Reception and dd brings home something most days, colouring, puppets, junk modelling glittery crap that falls apart in her boom bag. So maybe you'll see a change when they start proper school. Otherwise, just brave the mess and horror and do it at home

sandycloud · 29/09/2012 21:54

Hi my dd brought home stuff every day, they had a table they put their stuff on to take home. Ds brought nothing home from same nursery. He is still not keen on drawing and would def not be interested in bringing it home. Preschool have to follow their lead now. I know he would be busy playing with cars or trains rather than painting. Staff can encourage them but not force them. He would do more painting at home with me as I could hide other toys. They cannot do this at preschool as toys have to be accessible at all times. Just be thankful you don't have piles of paintings to recycle.

DeWe · 29/09/2012 21:58

And the "choosing" is not really a good idea.

Dd1 would never had the confidence to go up and choose to do a craft thing because she would have been convinced that she wasn't wanted, and would do it wrong. Luckily at her stage of preschool they just said "now we do this dd1" so she did-and loved doing it.

Ds otoh had hit this strange idea that you can't tell children to do an activity, so it took him most of a term of school to really relearn that the answer to "come and do X activity" was not "no". He'd have enjoyed the activities if he'd been told he had to do them, just would have chosen at any minute to do something else. However it would have made that first term considerably easier for him.

Original poster

themuppetshow · 29/09/2012 22:07

I agree DeWe that not all children are going to manage "choosing" confidently.

And the choice is not there. They haven't done anything involving glue, scissors, paint or glitter! No children have any of this stuff to take home. If there were glitter DS would use it. Same paint. And he'd show me. He's not interested in cars, duplo, or dinosaurs. He likes talking and interaction and imput especailly from adults. Bit concerned now because I'm not sure he's that happy there, but he puts on a brave face.

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Tgger · 29/09/2012 22:07

Haven't had that much home, but did get a Rainbowfish, a painting (expressionist), and I know they have all painted self-portrait's that are on the wall (cute!). She also tells me a lot more than DS ever did about the songs they sing and other stuff.

expansivegirth · 29/09/2012 22:11

unbelievable ammount of cr@p. got very creative about discretely throwing it out.

expansivegirth · 29/09/2012 22:13

and (private nursery) gluing stuff, paint (every day), sticking, cutting, some kind of overseen craft (make a pretend telescope, something out of egg boxes). literally piles of stuff.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 29/09/2012 22:16

I put a picture (a repeated pattern, we have four of the same type of artwork) of DDs in a bin bag the other day and ten minutes later she comes downstairs with said picture saying "mummy why did you put this in the bin?" in a 'most offended' tone. :o

It does sound like they are taking "free play" to an extreme. Surely there should atleast be the option of taking part in a group activity such as baking buns.

mrz · 29/09/2012 22:33

Ask the staff if they are keeping what she creates as evidence (unfortunately some staff are so hung up on proving they are doing a good job they forget that children want to show mum and dad not the lady/man from )

Tiggles · 29/09/2012 22:37

DS3 is in a nursery attached to a school. He hasn't brought any art work home yet - but, I know he has done some, as several times he has come home with paint in his hair etc. Maybe they are saving it up to take home in a lump at some point.

steppemum · 29/09/2012 22:39

I thought my dd loved craft glueing, painting etc. When she went to nursery she hardly ever brought anything home.

At nursery they have a completly free choice of activity, so painting was out, but she didn't choose to do any. I never got painting, craft etc. She only brought somethign home when they had done a directed activity as a group (so they all made olympic torch when it came through our town)

I finally realised that she does painting, craft at home, but at home we don't have a huge playtable covered in duplo with lots of cool bits and 2 friends to play with, with whom she had created a duplo town etc etc. She would happily do this ALL morning, and not be deflected onto painting.

As long as painting etc is on offer I wouldn't worry about it.

notnowbernard · 29/09/2012 22:40

Recycling?

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