Guest Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Just wondering what other settings do if they allow children to play with compost and if so do the children wear gardening gloves? Also if you do let them play with the compost with no gloves, do you do a risk assessment for this area of play. Looking forward to any comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 My children do play with compost without gloves - the 'feel' is all part of the fun! They do however wash hands after such play........ I shall wait and see whether others think I am being negligent! Hope not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_64 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 We regularly had compost and let them play with it without gloves. The important thing is to keep it damp as it becomes very dusty if dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1027 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 never used gloves in my setting - apart from a few gardening pairs if they wanted to wear them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_8914 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Same here, use all the time but with or without gloves as children choose. Again washing hands a regular part of the session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_13453 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 ours don't wear gloves - the tactile experience is lost if they do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19782 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 You can buy sterile compost - I'm sure all the nasties will have been "seen to" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 'Tactile experience' - that's the 'phrase' I was looking for!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_13453 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 'Tactile experience' - that's the 'phrase' I was looking for!!! hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 sorry but sterile compost ? we go to the forset and play in the dirt they just need to wash their hands after Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_16441 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 We use it without gloves unless they want to wear gloves. As other's have said it negates the experience. No problem keeping it damp - we had to stop ours adding water!!! I've got bark chipping to have with the compost this year for different textures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19782 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 sorry but sterile compost ? we go to the forset and play in the dirt they just need to wash their hands after I only mentioned being able to buy sterile compost to help Annabell who seemed worried about using compost - not because I thought she should use sterile compost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_20748 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 sorry but sterile compost ? we go to the forset and play in the dirt they just need to wash their hands after With you there Suer Sterile Compost whatever next!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Our children play with mud, leaves, etc, whatever they can find in the playground. They mix it with water from the water tray and are never happier! No complaints from parents - no problems with the children - they need exposure to some germs to build up immunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19733 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 ...hands up everyone who remembers "mud pies", come on don't be shy. We are all still alive to tell the tale - sterile compost indeed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_8623 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Just had a vision of our children masked, gowned and gloved saying "where's the sterile compost please Miss?". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_20748 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 My hands are UP remember and still do it now!!! Know many people that do it too!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1195 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Yes it does sound ridiculous, but if it is bought compost made from commercial waste, rather than home-made or the natural breakdown of vegetable matter in the woods for example, it isn't actually as silly as it sounds. Sterile compost just means that it has been through a high temperature process to kill any seeds left in it and to remove heavy metals and infectious organisms, which can damage plants and get into the human food chain. If you have bought commercial recycled compost it is likely to be what is called sterile compost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 sorry only teasing no harm ment.................... My children love nothing more than mud pies the wetter and muddier the better But you are all right tho there are dangers in the soil and you must wash hands especially careful if pregnant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 (edited) especially careful if pregnant Here's hoping that doesnt apply to the children Im thinking of a tray full of leaves with hidden animals for our messy next week...any problems with that? Plastic animals I hasten to add! Edited October 5, 2009 by marley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_832 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Reading all these messages made me remember something I read called "When we were young" have attached it for you to read Also a link to the Mindstretchers website here and the community playthings article the mud centre Compost is only the beginning!!! When_we_were_young.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1195 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Ah yes those were the days..loved it! But then we are the survivors.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 (edited) Reading all these messages made me remember something I read called "When we were young" have attached it for you to read Also a link to the Mindstretchers website here and the community playthings article the mud centre Compost is only the beginning!!! The 'When we were Young' I love it, love it, love it!!! Edited October 6, 2009 by sunnyday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Gosh, that reminds me of how we used to play up by the old quarry, no fence at the edge, we'd peer over it. Mind you, we also spent a fair bit of time torturing my poor little cousin - we gave him all the worst roles in our Blake's 7 games. We are planting bulbs at the moment and we are wearing gloves for that, some of them can cause an allergic reaction. I want to find space at our setting for a compost heap - then we can make our own non sterile compost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 I want to find space at our setting for a compost heap - then we can make our own non sterile compost Might be worth checking with your Local Council - at one point ours were 'giving away' compost bins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1195 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Yes do check I rang two weeks ago and we have two for free Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1195 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 I got the link for our bins from here http://www.recyclenow.com/schools/compost/index.html but it seems to have gone now. The site is quite useful though and I like the cartoons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Thanks to everyone for their replies. It obviously sparked a discussion, I loved the "when we were young" by surfer. I shall now use compost for the children to play with knowing other professionals use it with out gloves. Although interesting point about when planting bulbs from Suzie. I was just slightly concerned as we have a health and safety officer as a parent who does advise us on health and safety matters and she may pick up on this so I need to be ready and prepared with a risk assessment if necessary! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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