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Waterproofs!


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Hi!

We are a maintained nursery attached to a primary school. We are fortunate to have a purpose built nursery building, with a large outdoor area accessed via patio doors. This make free flow excellent!

However, we go out whatevever the weather, which seems to be an issue for some parents! The outdoor area is playground, grass and garden, so inevitably we get puddles and mud, and if you're 3 or 4 and see a puddle you jump in it ( so do the staff!! )

 

I am interested to know if other nurseries provide waterproofs, including trousers, or is it reasonable to ask parents to provide their child with waterproofs? We have 'donated' wellies which we share, but this week we have had numerous wet trousers, and a parent complain that their child was damp!! I am tempted to write a letter saying this is what we do, please send the right gear ( perhaps worded slightly differently!!)

 

Madmum

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Guest cathy m

Think it's perfectly acceptable to ask parents to bring in wet weather clothing.

In the past I have bought these and quite often don't get them back!

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No such thing as bad weather just bad clothing!

We do have some spare waterproofs, which we received a grant for. However most of our parents do provide their own - we just pointed them in the right direction. Little Trekkers is a great website (we got a very good discount from them) Togz are also really good.

Kxx

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We were fortunate and had a grant bought loads of lovely dungarees and then waterproof jackets because we liked them so much, from Rainbows, bit on the expensive side but quality and comfort excellent, with little stirrips that go over the boot to some water getting in - though even this is not completely waterproof for children sitting in the puddles today! But they had such fun!

 

Perhaps parents could fundraise for some, or buy in bulk from your setting as settings get a discounted price, and sell to parents. We bought a range of sizes.

 

It would be easier to have them always in the setting I think rather than parents remembering to bring them in.

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Hello there Madmum. We too are a maintained nursery class part of an infant school. We provide all outdoor gear which includes dungarees and jackets, fleece jumpers, fingerless mittens (knitted by a group of grandmas and mums), waterproof mittens to go over these when it is really cold and wellies, although this year the vast majority have got their own which they leave at nursery. We also provide staff with waterproofs though they bring their own wellies.

 

The dungarees, jackets and mittens bought from Raindrops online shop (money raised through sponsored event at beginning of year- great way to engage parents and children on entry and if you let them know what you are aiming for and why this seems to spur them on).

The fleece jumpers I bought in the sale from Peacocks and charity shops. We also provide children with legionnaire style sunhats in case their parents forget to send them.

 

However, the one thing that ensures that we don't have the complaints like you have outlined is to really sell the concept of the importance and value of outdoor learning at Induction day. We show a video presentation of our children in the snow, in the sun, in the mud pit! We tell them in no uncertain terms that this is what they are 'buying' into having chosen our nursery. Parents are then invited to come outside and see all the wondrous things the children will get up to in our fabulous outdoor environment.

We have put together a step by step illustrated guide to getting ready for outdoors and this is sent home just before the children begin there woodland day. We found that some children were a bit reluctant to put on all the gear and the leaflet just helps to prepare them for this new event/routine.

Out of any advice you receive I would strongly recommend engaging and informing parents from Induction about the benefits... that way they are on board from day one. This truly has worked for us and in the 4 years we have done this we hardly ever if at all have a complaint.

 

We have lots of spare clothing should they get extra muddy (that said this week we are running particularly low on socks due to all the rain :D ). And if I may share a golden moment this week from the mud-pit... a little girl was sliding down head first in to the pit. She got up, turned round and said "Oh man! I've never done this in my life before"... priceless :D

 

p.s. it's a myth that the elastic attached to the bottom of dungarees to stop water/mud getting in does so... somehow, someway it always creeps in <_<

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Iam a registered childminder and I provide waterproofs for all my children. Lidl Stores recently had a fantastic offer for good quality waterproof dungarees at £4.99.

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