Outside Play

[fr3ya21]

Hi everyone I hope someone can shed some light on how outside play works at their settings.
We currently have free flow access to a grassed outside area and with the recent weather it has become a tad on the muddy side! We do risk assess this daily and if it poses a risk we will provide alternative outside play e.g. walks to local play park. However this is a valuable resource we wish to fully utilise so we ask all parent to supply spare clothing just in case and a coat, hat, and wellies if poss.
However Parents are complaining that their children are getting their 'best' clothes muddy or shoes dirty. We have asked and included in all our information that daily access is provided and children WILL be using the area therefore do not send them in their best clothes. This seems clear enough to me but they are still coming in saying "make sure they do not go outside their wearing their best shirt" - how do I make this clear to Parents?
They love the outside area and have said they want their children to have daily access in all weather but also want their kids to stay spic and span all day!

Any advice would be really helpful

[tutu]

PLEASE COME SCRUFFY!!! your children are going to be experimenting and playing with paint mud , on the floor in the garden, being in good clothes will inhibit their LEARNING

best poster i ever saw in an outstanding setting.

[fr3ya21]

Thank you what a great idea! I'll have that up in the morning :idea:

[m1sspr0ject]

Originally Posted by fr3ya21

Hi everyone I hope someone can shed some light on how outside play works at their settings.
We currently have free flow access to a grassed outside area and with the recent weather it has become a tad on the muddy side! We do risk assess this daily and if it poses a risk we will provide alternative outside play e.g. walks to local play park. However this is a valuable resource we wish to fully utilise so we ask all parent to supply spare clothing just in case and a coat, hat, and wellies if poss.
However Parents are complaining that their children are getting their 'best' clothes muddy or shoes dirty. We have asked and included in all our information that daily access is provided and children WILL be using the area therefore do not send them in their best clothes. This seems clear enough to me but they are still coming in saying "make sure they do not go outside their wearing their best shirt" - how do I make this clear to Parents?
They love the outside area and have said they want their children to have daily access in all weather but also want their kids to stay spic and span all day!

Any advice would be really helpful

At our nursery we spend a large part of the day outside. We come out in all weathers infact. As soon as the children are able to walk we ask the parents to provide them with waterproofs and wellies which are great. We have some spares just incase anyone forgets there's. The parents are more than happy for them to be outside and least they don't go home filthy.