My heart sank this morning - it was raining.
Not so much because we can't have fun outside in the rain, because we can - there is mud, puddles etc etc to investigate and explore...
... but because I know there is always at least one child that is not properly equipped. And the Swedish saying "there is no bad weather only bad clothing" is oh so true. If the children are not properly dressed then the cold wet rain is just not as fun (or at least not for long).
I like summer rain - its not as cold - but still if we are on a full day excursion or a full morning excursion you still want to be properly equipped 1-2 hours (or 4-5) of being wet does end up feeling rather cold (well at least here in Sweden) - and VERY cold at this time of the year.
Luckily the rain stopped - so the rain did not effect us, but there were puddle benefits... which was just as well as not all children had rain gear with them (snow gear yes, which isn't waterproof).
In Sweden it is the parents that are responsible for supplying all the right clothes... to ensure there are waterproofs and enough appropriate clothing for the weather... which means creating an inclusive preschool can be tricky at times when a child simply does not have the right clothing (they may then have to stay indoors with another group - or we have to shorten the length of our stay outdoors, - or when just one child is in running shoes and the rest are in boots and are able to splash in puddles - do you let them splash and get wet and cold or... none of the options feel optimal).
I also find season changes the worst times for clothing - that some children wear their winter clothes too long into spring and sweat while others are sporting summer clothes prematurely and are freezing... then there is the issue of children GROWING (I mean what is with that, and do they have to grow SO MUCH??!!) and clothes that are too big or too small do effect motor skills, comfort and ease of getting clothes on and off yourself...
oh yeah - and my pet hate - lace-up shoes. FINE when there is one child, but a gaggle of children with lace-ups and none of them with the motor skills and know-how to fasten them - personally it does my nut in!
My poor children were not allowed lace-ups until they could prove to me that they could manage (I mean I could hardly burden their preschool teachers with my pet hate...), mind you once they got their first pair the thrill wore off after a day or two when they realised it took them longer to get them on and off. Michael turns nine this week - he STILL does not want lace-ups - he wants SPEEDY shoes that are easy to get on and off - and I think this is something all preschoolers (and preschool teachers) have the right to!!
So there - I have said it!
Hahaha - I hate laced shoes too & have actually put it in our booklet for parents that they wear velcro shoes. As you say with so many of them it's not fun having to take shoes off & tie them again for children. I hadn't really thought about how useful it is that our school provided the wateproofs but you are right, it is always the right size & everyone has access to it.
ReplyDeleteyes, I totally see that as a benefit - when I visited early years settings in York most of them had waterproofs for the children - I thought it was brilliant - especially knowing there is one for every child and that they fit and there is no gap between the boot and the leg of the rain trousers!!
DeleteBUT each child with their own outfit does make them easier to recognise than a gaggle of children all in the same clothing.... lol