what to bring from home

[Kidston]

hi Im writing my welcome pack at the moment and wondered what is on your list of things for parents to bring for their child?
I have things like nappies, wipes, coat, change of clothes.

[tulip0803]

I also have hat (summer/winter), gloves, suncream and nappy cream. I have suncream that I can use but some want specific brands - one of my mum's went through a stage of only wanting zinc oxide sun cream on her LO £18 per 100ml. Nappy cream is not hygienic to share as if you need to put more on a bum you put your hand back in pot IYSWIM.

[watford wizz]

You might want to specify full set of spare clothes, coat suitable for weather conditions ie waterproof, Wellies, slippers, I find it helps to keep things very specific rather than general terms which can be interpreted in many variants x

[Maza]

All of the above. I also REALLY wish that I had mentioned what NOT to bring, ie toys from home. If they need a comforter (toy/blankie) for nap time then fine - I will keep it in their bag for sleep time and then it goes back in the bag after sleep time. (I do have one little boy who has his comforter even when he is awake but he will never lose it, ever!). I had one boy who used to bring a toy every day and it was fine at first but then he wouldn't let anybody else play with it, yet he was allowed to play with all my daughter's toys. Also, you tend to have a mad rush just before home time making sure they have got everything anyway without having to hunt for toys. One day he brought a lego model and lost one of the pieces. The next morning, the first thing the dad asked me when I opened the door to him was "Have you got the lego piece? Can you make sure he gets it when you find it?" He said it with attitude. I spent over an hour that evening searching for a lego piece - as you can imagine something that small could have been anywhere. From then on (as I still wasn't brave enough to ask them to stop bringing toys) I took toys off mindee as soon as he arrived and put them in his bag.

Also, it may be worth mentioning that they must still send a coat even if they are arriving by car and it is nice weather when they leave the house. I have had sooo many little ones arriving in t shirts and half an hour later the weather has turned but we still need to get out an about. x

[KateA]

Hi, I ask all my parents to provide disposable nappies, wipes, nappy bags, any creams their child needs, change of clothes, hats etc suitable for season, spare shoes or wellies for playing outside and food for the day as I only provide snacks. For babies they all need to provide formula and bottles etc.

I also advise them I am happy for children to bring a toy to mine but I will not be held responsible for it if its gets lost or damaged and the child must be happy to share it with the other children in my care.

x

[Maza]

Oh, and bibs if age appropriate.

[muffins]

To add to what others have said I think I'm going to start requesting closed toe footwear, we visit lots of wooded areas, areas with long grass, the local beach which is pebbles and wildlife parks with gravel/hardcore paths so flimsy sandals just don't do!

[natlou82]

Like others have said its a real bugbear that a lot of the time parents do not consider appropriate clothes for the changing weather, I had to borrow a cardigan from my next door neighbour last week for one of the mindees! I do keep a selection of spare clothes (that were my own childrens) but I don't have everything in every size. So bold and underline the spare clothes info would be my advice. I also like Maza's idea of what not to bring as I have one mindee that brings a whole collection of toys every day they come then I have to search for everything at home time!

[Kidston]

thanks for all your input ive finished writing "what to bring" document. after your ideas im not writing a "what not the bring" document but apart from toys im not really sure what else to put. Sweet maybe?

[natlou82]

Sweets is good for what not to bring, I've had a LO turn up with some disgusting lolly lick thing at 7:30am before! - just a quick note at the bottom would probably suffice :-)

[sing-low]

Designer/expensive/dry-clean only clothing.

[muffins]

Designer/expensive/dry-clean only clothing.

Why ask them not to, they'll only do it once, lol!

[Simona]

thanks for all your input ive finished writing "what to bring" document. after your ideas im not writing a "what not the bring" document but apart from toys im not really sure what else to put. Sweet maybe?

Do your parents provide a lunchbox ?

if so you may want to mention what is in your policy and what food you do not like the children to bring such as anything containing peanuts...or olives with stones etc etc

You may also want to stress to parents that you can only administer medicine that is brought from home which needs to be labelled with the child's name...and remind parents not to leave any such medicine in their child's rucksack but to hand it to you at drop off

Other things you may want to ban or restrict in your setting are coins...often found in children's pockets and real keys given to children to play...it is ok for them to play with them but not carry in their pocket...dangerous when children fall and can chip teeth if put in mouth ...sorry I have seen both the last items cause problems so just a warning