I'm a nursery worker – why letting your kid bring their favourite toy never helps and how to wean them off | The Sun

"PLEASE can I take Elsa to nursery with me?"

It's a plea that lots of parents will be used to hearing.

But one nursery worker has revealed why it's a bad idea to let your child take their favourite toy to nursery or pre-school with them.

Jo Baranek, the lead early years advisor at the National Day Nurseries Association, told Nursery World: "My opinion is that pre-schoolers, unless they are very unsettled, shouldn’t need to bring anything at all."

One of the main reasons is because letting them bring a toy in "won’t help with their transition to school where rules are stricter".

In addition, certain toys – such as an amber teething necklace that often turns into a comforter for some children – can actually be dangerous.

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And that's not even mentioning the massive fights that bringing in toys from home can cause.

Lots of nurseries have a "no toys from home" policy simply because young children often aren't good at sharing, so arguments can arise.

"Parents should explain to children that if they bring something to nursery they need to be prepared to share it, just as the nursery resources are shared," Jo explained.

"If it is expensive or precious, it would be better kept at home, as things can go missing or get broken."

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And if your child is particularly hung up on taking their favourite toy to nursery with them, there are ways you can start to wean them off that idea.

"Having a basket or box where children can keep some of their favourite things could be a good idea, for show-and-tell sessions, and as a starting point for talking about our treasures and how we should share and look after them," Jo said.

"And if it's a comforter, you might want to ease it away from the child once they are settled.

"And only reintroduce it if they are upset or for nap time."

Other nurseries suggest that if a toy or comforter is taken in, it should be kept in the child's bag at all times.

But sometimes, knowing that the object of their affection is there, in the bag, is enough to keep the child happy.


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