This help centre article has been written for Koru Kids' Home Nursery service
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Puddle trousers and jackets
We recommend that in every season your child wears a set of bib-and-brace (puddle) trousers. These protect their lower half from damp logs and grass - which prevails even in the summer.
These trousers give the most flexibility with the seasons.
In the winter they can be worn with thick layers underneath and a jacket
On dryer days they can be worn without a jacket, just over a jumper or t-shirt.
The British weather is very variable and so we recommend a layering approach is best to ensure the Early Educator can adapt a child’s outfit each day (or even each hour) to the seasons.
Puddle trousers and a jacket can be worn in all weather with more or fewer layers underneath when needed.
Our kit list provides you with details of what to buy to follow this method.
If you prefer your child to wear a snowsuit in winter, you can provide this of course. You will need to take it home to wash as our Early Educators do not like having the responsibility of individual washing instructions.
Kit list for parents
Home nursery is not a fashion parade. Your children need to be dressed appropriately and comfortably in clothes that can get dirty and messy - as they will.
We strongly advise you not to spend big and send your child in clothes that you do not care so much about.
A lot of children’s kits can be easily bought secondhand on eBay or via Facebook groups and having new ones is not necessary.
Decathlon is great for outdoor kits as it is good quality and affordable.
Please send your child to their home nursery with the following (according to the season):
Please label all items.
Summer
Lightweight long trousers and t-shirt
Shoes or sandals with covered toes
Please apply factor 50 10 hour sun protection in the morning (no need to send the bottle - your Early Educator will top up during the day)
A wide-brimmed sun hat
A packable raincoat
UV coverall swimsuit
Autumn/Spring
Wellies
An all-in-one puddle suit, or jacket and trousers (if not using our kit)
Strong shoes or trainers (ideally waterproof)
Winter
Thermal base layers
Warm trousers
An all-in-one puddle suit, or jacket and trousers (if not using our kit)
Packable insulation and fleece layers
OR
An all-in-one snowsuit (if not using our kit)
Insulated boots or wellies and warm socks
Scarf or snood
Warm hat
Multiple pairs of knitted gloves or mittens and/or waterproof gloves/mittens
Other
A bag to keep each child’s kit in
A spare set of ordinary clothes every day
A sleeping bag
A comforter if needed
Dummies (if used)
Dressing for the seasons
Summer
A wide-brimmed sunhat is essential.
Young children are very sensitive to sunburn and all the suncream in the world is no substitute for a wide-brimmed sun hat.
A baseball cap is less good as it doesn’t protect the neck or the tops of the ears.
Sunhats are easily lost. Your Early Educator will try their utmost to keep track of hats but accidents do happen.
Long trousers and long-sleeved t-shirts are helpful for natural play.
Covering up offers protection from the outdoors.
Wearing lightweight long trousers is helpful when they are playing in wooded areas or grass where there may be nettles or other prickly plants. They also keep the insects off.
Your child can always change into shorts and a t-shirt for play at home in the summertime.
Children need shoes with covered toes.
Most importantly children need their shoes to enable play.
Sandals, crocs or worse still flip flops are really impractical for play. Children cannot run or play in them. Climbing in sandals can lead to children hurting their toes.
Please send your children in shoes with covered toes even in the height of summer. You can buy sandals with covered toes.
Apply factor 50 suncream to all areas of exposed skin in the morning.
Your Early Educator will top up during the day
Your Early Educator might suggest you apply insect repellent at home also, depending on the presence of insects in the places they take them.
A packable raincoat is handy as it still rains in summer.
This is preferred to their thicker ‘kit’ coat as they can take this out and about with them every day, on the off chance of rain, without it taking up much room.
Autumn & Spring
Wellies are a must for wet days but solid shoes are also key.
On rainy days or days where it has rained overnight and there are lots of puddles, you can’t beat wellies but they are not so great for running or climbing as children cannot manipulate their feet inside them so easily.
Please send your child in a pair of shoes or trainers suitable for running, climbing and getting mucky. Some trainers come with waterproofing. These are ideal for spring and autumn when we have more unpredictable weather.
Winter
Winter weather calls for layers.
The benefit of multiple layers of coats means children can wear what they are most comfortable in depending on the temperature as the temperature can vary a lot in London in winter.
Hats, scarves and mittens are great items for flexibility.
Young children struggle to put gloves on so mittens are often better.
Waterproof gloves are good for wet days but children struggle to do any fine motor skills activities in them - finding knitted gloves better. If your child prefers knitted gloves please send 2 or 3 pairs as they get wet and need changing.
Winter snow boots are a good investment.
Waterproof insulated boots are good for the coldest days but are expensive. Wellies with thick socks also work well.
Sending in the kit
The weather changes each day and your Early Educator needs to make sure they have what they need for your child.
They may ask you to bring everything (for that season) at the start of the week and store it in a bag or box specific to your child - that way you don’t have to remember it each day.
If they do not have space, they will give you a heads up the night before about what will be needed for the next day, once they’ve checked the weather.
Your child should always have one spare set of clothes in their bag.
In case of accidents or getting especially wet or dirty, your child needs a change of clothes.
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