OT: Painting at Preschool??

[smidgen21]

DS3 came home today full of paint, glue and glitter..pants, hands, shirt, arms all over. Black paint at that...I tried to wash it out..no luck. Tried Zout and Biz...no luck. Obviously it's not washable paint (that's what they use at daycare and it washes right out). he has only been in school 3 weeks so this is a first for us. Is this pretty common? I can't see sending him in play clothes everyday (the outfit that is ruined is Gymobree). Is this my mistake for sending him in nice clothes? Do I say something to the teacher like...can we send an old shirt to wear as a smock? I don't want to make a big deal out of it if it's common place and I should have known better than to dress my son nicely for school. I don't want to ruffle feathers so early in the game, but I am upset about the outfit. I take pride in my kids and their appearance and I work hard to buy their clothes. What should I do?

 

[okeydokey]

I would certainly ask if you could send in an old smock. it probably won't prevent all stains but it will help.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I am surprised they do not have you bring a smock or have them. My DD's schoool (elementary) do not use washable paints either (found out the hard way!) It stunnes me that they don't but they don't so my kids know to always wear their smocks!!!

 

[ilandrazdsw]

Ask! These days you would expect for the use of wachable paints, but this is not common in all schools. I would think that they would have mentioned a smock in the list of items that your son would need a the begining of school. Your child has play clothes and school clothes to play, not paint in...they aren't all paint clothes, so there is nothing wrong with asking what YOU should expect.

 

[brymolmom]

At our preschool - there were a bunch of parents in your shoes. If you want to avoid it, don't send child to preschool in things you mind getting dirty/stained. Preschool really is just a scheduled playdate so I'm not sure why you wouldn't want to send him in playclothes.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

At the beginning of the year we were told that it is preschool, they will get messy (they do use smocks, but not all kids keep them on), do not send them in their best clothes. From all the research I have done, hands-on and getting messy are what preschools should be like!

 

[dougsmom98]

Two of my boys ruined their winter coats when they painted bird houses at cub scouts last week and brought them home the same night. One of my boys has ruined 3 outfits at Sunday school painting things too. It drives me crazy. Whether or not the clothes are dress up or not, I don't have the money these days to keep replacing clothes. I guess it is part of having kids. On another note, my DD's preschool has smocks for them to wear.

 

[livndisney]

When I taught pre-school, I told all the parents at the beginning of the year that we get messy! We were very hands on! I asked them all to send the children in clothes they could get dirty. (We did have special "dress up" days on the calendar). I never had a complaint. The kids had fun learning. The parents enjoyed our craziness. Smocks didn't work for us, the kids hated wearing them and they did not help on the playground (where kids get dirty).

 

[summermac]

I expect my child to get dirty at PS but non-washable paints for 3 & 4 yos? WHAT? That's crazy.

And don't even get me started on glitter projects. What is with preschools & glitter. LOL! Kidding, I do put them on the fridge.

 

[astine75]

We save the nice clothes for home and the like. Play clothes and daycare clothes are one and the same at our house. My motto is "if I don't want it ruined, they don't wear it to school." My boys are messy, I mean creative, so we learned our lesson quickly.

 

[CRdisMom]

Same thing happened to me. I did my best to not put her in "good" clothes. I just had to be creative in the cleaning of them. I love my Oxi-clean and Quick and Bright (not sure if they make it anymore) and great grandma's homemade soap.

 

[connie1042]

I run a daycare. I tell the parents to sent them in play clothes. In the summer I really stress this. For some reason, they always dig in the dirt, not the sand box. Markers are another thing that sometimes does not come out. I guess what I don't understand is why parents shop at Gymboree in the first place. You can buy 3 outfits for what you pay for one there.I know everyone says they shop the sales there, but still way over priced!Are the kids going to remember what outfit they were wearing 10 years from now, or how much fun they had painting with their feet and hands. Learn to NOT sweat the small stuff. They are only little once. JMO

 

[design_mom]

I feel your pain.

My DD ruins so many clothes at preschool it's amazing. I get so frustrated. I don't send her in "nice stuff" either (our Gymboree is strictly for weekends). Still, I hate sending her to school in something that's stained and dirty-looking, even if it was only a $5 t-shirt from Target. But at the rate clothes get ruined, I can't keep replacing her wardrobe either. So I get the stains out as best I can and, if it's not too horrible, I send her anyway (clean, but stained)... but I hate it.

Our preschool has smocks in the rooms, and a "washable items only" policy. However, we've had more than one "oops! how'd that Sharpie get in there?" issue with markers, not to mention the food stains, etc. (playground dirt usually comes out). I have mentioned it before and always get the "if they're getting dirty that means they're participating and having fun" line. I am glad they're so hands-on...but I wish they'd take a few minutes to make the kids *actually* put on the smocks, remind everyone to push up their sleeves, etc. Sigh...

ETA: One summer I found a great garage sale that was selling *tons* of Gymboree in my DD's size. It looked brand new and I bought lots of stuff for cheaper than i could buy things at Target, Kohls, etc. I thought "it'll be okay to send her to daycare in this because I only paid $2 for it." Nope... it hurts just as much when it gets ruined. Maybe more, because you know you'll never be able to replace it for what you paid! I really do feel your pain!)

 

[Tiffany_MommyOf3]

I run a daycare. I tell the parents to sent them in play clothes. In the summer I really stress this. For some reason, they always dig in the dirt, not the sand box. Markers are another thing that sometimes does not come out. I guess what I don't understand is why parents shop at Gymboree in the first place. You can buy 3 outfits for what you pay for one there.I know everyone says they shop the sales there, but still way over priced!Are the kids going to remember what outfit they were wearing 10 years from now, or how much fun they had painting with their feet and hands. Learn to NOT sweat the small stuff. They are only little once. JMO

Because Gymboree has some really adorable clothes! LOL. I'm an addict and I admit it.

Lucky for me, we homeschool so when we paint and stuff - I usually tell my kids to take their shirts off haha. (oldest is 5 and he is a boy).

Anyways, I'd be having a conversation with that teacher about why washable products aren't being used? I can understand getting messy but it better be washable!

 

[thistle922]

As much as it pains me (LOL), I've made myself start sending DS to school in 'playclothes'. Three days a week, it's dark shirts, dark pants or jeans, and dark tennis shoes. His wardrobe is a lot of high end stuff, but school days it's from Tar-jay...it's not worth getting upset over the nice stuff being ruined when I can send him in the playclothes. It's not like the other 4 year olds care, and it's not like the other parents don't totally relate.

 

[madmom1030]

My girls when they were little would wear clothes from target and walmart to school, so did most the kids in preschool. They had smocks for painting but they didn't have sleeves and most of the time took them off themselves with paint hands.
Just wait till spring and the pea gravel dust, it is the hardest stuff to get off of shoes and out of jeans.
I would get some clothes just for school and then you don't have to worry about it.

 

[disneynewbee]

My dd only came home with paint on her once in preschool and nope it didn't come out. I would be upset too because even if you send them in play clothes they still cost to replace them it's not like your going to send them to school again in an outfit covered in black paint stains. Don't get me wrong I want my kid to explore and be creative but taking a few precautions to help the parents out wouldn't be too hard. I would request to bring a smock in. I would maybe even offer to donate paint for future artistic projects (waterproof ones). I figure they don't use waterproof because it costs more I know waterproof markers are more than the regular by a decent amount. Ya I would donate some waterproof paint.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Preschool teacher for 10 years here. First not all washable paint is as washable as we would like, black, blue and red especially. I will put a smock on the kids, but that doesn't stop them from rubbing onto there clothes anyway(you would be amazed at how some kids get into the paint). I LOVE when I see my kids come to school in already paint stained clothes, thats one less thing for me to worry about(alltough, worrying about clothes is pretty low on my list, sorry). Our handbook says that we are messy and to please not send kids in nice clothes, but unfortunaly many parents ignore this and treat preschool, like a fasion show
Now for stain removal(beleive me I get my clothes plenty dirty too), always use cold water, hot or warm will set the stain. Zout and Vivid color safe bleach are my favorite, prespot and let sit, wash in cold and most important DO NOT put in the dryer until you have removed the stain(once you dry it you pretty much are stuck with it) I have very few clothes that I can't get paint out of, bleach stains are unfortunaly mine to keep.

 

[zoemurr]

and yes.. unfortunately you made a mistake sending him in gymboree.

I agree with PP. "Washable" black and red just don't come out very well. There is a strong possibility that he had a smock on, but I have seen kids get filthy anyway. They often find a way. Sometimes they get messy because it was not their turn to paint and they went over and picked up someone else's project and weren't listening.. or they were using the materials improperly (we once had a 3 year old pick up an ink pad and stamp it right in the middle of her new gymbo shirt.. mother was very understanding) so unless you really know what happened I wouldn't approach the teacher. I guarantee they'll just tell you that school is for being creative and to wear playclothes. I might try to keep an old sweatshirt in his cubby and ask that they throw that on when painting.. but if it's a busy room like ours that might be hit or miss.

Do they publish lesson plans? I would be able to tell you at the beginning of the week if we were going to have a messy project, although kids are allowed to paint at the easel every day.

Your best bet would be to go in and volunteer for a few days and see how the room is run. But I'm sorry.. we have a million things to worry about in our morning, and someone's gymboree shirt isn't high on the list. I'd be more concerned that he is in a happy, safe, learning environment. Please do not let your son know that you are upset he is messy. We always have one or two kids who are afraid to really have fun because of consequences at home and that is very sad.

Also: if the paint is cut 1/2 with dish soap it is much more washable. You can ask the teachers if they know this and offer to buy some dawn and help mix up some paints for them.

You also need to realize how many things teachers have ruined because paint covered kids come rub their hands on our clothes.. it's all part of the experience.

 

[Alesia]

Preschool teacher for 10 years here. First not all washable paint is as washable as we would like, black, blue and red especially. I will put a smock on the kids, but that doesn't stop them from rubbing onto there clothes anyway(you would be amazed at how some kids get into the paint). I LOVE when I see my kids come to school in already paint stained clothes, thats one less thing for me to worry about(alltough, worrying about clothes is pretty low on my list, sorry). Our handbook says that we are messy and to please not send kids in nice clothes, but unfortunaly many parents ignore this and treat preschool, like a fasion show
Now for stain removal(beleive me I get my clothes plenty dirty too), always use cold water, hot or warm will set the stain. Zout and Vivid color safe bleach are my favorite, prespot and let sit, wash in cold and most important DO NOT put in the dryer until you have removed the stain(once you dry it you pretty much are stuck with it) I have very few clothes that I can't get paint out of, bleach stains are unfortunaly mine to keep.

and yes.. unfortunately you made a mistake sending him in gymboree.

I agree with PP. "Washable" black and red just don't come out very well. There is a strong possibility that he had a smock on, but I have seen kids get filthy anyway. They often find a way. Sometimes they get messy because it was not their turn to paint and they went over and picked up someone else's project and weren't listening.. or they were using the materials improperly (we once had a 3 year old pick up an ink pad and stamp it right in the middle of her new gymbo shirt.. mother was very understanding) so unless you really know what happened I wouldn't approach the teacher. I guarantee they'll just tell you that school is for being creative and to wear playclothes. I might try to keep an old sweatshirt in his cubby and ask that they throw that on when painting.. but if it's a busy room like ours that might be hit or miss.

Do they publish lesson plans? I would be able to tell you at the beginning of the week if we were going to have a messy project, although kids are allowed to paint at the easel every day.

Your best bet would be to go in and volunteer for a few days and see how the room is run. But I'm sorry.. we have a million things to worry about in our morning, and someone's gymboree shirt isn't high on the list. I'd be more concerned that he is in a happy, safe, learning environment. Please do not let your son know that you are upset he is messy. We always have one or two kids who are afraid to really have fun because of consequences at home and that is very sad.

Also: if the paint is cut 1/2 with dish soap it is much more washable. You can ask the teachers if they know this and offer to buy some dawn and help mix up some paints for them.

You also need to realize how many things teachers have ruined because paint covered kids come rub their hands on our clothes.. it's all part of the experience.

I'm another preschool teacher who agrees completely!