Labelling
Importantly, please label all clothing including shoes and socks plus bags, lunch boxes and lids with your child’s name.
Bag/backpack
Children should be able to recognise and open their own bag/case. It is a good idea to check if your child can open/close it by themselves when purchasing it.
Please ensure it is large enough to hold all your child’s belongings and is an appropriate size to fit into our small lockers.
Morning tea and lunch
Important: No nuts of any kind or peanut based products are to be brought to preschool.
Foods which require refrigeration must be placed in a separate labelled bag. Please specify if the food is for morning tea or lunch. Foods which must be refrigerated are cut fruit, yoghurt, cheese and sandwiches with meats etc.
Please provide morning tea for your child in a labelled, reusable bag or separate morning tea box. Morning tea should be healthy foods only and fresh fruit is preferred. Water is provided for the children at morning tea.
Children are asked to bring their lunch in a lunch box with a lid which they can open. Please put your child’s name on both the base and the lid.
We encourage you to provide a healthy lunch for preschool, sandwiches with nutritious fillings or any other appropriate nutritious food. Celery, carrot or a salad are good additions to your child’s lunch. NO sweet biscuits, cakes, lollies, nuts, roll ups, or chips please.
Please supply your child with a drink for lunch time.
Water is available to the children at all times whilst at the preschool.
Clothing
Please dress your child in clothes that they are comfortable in and will not restrict their movement. We also ask that children not be dressed in their best clothes as we cannot guarantee that all paints will wash out of clothing.
Footwear
Correct footwear is also essential. Please do not dress your child in shoes which could make movement and climbing dangerous, such as ‘crocs’ or ‘thongs/flip flops’.
Sun protection
Always remember the power of the sun and dress children in clothes which will offer some sun protection. When outdoors, staff and children will wear sun safe clothing that covers as much of the skin (especially the shoulders, back and stomach) as possible. This includes wearing loose fitting shirts and dresses with sleeves and collars or covered neckline, longer style skirts, shorts and trousers. Children who are not wearing sun safe clothing can be provided with spare clothing.
Please note: Midriff, crop or singlet tops do not provide enough sun protection and therefore are not recommended.
Daily application of sunscreen 30+ to exposed areas is also highly recommended before children come to preschool. We have a supply of sunscreen for your use, if required, and sunscreen will be reapplied 20 minutes before going outdoors.
Hats
We are a ‘SunSmart’ Centre.
For protection against the sun, each child must wear a hat when playing outside. This must be provided every day regardless of the weather conditions. Staff and children are required to wear sun safe hats that protect their face, neck and ears.
A sun safe hat is one of the following
- legionnaire hat,
- bucket hat with a deep crown and brim size of at least 5 cm (adults 6 cm),
- broad brimmed hat with a brim size of at least 6 cm (adults 7.5 cm).
Please note that baseball caps or visors do not provide enough sun protection and therefore are not recommended.
Children without a sun safe hat will be asked to play in an area protected from the sun (e.g. under shade, verandah or indoors) or can be provided with a spare hat.
Spare clothes
Occasionally mishaps do occur and it may be necessary for your child to change into a fresh set of clothes. Every day, please include a complete change of clothes that can stay in your child’s bag, just in case.
Also remember to change this clothing according to the season.
Library bag
A labelled drawstring bag is to be sent on your child’s first day of attendance each week. Bag measurements: 40cm x 40cm (minimum).
Please remember – No bag, no book!
Toys
Toys are to be left at home, please. Children become distressed if they are lost or broken and upset when they are not allowed to play with them. Peter Rabbit has many wonderful resources and we would prefer children to utilise these whilst with us.
Birthdays
Please check with a member of staff before providing any foods for the children to ensure food allergies are catered for.
The most appropriate way to celebrate at preschool is to bring a simple butter or chocolate cake or 20 cup cakes. If your child is unable to eat these, please pack an alternative.