tinkerbell1403 Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Morning all, Just wondering if others could share their experiences with this topic. Currently, we allow children to bring their own water bottles to pre-school during the session. However, despite emphasising to parents that this should be WATER in the bottle, we have noticed more and more children attending with milkshakes, juice and even on occasions fizzy drinks My staff team are in agreement that this issue needs to be tackled and I am thinking of sending out in the newsletter than from after half term we will no longer have bottles brought in from home but wasn't sure if I could enforce this. We have a fresh drinking water cooler in the room and always offer milk throughout the session. How do other settings manage this? Do you allow bottles or not? TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sallye86 Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 We provide water bottles (with water in them) for all children, they have their names on them and it is great for children when learning to identify their names and the letters in their name 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 I would have thought many would be happy to not have to consider it in the morning, with everyone else that's going on first thing! Yes - give it a go! You can always change back if need be. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 If we had a water cooler in the corner - our children wouldn't be bringing water bottles in! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 We provide a jug of water and cups. I'd be a bit wary of children bringing milkshake in, especially in a heated room or in warmer weather. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkerbell1403 Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 We provide a jug of water and cups. I'd be a bit wary of children bringing milkshake in, especially in a heated room or in warmer weather. Yes my concerns exactly! I was horrified when I discovered it. I did pour it away and told the parent I had done so. I think I may be up against some opposition with parents but I may trial having a table for cups and jugs of water prior to me breaking the news to them! That way I can say "well we have been trialling it and the children have responded really well"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafa Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Jugs + water + cups + two year olds = WATER PLAY!!!! - I'd say We have a water cooler - are'nt we lucky! : ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkerbell1403 Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 Jugs + water + cups + two year olds = WATER PLAY!!!! - I'd say We have a water cooler - are'nt we lucky! : ) Yes we have good fun with our water cooler = water play also!! I feel some days all I do is mop up floods!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 We manage very well with small water jug + cups throughout session and same jug + small bottles of milk on offer at snack time - all expected to pour their own drinks......... Parents 'warned' well in advance that the only drink choices will be milk or water! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubblejack Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 No water bottles. We have only provided milk or water for many years.Some parents do say that pre-school is the only place where their children like to drink milk/water. We have a small water pourer from argos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verona Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 We have a water cooler for children to help themselves to at any time. At first when they join us they think it's a "toy". they kept pressing the button and water flowed - but after being reminded that it goes into the cup and they should sit and drink what they have poured, they finally got the gist of the machine. Previously we had cups and a jug but children tended to pour from jug to cup - to another cup and so on. We have a water company that delivers water weekly and sanitises the machine and although it is an expense we can afford it and it is well worth it. If you have the water machine then use it. The children bring in their own bottles for lunch drinks and my complaint to parents with this is that the bottles aren't named !! There are so many Frozen bottles, or Hello Kitty or Ben 10 around. I am wondering whether to say no drinks from home - we will supply lunch time drinks as well. V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diesel10 Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Water jugs available all day, milk and water for snack and water for lunch. No drinks brought in at all. Because they will filling them with squash / juice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 water and milk available for snacks...water jug all the time....juice etc allowed for lunch but no fizzy drinks and parents are encouraged to give them something healthy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calicojo Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Our children all bring a "water" bottle - they are all very good at identifying their own and other children's bottles. If we find that there is squash in them we have a quiet word with the parents pointing out the amount of sugar etc and damage to teeth and work with the parents to reduce the amount of squash in there. At snack time the children all drink just water or milk. Parents are often amazed that it is possible to wean their child onto just water! At our AGM we had a display to show parents how much sugar was in juice etc and also in some of the commonly used lunch box foods. Juice cartons, squash etc can be brought to have with lunch - kept separately in their lunch box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreshwaterEYC Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 We ask the children to have their own water bottles and they stay at the setting so we wash them and fill them.We explain to our parents that.."when they go to school they will have a water bottle.." and its good to get the children used to the idea now.Some families will say that their child won't drink water but as we all know, after racing round the garden they will soon be glad of a drink of water!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 We provide water bottles, bought from ebay.................these are filled with water and replenished as necessary. The children are offered milk at snack time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lashes2508 Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 It is a requirement that children have access to fresh drinking water where they can help themselves , this encourages independence , pouring skills and science and maths ! Personally we have a jug because it can be replenished keeping it fresh but if water bottles work for your setting then it's about what works. I just dislike the chewed tops of bottles and the added risks of water left I bottles too long but that's only my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 In theory, a jug can be left standing and uncovered ones are open to children coughing over them, ( and some will drink from the jug!), not to menion bugs and beasties getting in . We wash our bottles every day, in a solution of Milton (other sterilizing agents are available ), any with signs of chewing are disposed of and new ones put out. They are filled as necessary and kept in a cool place on the trolley. In addition, we can see who has had drinks, because the level in each bottle ( they are transparent) goes down. With cups etc, we weren't sure who had and who hadn't, so some children were missing out. That's not good, as they quickly become dehydrated. We also don't have huge puddles of spilt water ( though we do have accidents with milk pouring sometimes. Ofsted actually liked our system, though that in itself is not a recommendation, of course 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lashes2508 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 How much were your bottles Narnia and how big , how do you label them ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 (edited) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170890382606?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D170890382606%26_rdc%3D1 .......we use a key fob on long enough elastic to put round the neck of the bottle, the fob has the child's name written on it and we also have a small laminated photograph of the child on the elastic as well, so they can easily be removed for washing up and sterilising. All the children, even the very youngest ones ( we take from 2 years) can find their own bottle easily. We make sure they know which is theirs, by showing them their tag and the new children 's bottles are at the front of the trolley. If I get a chance, I'll put a photo of the trolley and bottles on here tomorrow Edited February 1, 2015 by narnia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I have nothing to add- but my iPad gone weird and I want to see what avatar comes up with my post!!! :-) x 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Do you initial lids/tops so they have the same chewed one back ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Chewed ones are thrown away, but yes, the bottles are also named on the base for the lightly nibbled ones ( we don't use permanent markers on spouts) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Ah I see, lids stay on bottles, just saw link they look good, can you buy spare tops to ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I don't know about spare tops,but i guess you could ask the seller. we have only had to chuck one or two ( recycled ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkerbell1403 Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Sorry I am a bit late to the party but just wanted to thank you all for your replies. I am going to aim for bottles to be phased out by Half term so am in the process of writing our newsletter. It will go out in this and notices put out on our notice board. I like the idea of the water bottles with the elastic labels but just need the budget for it!!! Last week we trialed a "drinks station" area by our water cooler with a labelled tray for clean cups and a labelled bin for dirty cups. There was certainly a novelty to it in the beginning but it soon wore off and children are helping themselves to water more often. Wish me luck in breaking it to the parents!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running Bunny Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 We are very similar to Narnia. We have bottles with the pop up tops; we fill them up at the start of every session and also have laminated tags with elastic bands through them that fit over the neck of the bottle, so every child who is there that day has a botle. We wash the bottles at the end of every session and put the lids in a Milton solution overnight. They stand in a tray at the side of the playroom and are rarely used, unless one child wants a drink then they ALL want a drink!! They are also a handy back up for anyone who doesn't have a drink with their packed lunches. Milk and water offered at snack in addition to bottles being out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Do you have a bottle & lid for each child, or just enough for a session ? I know they can be sterilised but it's this chewed top thing that I'm unsure about, some of their own are just horrible, ideally I'd like 30 bottles and 70 lids Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 that's why we chuck them if the top is chewed........................but our children rarely seem to do this; maybe it's because they aren't wandering around with them in the mouths all day? we bought 50 bottles and have many fewer children than this. I wouldn't want my own grandchildren drinking out of a manky chewed bottle and I afford the children who attend my setting the same consideration 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 In our toddler room (2-3) we use 300ml bottles bought on ebay, like Narnia. Filled daily and washed daily. Throw away manky tops too. Snack and lunchtime drinks are water or milk (snack only) and they pour the drinks themselves into glasses. The older children pour their own drinks from jugs or a nearby tap in their own snack area, but this would not work with the younger ones (20 ish per session mornings and afternoons!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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