Am I overreacting re: daycare art

j&jp

DD is 18 months old in the approximate 18-24 month old room at daycare.  There are some on the older side, but most are right around 18 months old.  She came home yesterday with an art about circles.  It was a big circle with about 15-20 different sized buttons glued on the paper.  This does not seem like a really smart art to me for her age group.  I know there is a really good ratio of adult to child and I imagine that they were sitting right there, but kids can put stuff in the their mouth sooo fast!!  DD had been getting better about putting things in her mouth but I think she is starting to get her molars cause she has been mouthing her fingers and toys alot.

I am just overreacting by being upset about this or is this a really stupid art to do with this age group?  Would you say something in case they do more in the future or just let it go since the art is already done?

saturdaynightdoubletree

it does seem stupid... but we always did macaroni art, and I would think that is just a dangerous.

BengalBelle

I don't know if I would love art made with choking hazards...

madameladauphine

I wouldn't be thrilled about that, but my Mom thinks I am overly cautious so maybe I'm not the best person to ask...

ivs112

BengalBelle:

I don't know if I would love art made with choking hazards...

This. 18 month olds and buttons do not mix.

mtnrider

My DS goes to an in-home daycare with kids up to age 5 and he is the youngest so I know the place isn't baby-proofed but I trust the DCP to watch everything he puts in his mouth.  I would be mildly upset about the buttons but I probably wouldn't say anything unless it happened again.

PinkGrapefuit

Meh, I would be super overjoyed by it, but I certainly wouldn't be all mama bear and flip out either. 

Sage Mommy

Yes, it's stupid. They could have used big paper circles. I question the judgement of the person who initiated that craft project.

Soap1

When I worked at a day care with young kids, we'd do the difficult art projects one or two kids at a time.  Maybe they just did one on one art?  I agree it seems a little fishy, but I'm not sure whether I'd say something or not.

mandyclaire579

Soap1:

When I worked at a day care with young kids, we'd do the difficult art projects one or two kids at a time.  Maybe they just did one on one art?  I agree it seems a little fishy, but I'm not sure whether I'd say something or not.

This is what I was thinking. We always did 2-3 kids at a time. But we also never did buttons.

Smudges*Mom

Maybe you could ask one of the teachers tomorrow how they managed to do such a project without anyone putting buttons in their mouth, said in a curious, nonjudgemental way. Perhaps her answer is a good one and if not, you could express your concern. Personally, IMO, 18 months is a bit young for such art materials.

j&jp

Smudges*Mom:

Maybe you could ask one of the teachers tomorrow how they managed to do such a project without anyone putting buttons in their mouth, said in a curious, nonjudgemental way. Perhaps her answer is a good one and if not, you could express your concern. Personally, IMO, 18 months is a bit young for such art materials.

i like that idea.  I couldn't figure out how to bring it up without sounding accusatory, but to just "wonder" how they managed to do that??  that could be good.

thanks for the responses.  glad I'm not the only one who found it a little odd.

taralovesanton

DS's art projects are either a "painting", stickers stuck to a page or items stuck to a page. The items are feathers, foam shapes, tissue paper, or paper shapes. I would be concerned with little items that can be chocking hazards. I guess the really small buttons wouldn't bother me as much as bigger buttons - but really there are so many other things they can use instead of buttons.

AngelsAmid

As I read this I overlooked the buttons part and I thought it was "paper circles" and I thought, "oh that's not a big deal" then I was reading comments and realized buttons. That's a little concerning. I dont know if my 22 mo would stick it in her mouth or not but I can't imagine every kid in an 18-24 not sticking one in their mouth