Vancouver Montessori School Parent Handbook: Clothing

Clothing

“Children cannot do all the things they're supposed to do if they have to worry about spoiling their precious clothes!”—Maria from “The Sound of Music”

Clothing plays a vital part in your child’s enjoyment of school. Carefully chosen clothing contributes to the child’s comfort, participation, success and independence in the classroom and on the park. Shoes must be worn in the classroom for safety.

Some guidelines for clothing include:

Clothing should be well-fitting and comfortable. Many children are bothered by scratchy tags. Too loose or too tight fitting clothing is bothersome and hampers children’s movement.

Snaps, zippers, buttons, buckles and the like should be manageable by the children, allowing them independence. Experience has shown that overalls and jeans often impose unnecessary difficulty for children. Imagine having to use the bathroom immediately and not being able to find an available adult to help you unfasten your clothing. Ease of use contributes to the child’s dignity and reduces the chance for accidents.

Children’s clothing ought to be washable so that they are not in fear of getting dirty or wet. In the classroom and the Children’s Park, children experience a wide variety of items like paint, chalk, water, dirt, sand and the like. Washable clothing gives them the freedom to fully participate.

Clothing must be free from cartoon and media characters. Camouflage print is not permissible for school wear. Children should be able focus on the wondrous reality of the world and not what marketing experts, intent on creating future consumers, want them to focus on. Therefore, designs or prints of real and natural things are welcome.

Jewelry is best left at home as it often ends up being mouthed, traded or lost. It can also be a safety hazard on the playground. Jewelry causing distraction will be put in the family file folder to be taken home.

Outer Wear

The children enjoy playing on the Children’s Park in all kinds of weather. We only stay indoors if it is raining too hard for them to have fun or is dangerously windy or hot. Children should keep a spare coat and boots at school, labeled with their name. As the weather turns colder, hats and mittens should be worn (also labeled). When the sun is shining, those items should be replaced by wide-brimmed sun hats.