Nursery workers fear Nativity without songs will be a write- off
Parents and early- years workers have called for clarity over whet h e r c h i l d r e n c a n b e allowed to sing together ahead of the Nativity season.
It comes as the Scottish government is set to release new Covid- 19 early- years guidance which will advise against singing in groups.
Nu r s e r i e s s a y t h e n e w instructions are contradictory, as children can sing as part of activities but not together even in small groups in the playground, and staff cannot sing around or near the children.
One worker at a council- run nursery in Edin burgh said the advice is not practical and that pre- school children are missing out on vital learning from singing and reading stories together.
"We are finding things to be a huge challenge just now, after being told that we should not do group singing or one big
group story time. To try and play i t safe we were doing singing outside in the garden but then we were told we can't do that either. And staff have been told we can't sing around or near the children.
"It’s having a huge impact. “Singing songs together and that social activity is a big part of the learning experience for younger children. It has so many benefits. They want to sing together. Songs are also really important for children who have additional support needs or English as a second language. We would usually sing transitional songs to help them understand in a way that words alone doesn’t achieve.
She added: “We won’t be able to do Nativity so children are missing out on so much of the traditional learning that they get so much from. We get children asking why we don't sit around and do story time or songs anymore and why they are not allowed to take their artwork home and show parents, they have to adapt to so many changes just now. It's confusing for them and us."
Angry parent groups have called for a reth ink, saying children singing together in nurseries doesn’t present a risk of spreading the virus.
Jo Bisset of Us for Them said: "It’s clear young children are just not at risk from Covid- 19, the risk is negligible. Taking away singing and that joy that is so vital in early- years learning will have a big impact.
"Stopping children that age singing in groups isn't possible.”