It is a nursery located on the ground floor of a building, right bank in Laval. A rather shady crèche where towering trees sift the sun’s rays and offer a bit of air to the 35 children and the educational staff. Doors open at 8:30 a.m., and parents parade with their little ones.
In the establishment: light clothing required. “I bring her in a bodysuit and she keep it on all day” explains Alexane, mother of a little Livia. Iba arrives at the nursery with a big bag on her back. “I brought back the essentials: hat, sunscreen and sandals” smiled the mother of the family.
In several places in the nursery, a tray with glasses and pitchers of water are available all the time. The most popular place is a bathroom, all in blue, with games, explains Julie Gagnon, the director. “We even sometimes draw water and fetch a few ice cubes, to play with solid and liquid textures. Children love to decant. It’s a real happiness and at the same time, it refreshes them” she declares.
survival blankets
Ensuring maximum freshness in buildings is a constant battle in Ville de Laval’s crèches. “Sometimes it’s a bit of a do-it-yourself thing. Each professional also shows great ingenuity in finding ways of keeping things fresh. It can go as far as emergency blankets on windows for example, which really reduce a temperature“explains Christine Droguet, early childhood assistant.
The challenge is to avoid the slightest sunstroke for the little ones continues Julie Gallon. “_A child exposed to the sun for ten minutes is equivalent to an hour for an adult._. It’s going super fast. And a child victim of sunstroke can be very tired for four or five days.“. The Spice Island team also refrains from taking children out in the nursery courtyard until further notice.