Alphabet float mats

[Crayola kiddies]

I find Canadian tire not the greatest for returning things ... If there is nothing wrong with it then they don't let you bring it back !!

[Lee-Bee]

Aren't they a germ magnet? I know lots of daycare like to use them but they seem like they would trap all the bodily fluids in the cracks between the pieces and be hard to clean.

I'd rather my kids fall on a hard floor, that I can properly clean. They learn fast how to fall properly.

[Spixie33]

I had ABC mats in my daycare room for three years. Every year I would buy a new set because the kids do take them apart - munch on certain letters and after a while your M and your N look horrible and keep sticking up.

This January I finally got fed up and just bought the 24 inch by 24 inch coloured floor mats from Walmart.

http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/reversib.../6000016938626

They have worked better because they are harder to pry up due to their size.

I think younger kids (i.e 12 months-15 months) are the worst offenders in trying to pry them apart and chew on the foam. My first 2 groups of daycare were not as bad as the current but I have always found I had to put a letter or two back every couple of hours regardless.

It's too bad because the ABC floor mats were fun to use as a letter teaching tool for 3 years and up. I would ask them to hop from one letter to the other or hop onto H and now hop onto B. It was fun for the kids....but my patience ran thin eventually

[Teagansmom]

Aren't they a germ magnet? I know lots of daycare like to use them but they seem like they would trap all the bodily fluids in the cracks between the pieces and be hard to clean.

I'd rather my kids fall on a hard floor, that I can properly clean. They learn fast how to fall properly.

Yes I guess you can say that the mats can capture germs but so can every other toy or surface kids play on/ with. It's impossible to have a sterile environment, and IMO kids need to be exposed to germs to help build their immune systems.

[Lee-Bee]

Yes I guess you can say that the mats can capture germs but so can every other toy or surface kids play on/ with. It's impossible to have a sterile environment, and IMO kids need to be exposed to germs to help build their immune systems.

I have no delusions about being germ free here :-) Kids are exposed to germs and builder a better immune system for sure but I just think that leaving vomit, spit up, diaper accidents in the open is a bit much. I can't imagine taking them apart to clean each shape edge!

I don't keep my daycare sterile (or even close to it) but I do like to be able to do a good quick clean of the wood floors or a steam clean a carpet after any of the above childhood accidents. Maybe I just have a really young group so the above is more likely to happen.