Nursery World - Editor's view (34)

How noisy is your workplace? From February next year the new European Noise Directive will come into force, setting decibel limits and requiring 'noise risk assessments' (see News, page 8). There's no doubt that early years settings can be noisy places. Children are capable of being very loud with lungs, toys and activities, and sore throats and lost voices are a common hazard for practitioners.

There's no doubt that early years settings can be noisy places. Children are capable of being very loud with lungs, toys and activities, and sore throats and lost voices are a common hazard for practitioners.

But how practical is it to expect young children, absorbed in play and excited by new discoveries, to keep their noise levels down? Nurseries would be joyless places without the sound of children's voices.

Perhaps the new directive will encourage early years settings to increase the amount of outdoor play on offer to children, so that they can be as loud as they like outside. A study for Children in Europe magazine has found that England and Scotland have minimal legal requirements for the provision of outdoor space (see News, page 6).

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