Cloth nappy friendly daycares in South Africa
We know that finding a daycare, crèche, or playschool that welcomes reusable cloth nappies can be tricky. That’s why we’ve put together this list of childcare facilities around the country to help make your cloth diaper journey as easy as possible. Plus, find out why playschools might be hesitant, and how to convince them to try cloth.
What's on this page
1. Cloth nappy friendly daycares
2. Why might some schools refuse to use cloth nappies?
3. How do I convince a daycare to try out cloth nappies?
| Province | Area | School | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Cape | Lorraine, Gqeberha | Tasha's Daycare | 072 238 6033 | |
| Eastern Cape | Nahoon, East London | The Learning Tree | the.learning.treesa@gmail.com | 060 973 1441 |
| Free State | Bothaville, Meyerhof | Loebi La-la Kleuterskool | lomariebothma970523@gmail.com | 076 565 6540 |
| Free State | Naudeville, Welkom | FHL Kids Pre-Primary | 066 220 3944 | |
| Free State | Langenhoven Park, Bloemfontein | Die Kleinskooltjie | spits@vodamail.co.za | 082 413 2705 |
| Gauteng | Bryanston, Sandton | The Secret Garden Playschool | akidson@sgplayschool.co.za | 011 463 5923 |
| Gauteng | Clubview | Little Woodlands Preschool Clubview | admin@lwps.co.za | 078 907 4730 |
| Gauteng | Clubview | Orange Blossoms Daycare | 084 205 4397 | |
| Gauteng | Doringkloof | Little Woodlands Preschool Doringkloof | catharine@littlewoodlands.co.za | 082 615 9355 |
| Gauteng | Douglasdale | Rainbow Babies and Kids Nursery School | rainbowkids@mweb.co.za | 011 463 4098 |
| Gauteng | Dunvegan, Edenvale | Stepping Stones Learning Centre | info@steppingstoneslearningcentre.co.za | 011 453 5902 |
| Gauteng | Elardus Park, Pretoria East | Kidz @ Collage | kidz@collage.org.za | 083 845 8262 |
| Gauteng | Erasmusrand, Pretoria | Bonthuis Crèche | bonthuis@bonthuis.co.za | 012 347 6069 |
| Gauteng | Faerie Glen, Pretoria East | Meander Kids Kleuterskool | marni@meanderkids.co.za | 012 991 2895 |
| Gauteng | Fairlands | Little Elite Kids Pre-School | info@littleelitekids.co.za | 074 033 2859 |
| Gauteng | Farramere | Little Lambs Preschool and Daycare Centre | info@littlelambsbenoni.co.za | 011 849 6781 |
| Gauteng | Florida Park, Roodepoort | Hayford Kids | kids@hayford.co.za | 011 472 6547 |
| Gauteng | Fourways, Sandton | Merry Days and Little Saints Preschool | admin@merrydays.co.za | 011 465 7487 |
| Gauteng | Garsfontein, Pretoria East | Die Kinderdorpie Kleuterskool | diekinderdorpie@gmail.com | 076 331 8640 |
| Gauteng | Kenmare | Tilly's Nest Nursery/kleuterskool | 072 459 3609 | |
| Gauteng | Lyttelton Manor, Centurion | Babbel & Krabbel | info@babenkrab.co.za | 012 664 5257 |
| Gauteng | Lyttelton Manor, Centurion | Tjokkerjol | 083 294 8082 | |
| Gauteng | Moreletapark, Pretoria | Moreleta Duifies | duifies@moreleta.co.za | 012 997 8070 |
| Gauteng | Moreletapark, Pretoria | Paradigm Kids Montessori | info@paradigmkids.co.za | 012 100 3038 |
| Gauteng | Newlands, Pretoria | Thula Thula Babahuis/Babyhouse | 082 341 7032 | |
| Gauteng | Northcliff | Let Them Grow | marinda@letthemgrow.co.za | 082 349 2231 |
| Gauteng | Randpark Ridge | Baby Steps | info@babystepscreche.co.za | 082 521 8369 |
| Gauteng | Randpark Ridge | Kiddie Palace | info@kiddiepalace.co.za | 082 419 8855 |
| Gauteng | Rietondale, Pretoria East | Little Einsteins | accounts@highpointrentals.co.za | 083 647 9093 |
| Gauteng | Valhalla, Centurion | Dappermuis Kleuterskool | dappermuis36@gmail.com | 074 785 6557 |
| Gauteng | Vanderbijlpark | Dorpsjapies Dagsorg | dorpsjapiesdag@gmail.com | 083 230 5688 |
| Gauteng | Waverley | Tiptol Speelskool | lidadacomb@yahoo.com | 082 403 7922 |
| Gauteng | Weltevreden Park, Roodepoort | Babbels Kleuterskool | info@babbels.co.za | 010 055 1425 |
| Gauteng | Weltevreden Park, Roodepoort | Shongololies Daycare | info@shongololiesdaycare.co.za | 082 822 3642 |
| Gauteng | Wierdapark, Centurion | Kabouterland Rainbow School | info@kabouterlandkleuterskool.co.za | 072 327 8594 |
| Gauteng | Wonderboom, Pretoria | Knikkie Knakkie | 012 543 1328 | |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Durban North | Annies Busy Beez | anniebusybeez@outlook.com | 083 463 7849 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Durban North | Oceanview Montessori | info@oceanviewmon-tessorischool.co.za | 031 564 4609 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Kloof, Durban | Ladybird Pre-School | info@ladybirdpreschool.co.za | 082 711 1882 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Kloof, Durban | Small World Pre-Primary | 061 764 4765 | |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Glenwood, Durban | Bev's Babes Playcentre | 084 510 6202 | |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Glenwood, Durban | Teeny-Tinys Play School | 079 899 9410 | |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Pinetown, Durban | Hatton Estate Pre Primary School | admin@hepp.co.za | 079 492 5511 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Sydenham | EMA Daycare Kidz Online Durban | Oriel.steyn@gmail.com | 072 108-7426 |
| Limpopo | Polokwane | Buds to Blossoms | 076 400 9722 | |
| Mpumalanga | Sonheuwel | Dinkyland Castle | 081 819 4290 | |
| Mpumalanga | Witbank, Emalahleni | Tweety Land Kleuterskool/Nursery School | info@tweetyland.co.za | 066 299 4466 |
| North West | Lichtenburg | Cvo-Skool Lichtenburg | 018 632 1982 | |
| Western Cape | Durbanville, Cape Town | Little Legends Nursery School | littlelegends14@gmail.com | 082 328 0835 |
| Western Cape | Durbanville, Cape Town | Unique Playschool | hannelize@telkomsa.net | 012 975 8646 |
| Western Cape | Kuilsrivier, Cape Town | Little Earth Pre-School | info@littleearth.co.za | 021 903 3557 |
| Western Cape | Kuilsrivier, Cape Town | Kiddo Cave | kiddocave@gmail.com | 074 811 9535 |
| Western Cape | Longacres, Langebaan | Seeskulpie Kleuterskool | admin@seeskulpie.co.za | 022 772 0302 |
| Western Cape | Parklands/Table View, Cape Town | Big Fish Little Fish Montessori | enquiries@bigfishlittlefish.co.za | 021 556 3453 |
| Western Cape | Table View, Cape Town | Little Learners Childcare | info@littlelearners.co.za | 021 556 1540 |
| Western Cape | Table View, Cape Town | Pooh Bear and Friends Educare | info@poohbeareducare.co.za | 076 772 6562 |
| Western Cape | Vredehoek, Cape Town | Disa Park | info@disaparkschool.co.za | 021 461 7431 |
| Western Cape | Worcester | Little Miracles Preschool & Aftercare | littlemiracles20@gmail.com | 082 840 6987 |
*All information is correct to the best of our knowledge. We don’t accept any responsibility for errors in this list.
Why might some schools refuse to use cloth nappies?
Some schools will refuse to use cloth nappies for a number of reasons, but it’s usually based on lack of knowledge or understanding of the law, or misperceptions of how reusables work.
Cloth nappy laws in South Africa
When childcare facilities state that they can’t accept reusable cloth nappies due to the law, they’re likely unfamiliar with the laws of the Department of Health (DoH), their local by-laws, and early childhood development (ECD) guidelines.
The DoH’s laws are actually outdated, stating that soiled cloth diapers must be soaked and stored in a Steri Nappi bucket. If you’ve used modern cloth nappies, you’ll know that soaking them at all, particularly in strong chemicals, is a no-no!
Interestingly, the DoH doesn’t make provision for disposable nappies at all, so it really isn’t a legal obstacle for schools to adopt a cloth approach.
Unlike the DoH’s laws, various municipalities have updated their by-laws for childcare providers. Within these, explicit provision is made for handling cloth nappies. For example, here’s what the latest eThekwini Child Care Facilities By-laws document says:
(e) approved facilities for the cleaning of cloth nappies if children in cloth nappies attend the child care facility;
(f) approved separate containers for the storage of clean nappies and soiled nappies and other waste, as well as an approved area for the storage of containers containing soiled nappies and other waste; and
(g) approved facilities for the cleaning of cloth nappies.
Misconceptions about modern cloth nappies
The world of modern reusables can be confusing for those new to it, because there are so many types and styles. But for someone who hasn’t explored the ins and outs of today’s diapers, the image of cotton terry squares and giant safety pins is inevitably what comes to mind. And there’s nothing wrong with these. After all, they faithfully got babies and toddlers through their nappy years until the 1950s, when disposables began to be mass produced. Even today, they’re an affordable and widely available option.
But most cloth parents aren’t using this old-fashioned style. Modern reusable nappies are wonderfully versatile. Some are made to mimic the ease of disposables but without the harsh chemicals and environmental impact, while others are an upgrade on the terry squares – trimmer, softer, and more absorbent. They’re entirely different to what our parents and grandparents used and are easier to put on, take off, wash, and care for.
Learn how to care for your cloth nappies
How do I convince a daycare to try out cloth nappies?
You can try to convince a daycare to accept reusable diapers either by educating them on the law and relevant by-laws in their area, or by taking a nappy to the school to show them how it works.
In our experience, most childcare facilities are more than happy to use eco-nappies once their concerns are addressed. When they experience how effortless they are to use and see the visual impact of less environmental waste, you might find that the carers at your child’s playschool become your biggest cloth nappy allies and advocates.
Add to our list
Parents, carers, and business owners – we’re always updating this list and welcome any daycare, crèche, playschool, or nursery school that embraces cloth nappies. Please complete the form and we’ll add the facility to our list.