Nursery settings can provide a safe and nurturing environment to help support your child through key developmental stages while allowing you to return to regular work or study. Adjusting to change can be a challenge - so here's how to prepare your child for nursery so that you both feel ready.
Do Your Research
When looking for a nursery it can help to do some research so that you can make an informed decision.
- Assess Your “need to knows” - and investigate each one in turn. This checklist can help you to get started.
- Check your government website for a list of registered childcare providers. For more information on provision in your local area, see “Childcare Help And Advice In Bury”.
- Check OFSTED regulation and inspection ratings to ensure that all staff are properly trained and registered that the environment is safe and healthy for your child.
- Get support and advice from other parents and carers on how to prepare your child for nursery:
- You can find this in person or online - but be conscious that any info you may receive will be based on personal opinion - so factcheck your sources thoroughly.
- You can also ask for references from other parents or carers (your prospective provider should be happy to supply names of other parents to discuss their service with you).
- Be aware in either case that what works for one family may not be suitable for the needs of you and your child.
What to Look For
Once you’ve created a shortlist of settings, ask to take a “tour” of them with your child and (if possible) a trusted friend or family member who can offer a second opinion. Here is a brief guide on what to look for:
The Right Environment
First impressions are everything - so if you and your child receive a warm welcome the moment you walk in, take note. Children also need the right conditions in order to thrive - so make sure the premises are clean, safe and friendly-looking with plenty of secure outside space to play in.
The Right Atmosphere
Try to get a sense of the place:all children behave differently, but in general do they seem relaxed and happy, or bored and fretful? Do a stable group of children attend or is there a high “turnover” rate?
Caring for children isn’t just a job, it’s a vocation - so when touring the nursery assess how the staff are doing as well. Do they seem genuinely invested in their role - or is there a general sense of staff feeling stressed - or even apathetic?
Diversity and Acceptance
Diversity in nurseries is fundamental, helping children to develop lifelong social skills including:
● Cultural sensitivity and awareness
● Compassion for themselves and for those around them
● The skills needed to develop positive relationships
● How to manage difficult conversations and conflicts better
● How to support and advocate for each other
Look for nurseries that reflect a broad cross-section of staff and children from a range of social, economic, ethnic and cultural groups.
Inclusion for Every Body - And Brain
The same applies to inclusion when it comes to children with support needs. Actively seek out providers who get the balance right between providing effective accommodations while fostering an environment where every child feels valued, included and safe.
Connected Communication
Good childcare providers know that life doesn’t end at hometime and will take a thoughtful, responsive approach to the home-life of children through maintaining effective, honest and kind communications between staff and parents.
Getting Ready
Once you have made a decision, you will need to make arrangements with your provider to discuss booking and fees. In addition to getting things ready at the setting, you will also need to have a plan in place to help make sure you and your child are ready for their first day.
Your Nursery Preparation Plan
Make It Fun
Integrating play into your preparation can help frame the nursery experience in a positive light. Some ideas include:
● Creative art sessions to encourage self expression
● Reading books about nurseries
● Roleplaying nursery activities using dolls, puppets or “let’s pretend” sessions
Stay Positive
Change is inevitable - but with it comes growth and a whole range of positive experiences - so try to see the upside.This is an exciting new adventure in both of your lives: framing it in a positive way can help to reassure both of you, so engage in self care to help you stay calm and focussed.
Be Sociable
Suddenly being around lots of other children can feel somewhat daunting for a child - especially if they are an only child. Try to arrange play dates ahead of time with other parents and carers - or take a look at local resources for any groups you can join.
Get a Headstart
Depending on your child’s age and rate of development, working on things like potty training and regular nap times can help your child to settle into a nursery setting with greater ease.
Boost Their Skills
Prepare your child for life at nursery by teaching them simple skills and tasks such as:
● Helping to tidy
● Handing out items
● Sharing
● Communication (reading together can help with this)
● Independence skills like dressing and eating.
Two Weeks Before
● As far as possible, offer your child a sense of agency and control through listening to them and responding in a kind, effective way. You can even do this through simple things like letting them choose their own backpack.
● Label all your child’s belongings in permanent ink, including:
- Clothing including coats, jackets and shoes
- Comfort items like teddies and blankets (you may want to have two sets, one for home and a special set for nursery). Family photos or favourite books can also be good items to bring with them.
● Plan out your journey to and from the nursery ahead of time, making contingencies for things like traffic during peak hours (Google Maps is useful for this).
The Night Before
● Pack their backpack together, including (if necessary) a healthy packed lunch with some familiar favourites to help them feel more “at home” - even when they’re not.
● Make sure you both get a good night’s sleep so that everyone feels rested and prepared for the day ahead. Try not to focus too much on tomorrow (unless your child really wants to) - and keep things light, positive and calm.
The First Day
● Be consistent - keeping a regular schedule can help you both to feel more secure and on top of things. Get the day off to a good start by setting your alarm early so there’s no need to rush and take care with time keeping - both with drop-offs and at hometime.
● If possible, try to eat breakfast with your child and talk things through with them while they eat. Ask how they’re feeling, offer reassurance and highlight things they’ll have to look forward to.
Get Good at Goodbyes
While you might feel pressure to do so, a swift goodbye isn’t always the best solution. While it’s not unusual for both parents/carers and their child to feel upset on the first day, learning about separation anxiety and attachment theory ahead of time can help you to feel more prepared so that when you eventually wave goodbye, you can both do so with a smile.
For more information on childcare in Bury, visit our “Childcare Help and Advice” page.
Related Pages
Children and young people's services
Your child's first day at school
Last Updated: 22nd Dec 2021, 17:56