How do I choose the right nursery for my little one?

It is that time of year again...registration season! It seems to creep up on us all and gets earlier and earlier every year! Choosing the right time to send your little one to nursery can be a difficult decision to make, and trying to decide which nursery to choose can be even harder! In this post I have tried to help a little by explaining some of the benefits of sending your child to nursery and then I have given you some tips on what to look for when choosing a nursery. Good luck!

What will your little one gain from attending nursery?

Whether it is just a couple of mornings a week, there are so many benefits to attending nursery. Here are just a few of what I think are the most important ones:-

• Personal and social skills - being in an environment with other children will really help your little one's personal and social skills develop. Their confidence will grow as they explore and feel secure in their environment and  they will also develop their independence. Having lots of others to play with every day will develop those all important social skills, for example turn taking, sharing, group play and more. These skills are invaluable and will help them immeasurably for when they start school.

• Lots of stimulating, fun activities - a good nursery will provide lots of amazing activities and learning opportunities for your little one. This is great for their development and will keep them stimulated throughout the nursery day!

• Cognitive and language skills - with all the great activities on offer and the opportunities for social interaction and learning, you will see your child's cognitive development and their language skills really develop. The qualified staff will ensure that the right activities are provided and they are trained to identify the best way to support each and every child in their care!

• Trained, qualified professionals - it is super important to any parent who exactly is looking after their children during the nursery day. Staff should be qualified and trained in their field and this means they can provide the best start in your little one's education and nursery experience. 

• Routine and structure - I have mentioned in previous posts the importance of routine and structure. By going to nursery, they will be introduced to daily routines and have a somewhat structured environment. This is excellent for their development and for preparing them for the more structured environment of school.

So you've decided it's time to give your little one the great experience of attending nursery. But how on earth do you choose the right one? With the plethora of nurseries out there, each one claiming to offer a different type of educational benefit for your child, how do you know where to start?

Here are some tips for choosing a nursery for your little one:-

• Visit - shortlist some nurseries based on factors that suit you such as location, educational philosophy, language of instruction, fees etc and then arrange to visit each one. I can't stress enough how crucial visiting the nurseries is. Choosing a nursery is an important decision and one that can't possibly be made without you seeing how both you and your child feel about the place. 

• Ask the right questions and don't be shy! As a parent you need to feel 100% confident in the nursery and any good nursery will welcome all your questions, no matter how weird and wonderful you may think they are! Here are some questions I think are useful to ask:
• Age range of the children in the class - the classes should be split into age groups as activities and learning should be age appropriate. I would recommend there being no more than an academic year within one class (for example children aged 2 or above but less than 3 on 1st September would go into the same class), some nurseries even split their classes into 6 monthly groups as at this age, children develop so fast and 6 months can actually be quite a big gap!
  
• Staff/Child ratios - this is crucial to your child's safety and development. Ask how many staff will be working in the room with your child and what the adult/child ratio is. You want to make sure that your child will have enough attention and be safe.
• Staff qualifications - ensure the staff are qualified as this is very important for the quality of care your child will receive.
• Open-door policy - does the nursery welcome visits and parents? How do they welcome and communicate with their parents? For example do they have communication diaries, do they chat to parents on drop-off and pick-up? Are staff happy to see parents and spend time with them? Are they open and friendly?
• Settling in procedures - ask about the procedure for settling in and discuss your child's needs. Also ask what their policies are for toilet training, weaning and behaviour management. It is important you agree with the nursery's philosophy.
• Daily structure - ask how the day is structured, do they have lots of different sessions? Young children need to change activity or location regularly or they will get bored, on the other hand too often and they will not settle. There needs to be a balance. Ask what sort of activities are built into the nursery day, for example do they have regular physical fun activities, music activities and outside time?

• Bring your little one along! - even if they are too little to verbally tell you what they think, you will find out a lot by letting your little one spend time in the environment. Go with your gut instincts!

• Look for the following:
• Quality of provision and curriculum - you should be able to see a range of interesting and stimulating activities out in the classrooms that develop different areas of learning and weekly planning should be up for parents to see. The teaching staff should be able to explain to you what the learning objectives and outcomes are for the activities they have planned.
• T.v. time - is there t.v. time built into the schedules? Can you see t.v.s or laptops playing while you are walking around? In my opinion this a big no no. We do not send our children to nursery to sit in front of screens, they are there to play, learn and interact with their peers. While there may be an occasional treat of something to watch, for example on party days or the last day of term, it should not be a regular part of the nursery day or too frequent.
• Safety - is the environment indoors and out safe, clean, secure and welcoming? 
• Activities - are the children able to choose what activities they want to do
  
  within their environment? They should be able to decide what they want to do and when. There is nothing wrong with encouragement from staff and in fact it is important to encourage the children to try a range of activities but they should not be forced. The toys and resources in the classroom should be at child-level and easily accessible for the children. There should be continuous provision in the classrooms (where there are several different areas all providing activities throughout the day, offering choice and stimulation). Some nurseries still unfortunately have "classes" where they will have one activity out per session and the whole class take part. This goes against modern Early Childhood recommendations and we know that young children will not benefit from this kind of learning. There should also be a balance of child-led activities (for example, a group of children playing shops in the role play corner) and adult-led activities (for example, a child is sitting with a teacher and they are grouping compare and sort bears by size).   
  
• Children - do the children in the classrooms seem happy, settled and stimulated? Are they well-occupied?
• Staff - do the staff appear professional, relaxed, calm and friendly? Do they get down to the child's level (sitting on the floor, crouching down to talk to them etc)? 

• Try and keep notes on each nursery and look for the same criteria every time so it is easier to compare and make your decision in the end. It may be that as soon as you walk into a nursery you instantly know that it is the right one! If so then great, but at least with these tips, you can make some further enquiries before taking that all important final decision.

Good luck with the nursery hunt, remember it is a very important time in your little one's development and nursery can be a huge benefit! Take the time to ensure that the nursery you choose is the right one for you and your little one and you should see them grow, develop and thrive!

For more advice and ideas, check out our Facebook page

See you soon!

Katie is an Early Years specialist in Dubai, where she 

manages an EYFS nursery. She has a special interest 

in psychology and early childhood development. 

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Helping your little one settle at nursery!

Well it's back to school time and for some, it may be their first experience of being apart from mum
and dad. It can be a difficult time, knowing what to do and how to help your little one settle in at nursery. Don't worry, you are not alone! In this post, I have tried to give you the tools that I believe help both yourself and your child with separating. Remember, this will be a gradual process that needs taking one step at a time.

1. Visit the nursery

Before the big day, bring your little one to the nursery as often as you can. Meet the teacher and tell them all the things you think they need to know about your child. Talk to them about ways to settle or soothe them. Give the teacher a soother or favourite toy to help them settle. Let your child play in the classroom and get used to the environment and the people they will be with. We all know as an adult going to new places and meeting new people can be daunting, it is harder for a toddler who doesn't have control of what is happening or possibly the language to express themselves.

2. Getting ready

Try and get into the routine for nursery before you start going. Wake up at the time you would need to for nursery and have a nice healthy breakfast. Upsetting the morning routine will mean you have a tired, emotional child and this will make settling in harder for them to cope with. Talk to them about nursery and get them excited about all the things they will see and do!

3. Saying goodbye

This can be the tricky bit and the make or break moment. There is so much advice out there but for me, these are the key points:

Stay Positive - children learn how to deal with situations by reading their parents or carers emotions.

Although leaving your little one for the first time may be extremely difficult, try and keep it together until you have said goodbye. If they know you are anxious and upset, they will be too. 

Keep it short - once your child is in the classroom and with a teacher, try and say goodbye confidently and quickly. Tell your child you will be back soon and that you love them, then leave. Although it may go against every instinct in your body, don't hover anxiously or come back if they start crying as if you do, this will make the settling in process take much longer and become more traumatic for both of you. 

Say goodbye - it can be tempting to make a quick exit while your child is distracted. Although this is very tempting, try and fight the urge to run. When they turn around and suddenly realise you have gone, they will be hurt and confused. Saying goodbye and telling them when you will be back will build your child's trust and confidence in leaving you. 

Be consistent - Try and follow the same routine for drop off and pick up. Your child will become used to the routine so give them the hug, say goodbye and go in the same way each day. This prepares your child and reassures them that you are coming back. When you pick up be happy and smiley, give your child a big hug and ask them to show you what they have been doing today. Remind them that you have come back as you said you would. 

4. Give it a chance

It can be difficult seeing your child unhappy and very tempting to pull them out of nursery. Try and

give them a chance to settle and get used to the environment first as in the long run the benefits they will get out of nursery will outweigh the initial anxiety. Quite often, children are happy to play and get involved once their parents have gone, ask for photos from the teacher to reassure you that this is the case.

5. Surprise visits

Although it can be tempting to come back and see if your child is okay, try and resist the urge to do this. If they see you, you will end up going through the whole process again. Also they will not understand why you have come back but not taken them home. Make sure that any time you enter the classroom after dropping them off, it is to pick them up. This will help them settle. If you are concerned, call the nursery and ask them to check on your little one. While it is best to avoid doing this often as you need to build your trust in the nursery, they should be happy to reassure you that your child is doing fine. 

6. Build a partnership with the nursery

If you want your child to bond with their carers, there needs to be trust all round. Get to know their teachers and give them as much information about your little one as you can. Then trust them to do what they have trained to do and leave. Be assured they have your child's best interests at heart and will do all they can to provide the best care they can for your child. 

7. Remember the benefits 

It can be easy to forget the reasons you decided to put your child in nursery in the first place. Nursery
will give them the tools they need to develop as happy, sociable and independent little learners. Learning to separate from their parents is just one of those tools and all the experiences they have at nursery will prepare them for school and beyond. It is good for both of you to have a break from each other, whether it is to go back to work or simply for some 'me time' and it gives them the opportunity to develop their identity as an individual. 

No matter how much reassurance I give, you are bound to feel worried and anxious. It is fine to feel all these things, the main priority however is to help your little one. If you use the guidelines above, you will be doing your best to give your child an positive start at nursery. Good luck!

For more information and ideas, check out our Facebook page

See you soon!

 Katie is an Early Years specialist in Dubai, where she 

manages an EYFS nursery. She has a special interest 

in psychology and early childhood development.

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Getting ready for nursery

When your child is starting nursery for the first time, you want to do everything you can to prepare them for their big adventure. In this post I share some of the ideas and tips I have given to parents over the years to help with the transition.

Practice separating from your child

If it is the first time you and your child will be apart then starting nursery can be tough for both of you. A good way to prepare for this is to practice leaving your child at a friend's house or other places that you trust. Start off with a few minutes apart and gradually build up the time you are away from each other. While the first few days at nursery will still be new and different, at least they will already be used to spending time apart from you.  

Spend time with children who are starting the same nursery

If you know any other children who will be attending nursery with your child, it is a great idea to get together for some play dates with them. This way they will see some familiar faces when they start nursery and already have formed some friendships.

Develop your child's independence

A good idea before starting your child at nursery is to develop key personal skills such as dressing themselves, going to the toilet independently, eating their snack and being able to ask for things. What they are ready for is dependent on their age but any skills they pick up before starting nursery will help them immeasurably and give them a head start. Things to focus on would be pulling trousers up and down, washing hands, eating finger food, opening food containers and asking when they need help or they would like something.   

Key words

A good tip is to help your child build up some key words that will help them at nursery, especially if English is not their first language. Examples of useful words are: water, juice, toilet, please, food, yes, no. This will help your child's carers to fully meet your child's needs. If your child uses another language to express themselves, be sure to write down the key words they may use so their nursery carers can understand them.

Practice routines

Nursery helps children to understand and develop routines. A brilliant idea to help your child would be to get them used to routines at home. Try and create a structure to their day, informing them in plenty of time when you are going to move from one activity to another. Sit together at meal times and encourage family discussion, making it a social time. Try and keep their routine as consistent as possible and practice things such as getting up and dressed in the mornings, every minute is valuable when you have an early nursery or school run to do!

What you can get ready

* Lunch box and water bottle - A great way to get your child excited about nursery is to

involve them in choosing their lunchbox and water bottle. They will love having the opportunity to use their 'grown-up' new things at nursery! Remember to get some ice packs to keep their food cool during the morning. Most nurseries have healthy eating policies, so bear this in mind when shopping for lunchbox snacks and try and include foods that you know your child likes. Generally, it is best to avoid chocolate and sweets, crisps, nut products and sugary drinks. Usually encouraged are fruit or vegetable snacks, healthy sandwiches, juice and yoghurts. Try and include items that your child can use independently and don't forget to give them lots of water and fluids.

* Backpack - As mentioned above, get your child involved in choosing a backpack they like. Bear in mind everything you will need to fit into the bag when choosing it as you may need a bigger one than you think! Most nurseries ask for spare clothes and nappies (diapers). It is also nice to include a favourite toy or soother, especially at the start of nursery. 

* Clothes - Every nursery teacher will agree that the more fun a child has at nursery, the more messy they will be by the end of the day! With that in mind, try and get together a collection of clothes that are suitable for nursery. These should be items that you do not mind getting dirty and ideally things that your child can manage relatively independently. Try and avoid lots of buttons, belts or fiddly catches and go for pull up trousers, skirts and tops. Another tip is to send your child to nursery in appropriate shoes. Backless shoes, flip flops and Crocs can be dangerous as their little feet can easily slip out. Try and use shoes that fit them well and will not fall off or cause them to trip up. Closed toe shoes are a good idea to protect their toes during the day. Check with your nursery when you register as some will have footwear and clothing policies.

* Documentation - Most nurseries will require certain documents when you sign your child up. Try and get these prepared so you are ready, including copies of IDs, vaccination records (making sure that they are all up to date!) and passport photos. Again each nursery may have different requirements so be sure to check with them so you can be prepared.

* Keep in touch! - Don't be afraid to contact the nursery if you have any questions, queries or just want a chat. You will be working together to take care of your child over the next year or more and you should always feel welcomed and happy to approach any member of the nursery team.

For more information and ideas, check out our Facebook page

In my next post I will be discussing potty training and providing some useful tips. See you soon!

 Katie is an Early Years specialist in Dubai, where she 

manages an EYFS nursery. She has a special interest 

in psychology and early childhood development.

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