Nursery Readiness: How to Prepare Your Child for Nursery

The aim of nursery is to provide a stepping stone for children before they transition into the school system, while also supporting family life as parents return to work and establish normal, everyday routines.

It offers children a chance to socialise and build connections with children around the same age as them, and also provides those same connections to parents who can start to get to know other local parents with similar aged children.

On top of all that, nursery is about more than just ready-ing children for school and passing the time in a safe and supportive environment. The right nursery can foster interest and ignite passions in your child, introducing them to new things, environments, hobbies, and activities.

Via our child-led program, and with a bridged approach to learning and play, one of the things we make sure to communicate to all new parents at our My Ohana nurseries is the role of nursery in developing social and life skills and sparking an interest in learning in a heavily practical and hands-on way.

We believe that as your child starts to show an interest in the world around them, so too are they ready to spread their wings and immerse themselves in new activities, challenges, and social settings. And where better to start that transition than at a local, reputable nursery.

Of course, taking the step to sign your child up for nursery is one thing. But in reality, that step is taken a good few weeks or even months before they actually start nursery.

So, how do you take that motivation and use it to prepare your child for their first days in a new setting (with you to lean on)?

To ensure that your child feels safe and secure, you need to establish a positive routine that offers them comfort in their new environment.

This also helps them to settle into the routine that nursery follows, in terms of arrival, meal times, learning, and play times. If you can get your child used to following some form of structured timetable at home, they will settle more easily into the routine of nursery.

Don’t hide the fact that your child is starting nursery – rather, take the time to explain the change to them and highlight the things that you know they will enjoy.

This open communication is vital in preparing them emotionally, so that they feel more comfortable when it comes to starting their nursery sessions. As part of this, we also recommend taking the time to ask them how they feel about starting nursery and being away from you, so that you can talk through their fears openly.

As certain habits and lessons become the norm at nursery, it’s crucial that parents support this at home. Activities like reading together, practising social skills, and fostering greater independence during mealtimes and play time can all make settling into nursery easier and smoother.

You can even try kickstarting some of these activities early and in advance of them starting at nursery, so that the activities they partake in at nursery feel familiar and normal.

The transition to nursery evokes different reactions in different children. That’s why most nurseries offer a series of settling in sessions: short days in which children can visit the nursery and meet the nursery workers, other children, and familiarise themselves with the setting and environment.

Following all or even some of the above tips can not only help your child to feel more settled when they start nursery, but can also put your mind at ease knowing that they are as prepared as they possibly can be.

To discuss availability at the nursery of your choosing, to enquire about settling in sessions, or to chat to a member of the My Ohana team about our processes and nursery routines, don’t hesitate to get in touch directly.