What to Look for When Choosing a Nursery Near You: My Ohana Top Tips

Arguably the most basic details to focus on when touring any nursery are the site’s cleanliness, approach to health and safety, and how children are encouraged to interact with their key workers, nursery staff, and of course the other children.

We don’t call our team “childcare extraordinaires” for nothing! Ensuring that every child feels safe and supported throughout the time at nursery means that our My Ohana team go above and beyond every day. This is underpinned by our blended approach to creativity and facilitating a stable environment, recognising the unique characteristics of each child and adjusting the nursery structure to support them. Not to mention the time spent formulating different experiences that encourage communication and negotiation, that support personal interests, and that introduce new concepts.

Health and safety is something that all parents should ask about during a site tour. As an example, My Ohana has a number of strict policies in place covering safeguarding, fire safety, regular site assessments, and consistent monitoring. Parents also have access to a portal which is updated during the day with notes on their child’s activity and behaviour, giving you regular insight into their experiences.

And cleanliness is of course an important stepping stone when it comes to any nursery tour. Look at both the cleanliness of the site on inspection and don’t be afraid to ask about healthcare and exclusion policies, dietary requirements and how these are managed, and more.

As well as all the above details regarding the management of the nursery site and the interactions between children and others within the nursery setting, there are several other areas to take note of during a tour.

The first is the curriculum – that is, how the nursery approaches education and learning, and what the daily routine looks like.

When touring a My Ohana nursery, the first thing you will discover is that every activity is carefully balanced to support an area of development – including playtime! By granting children access to inside and outside spaces, encouraging group activities and solo play, and making learning fun, every part of the day poses a benefit to children’s development.

As part of this, it’s also important to discuss and understand tailored and bespoke support for each child, and how the nursery manages the needs of each child in its care. At My Ohana we create exceptional programmes that are tailored to different aged children and children with different developmental experiences – embracing creativity every step of the way.

Once you have gained a thorough understanding of the nursery’s approach to care, the formation of a curriculum, and of course the safety and security of their sites, you can turn your attention to the details and special features.

At My Ohana’s plethora of sites, these include but are not limited to access to varied outdoor spaces and opportunities to engage with the local community and surroundings. 

As part of this, we advise looking at the experience the nursery is committed to formulating and maintaining. For us, it’s the familiarity of a home from home – ensuring that children, team members, and families alike are all comfortable with every aspect of nursery life.

Finally, a few questions worth adding to your list for your next nursery tour…

• What are your opening and pick up times, and what do I do if we are running late? Knowing how to navigate unexpected changes to your schedule at either end of the day is an important part of managing expectations and determining how flexible the nursery is.

• What food is included as part of the nursery day? The more you know about the food your child will be given, and how the nursery deals with dietaries, the better.

• Do you accept funded childcare hours? Read more about this in our other blogs dedicated to government funded hours.

To book a visit at one of our nursery sites, get in touch with My Ohana today.