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Whether your little one is attending nursery as a baby or is a little older, it can sometimes be a daunting prospect for parent and child. You may be unsure about how your child will react to being in a different environment and separated from those who usually care for them, and it’s a very natural reaction to want to prepare both them and you for the first day, as much as is possible.
In this post, we look at tips for preparing your little one in the weeks before they are due to start nursery, which can help make the transition a little smoother. We also cover how you might want to navigate the first day at nursery to keep the stress levels at a minimum for all.
We know how important it is to choose the right nursery for your little one and, once you have decided, you may be eager to learn more about the adventures that lie ahead and how to prepare.
There are many different ways in which you can help prepare your child for nursery, depending on their age and other factors. Every child is unique and it’s important that you follow the routines and tips that work best for your individual circumstances, as not every piece of advice will be right for every little one. With that in mind, we’ve compiled some tips that can be applied to various different ages of child, from babies through to pre-schoolers.
At Kids Planet, a phased approach of settling-in sessions to help transition into this new environment and this can be beneficial to parents or carers too, if you are worried about leaving your child at first.
Each setting will arrange this in varying ways to suit individual children, but it will usually involve a parent staying with the child for a period of time in one or more short sessions, before progressing to leaving them there when everyone is happy and comfortable.
If your little one is an only child or hasn’t spent much time around children of their own age, nursery can come as a bit of a shock to them. You can help to prepare them in advance by increasing the number and variety of social settings you take them to, such as parent and toddler groups or playdates with other children of a similar age, to help get them more used to being around other children, taking turns for things like toys and equipment, and sharing play spaces with others.
If your child is going to be attending as a baby, getting them used to environments with lots of noises and other people around can be a good way to prepare them for nursery ahead of time. So, time spent around other children playing and in social spaces like cafes can be useful.
For slightly older children about to start nursery, explaining to them what it’s all about can be a big help in preparing to attend. Walking or driving past the actual nursery they will be going to and pointing it out to them can help them to get excited about going.
They may have questions about nursery and they might be worried about the changes that will be happening, so it’s important to listen and be ready to answer their questions. Telling them details like who will be taking them and picking them up after the session, what kind of activities they will do there etc can help to put them at ease.
Attending nursery will usually mean that whatever daily routine is already established might need to change, so introducing these changes gradually in the lead-up to starting nursery can be helpful so it doesn’t all come as a bit of a shock to the system on the first day.
Things such as getting dressed, brushing teeth, having breakfast etc in the same order at the same time each day can help give your child confidence, build independence and mean that they feel secure about how the day will start when they go to nursery.
You can find some more ideas in our guide to preparing your child for nursery.
All the preparation in the world probably won’t stop you from feeling a little anxious on their first day. It’s a big step for them and for you! Our tips include:
A few minutes of prep the night before can make a big difference to how smoothly the morning goes on the first day. Picking out clothes (with your child, if they like to do that) and packing your child’s bag with what they’ll need can save time the next day and help ensure nothing is forgotten. Your nursery will provide you with a list of everything that is needed in advance.
Staying calm and positive on the first day at nursery can help your child to pick up on those cues and also remain at ease. Talking to them on the way there about what they might get up at nursery, what some of the activities will be and what happens at the end of the session can help to reassure them.
Often easier said than done when young children are involved, but making sure you arrive at the nursery at the right time can help everything go more smoothly on that first day. Arriving in good time can help keep stress levels down and make for a calmer drop-off. The same applies for pick-up at the end of the session too. Collecting your child when you said that you would, can help reassure them for future days at nursery that you’re coming back for them as you’ve talked about.
The team working in your nursery setting will understand your worries on the first day and are there to answer any questions or queries you might have. They will be used to the first day nerves from parents and children, and will have lots of ideas and techniques to help it go as smoothly as possible when you hand over your little one.
The first day of nursery can feel quite strange for parents and carers as well as being new for the child. This is the start of a new era and it’s very normal to feel a bit anxious about it and maybe have mixed emotions about leaving your little one for a while.
If your child needs some additional support, the prospect of nursery can be even more of a concern for parents or carers, so it’s important to talk things through with the nursery in advance of your child starting to attend to make sure that everyone involved is fully prepared and the right support is there.
You can always call the nursery for an update on how your child is doing on their first day. Many nurseries, including all Kids Planet settings, use online tools to help parents check on how their child is getting on and what activities they are doing, from anywhere. Using these can help put your mind at ease on that stressful first day, as well as keeping you informed on an ongoing basis too.
Start your child’s next adventure to discover so much more by finding your nearest nursery and booking a show round today.
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