Preparing your child for their first day at nursery

This is a collaborative post

Taking your child for their first day at nursery can be an emotional and unfamiliar experience for both you and your little one. It’s also an exciting and positive time that’ll give them their first taste of independence and you some spare free time.

To ensure the transition goes as smoothly as possible, there are some steps that you should take. To help you prepare, we offer some advice on ways you can make your child’s first day at nursery easy and enjoyable.

Make sure they have the right clothes

Children are actively encouraged to explore and get involved in messy play when at nursery. Activities can involve things like paint, water, sand, and many other things that play a crucial role in your child’s learning and development.

This means the best clothes for your child are those that are old and comfortable. Clothes should also allow them to move and climb around freely. If they can attempt to manage their clothes by themselves, this is better, since it’ll teach them independence and self-confidence.

Some nurseries will allow children to go barefoot in order to improve muscle strength and balance, although they may be required to wear shoes in certain play areas. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide your child with a pair of barefoot shoes for when they are at nursery, which can mimic the effects of being barefoot but with added protection.

Establish a routine

Start to introduce a routine that mirrors what life will be like once they start nursery. Gradually change nap and meal times to help them adjust to the new schedule they’ll soon be following. This consistency is essential for children to feel comfortable and secure, especially during a transition as significant as this.

If possible, try to take your child to nursery several times each week. This can help to speed up the adjustment process since attending once each week can make it more difficult to acclimatise to their new routine. 

All 3 to 4-year-olds are entitled to 570 hours of free childcare per year so long as this is with an approved childcare provider. So, make use of the time how you see fit.

Encourage them to be social

If your child isn’t familiar with being in groups of other children, it may come as an unwelcome surprise. Therefore, before they start at nursery, aim to set up playdates with other children of the same age. Inspire them to play cooperatively, share, and interact with others, allowing them to further their social skills.

You could even take them to various toddler groups to get them used to the idea of being around other children. By the time they start nursery, it won’t come as much of a shock and they’ll find it much easier to form friendships.