Starting Nursery
Starting Nursery
There are so many reasons for your family to be searching for a nursery, whatever the reason, you have decided to embark on one of the most important journeys of yours and your little one’s early years.
Ready for their first day at love 2 Learn Nursery, Leicester.
Finding the right nursery is key, if you are uncomfortable - your baby or child, will feel uneasy too.
Our advice…
Search websites.
Read reviews and then
Book tours at your shortlisted settings.
Go in and get a feel for the environment, the team and see how the children already enrolled are cared for.
There is a feeling you get as you walk through the door of the right setting, a calm, positive aura, that lets you know its 'the one' for you and your family.
When you find the perfect setting, register your little one, even if it is sometime before they start; places fill up quickly in quality settings and you don't want to risk losing your space.
Registration is usually pretty straightforward and just requires a simple form.
Remember...
Most settings will offer settling in sessions free of charge, just before your child is due to start.
For us this is:
2 x 1 hour sessions.
The first in which parents are encouraged to stay, complete some paperwork and be on site in case their little one needs them.
The second, we encourage parents to drop off and leave the room, to get a feel for how their child will be without them, to allow their little one to begin to form attachments with the educators on site and meet the children in their room.
This then lets us know if your little one needs any extra settling in sessions booking in, this is different for every setting, so don't forget to ask.
Preparing for the first day...
When the time comes, you may feel anxious and nervous about leaving them.
This is completely normal and we completely understand the unease it causes.
To get you both prepared, begin to talk about the nursery or setting with your little one, point it out on walks and trips to get excited, (even if you’re not so confident about the journey).
You will need a bag for your child, why not pack this together with all the little bits they may need.
Here's what we would pack...
2 full outfit changes, including socks, ready for the exciting day ahead.
If your child is potty training lots of additional trousers and underwear in case of accidents
Nappies, wipes, and bum cream for intimate care.
Comforter, dummy, or cuddly friend for reassurance.
Medications/further information on health conditions your setting may need - (remember to keep the prescription labels, most settings can't administer medication without them).
Depending on the time of year, winter hat, gloves and scarves or sun cream and summer hats
Puddle suits and wellington boots! Essential for those curious explorers in all weathers.
Child Happily Settles at Love 2 Learn Nursery, Leicester
As your child starts nursery, you will want to linger, to watch them and ensure they are ok.
This will go against your strongest instincts, but it is usually best for new parents to 'drop and go', for the first few sessions. This is simply because when your child can hear and see you, they want to be with you and remain upset.
Forming positive attachments with the team at your chosen setting is important for your child's emotional wellbeing and development, children who feel safe and secure are then able to go on and reach their full potential.
After the first few times, you may wonder if you have done the right thing, hearing your child upset can be heart-breaking, most settings will have an app they can use to send updates and call as many times as you like to check on them!
Quickly - as you continue to drop your child off, you will notice they want to come inside and are no longer sad. This is when you'll enjoy waving and receiving kisses and cuddles goodbye.
As always, we like to remind all parents, every child is unique, and their early years journey is no exception.
It will be different for every family and every child, but once you have found your groove it will be a breeze.
