Top 9 Things You Can Do to Prepare for Your Child’s First Time at Nursery

When your little one goes off to nursery for the first time, it may feel like the end of a big chapter. It is challenging for your child to adapt to a new environment, but it may be more challenging for you as a parent to finally let them go to school and be on their own!

Here are some tips to help you deal with the transition a little more easily.

1. Practice Makes the Heart Less Fonder

To help your child (and you!) get used to spending time away from each other, arrange for a family visit or have a friend or relative house sit for you.

Then, gradually increase these visits until your child can spend a full day away from you without getting upset.

2. Prepare by Reading and Sharing Feelings

Reading up on your first parent-child separation can help, both for you and your little one. There are loads of storybooks available. Choose stories that, for example, showcase a child’s first day at nursery school as an adventure.

If you are struggling with the concept of separating from your child, you can read these helpful books together, and then discuss what you have read and how you feel afterward. This way, both of you can acknowledge your thoughts about your child going to school soon.

3. Talk Things Over

If your child seems fairly underwhelmed by the concept of going to nursery, then try not to plant any ‘worry seeds’ that may wind them up unnecessarily.

Fear often stems from the unknown, so letting a child know what to expect can help! If your child tends to get very anxious about going to school, talk through as much of what will happen in school as you can.

4. Sleep On A Schedule

Try and get your child into a routine of waking up at the time you would need them to get up for school, and going to bed at a reasonable hour.

Training them will help adjust their body clocks well, and also help them feel less tired and drained once they go to school.

5. Schedule School Visits and Teacher Meetings

Scheduling not just one, but multiple school visits will help your child get familiarised with school, and for you to guide them where to go (i.e. when they need to relieve themselves or wash hands), what to do (i.e. where they should wait until you pick them up), and who to talk to (i.e. homeroom teacher and teaching partner) before school starts officially.

6. Don’t Make Too Much of a Fuss

The first-day of nursery is a momentous occasion for both the parent and the child.

You may, of course, be that mom or dad who can’t help but be emotional for their children at the nursery entrance, and that’s okay! However, we recommend that parents project a level of composure so as not to upset their children, which could make them less likely to want to be separated from their parent/s.

7. Communication

As your child continues to attend school over the next couple of weeks, keep talking to them to make sure everything is well or if there are things they are struggling with.

Staying on top of your child’s progress at school, and maintaining a close partnership with your child’s teacher ensures that you have all the details you need to help them settle well at school.

8. Keep Busy

The school should offer a strong sense of community and provide a warm and supportive environment for both parents and children.

There can be a lot of happenings for a family joining a new school, so we recommend joining the parent association and attending various workshops and events hosted by the school.

9. Trust

Trust your judgement that you selected a school setting where your child will be happy and receive nurturing care and love.

Explore the world of play-based learning with XCL World Academy’s Nursery

At XCL World Academy (XWA), we believe that the key to education for our youngest students is to provide them with a safe and nurturing environment where they feel comfortable to explore and learn confidently.

Our Nursery programme for children aged 2-3 years old, offers creative, engaging and age-appropriate play-based activities in a specially designed Reggio Emilia inspired learning space. The programme is designed to spark a child’s imagination, creativity and curiosity while building their confidence and self-management skills.

At XWA, we offer a variety of opportunities for parents to visit the school and slowly introduce children to a new environment. We also believe it is necessary to introduce your little ones to their teachers and teaching partners beforehand so that we won’t be strangers to them once school officially starts.

Our teachers are committed to ensuring that every child feels safe and happy, nurturing a lifelong love of learning and guiding them to become successful, confident, well-rounded, and caring learners. So give a cuddle, a confident smile, and tell them that they will have lots of fun – and that you’ll see them later.

In our Nursery classes, we value the importance of establishing a solid partnership between home and school. Our learning journey with your child is a partnership, a triangle involving the child, parent, and teacher. We encourage families to speak directly to class teachers face-to-face.

We know that you might be worried about your little one and would like to know what they are doing in class during the day. That is why teachers share videos and photos of your child’s nursery experience via our secure digital platforms, providing feedback on how your child is progressing and communicating important information to you.

In addition, our Parent Relations Team is always willing to connect you with our community and invite you to join upcoming parent engagement sessions and school events.

We work with parents to ensure a supportive and smooth transition into nursery. Nursery educators are fully trained professionals who can help create a safe, caring, and stimulating learning environment where children can begin to take their first steps towards growing independence and learning how to learn.

Find out more about how XCL World Academy supports your child in nursery. Contact us today to learn more!