12 Tips for Starting Nursery or Pre-school

Is your little one starting at a nursery school or Pre-school this September? Is it their first time going into a new child care setting or a move from a private nursery? Are you finding the whole idea quite unsettling with everything going on? Check out our tips for making it run as smoothly as possible:

12 tips to make starting a new setting fun...

1. Teach your child the names of the staff, particularly their key worker. Having photos with their names on at home really helps them feel familiar and therefore safe and secure.
2. Find some other children who will be attending the same setting and set up a play date before you start. Local Facebook groups are great for finding other parents.
3. If you have any worries, talk to your key worker and explain any extra information you feel they might need if your little one gets upset.
4. Feel free to call and check up on your child and don’t be embarrassed by it.
5. If you need to provide food and snacks, make sure you show them what they will be having for both snacks and lunch or even let them help to choose, so it’s familiar.
6. Make sure their food is in pots or bags that are easy to open and won’t make a complete mess after they have finished. Most pre-schools will send everything that’s not eaten home - half-eaten yogurts or half-drunk carton drinks included so re-sealable bags are a perfect option!!
7. Do a trial run. Go to the gates and show them where the playground is and make it all sound very exciting. You know your child better than anyone and there will be something that will excite them.
8. Let them take a favourite cuddly or comforter with them for the first few days (if allowed). If not tell them you will bring Teddy to pick them up later.
9. Even if they get upset on the first day, stay strong and positive. Give a last hug, tell them you love them and you’ll see them later and then leave looking happy and confident.  They need to feel safe, so save your own tears until you are out of view. The staff will make sure they get them settled.
10. Get them to help pick name tags and choose where to put them in their coats and clothes.
11. Let them choose a new water bottle, lunch bag, lunch box, snack holders or rucksack that can only be used when they start at nursery or pre-school. There’s nothing like something new to get them excited.
12. My last tip is get them into a routine of going to bed at a suitable time and waking up early enough for you to get ready to go in the morning. 

When looking for things to add to their lunch bags take a look at our reusable pouches. You can use them for adding yogurts or smoothies into their lunch bags…if it’s only half-eaten, the lid can be popped back on and there’s no mess!

Our snack bags are fab for keeping your snacks nice and fresh…carrot sticks don’t dry up and apple slices don’t go brown! Kids love seeing what the monsters have got in their mouths each day and I promise they will eat more good stuff when it's served inside one of our monster snack bags!

I hope all your little ones settle in well and enjoy their new settings. 

Suzanne x