How to Prepare Your Child for Going to a Nursery

There are going to be a lot of tough decisions you have to make as a parent. It is also common for parents to doubt themselves as well as constantly second guess. However, it is important to remember that this is completely normal. New parents are some of the most paranoid people on the planet. If you are second-guessing yourself when it comes to enrolling your child in a play nursery, don’t. You have made a great choice. There are loads of benefits from this.

Nursery will provide your child a great experience as well as develop them in a healthy way. However, you may be nervous as that first day approaches. Again, this is quite normal. If you want to put in some extra work to prepare your child for the big day, then you can. Here are some of the ways in which you can prepare your child for going to a nursery.

Role Play

One of the best things you can do from home to prepare your child for a daycare centre is to do some role play. This means getting them used to some scenarios that they might experience in a nursery. You can start off by just playing some games with them. In the first few days of nursery, it is quite common for parents to stick around for a while to help their kids settle in. After this, you could start putting your child into different scenarios. For example, taking up more of a teaching role while they play could be a good idea.  You could also try to take up a role as a fellow child, as this will prepare them for when they go to nursery at the likes of Seahorse Nursery.

Teach Independent Skills

There are some small independence skills that you can teach your child that could help them be better prepared for nursery. Having these skills and knowledge can make your child feel more confident and capable of settling into a nursery setting. Some examples of these skills are the likes of getting dressed. Zipping up their coats and putting on their own shoes are actually very valuable skills to small children. You could also focus on some preparation skills for your child. This could be the likes of leaving their bag in the same place every day, as well as being able to pack it themselves.

Visit the Preschool Before Enrolling

Going into unknown territory can be a scary thing for anyone. It could be a good idea to take away this alien aspect with your child. Going to a preschool for the first time with dozens of kids and parents can be quite intimidating for a small child. Ask the nursery if you can visit the grounds in off-hours. This way, your child can get used to the setting in a quiet environment. Not getting thrown in the deep end can really help relieve some of the stress of the first day. A familiar environment will make your child feel safer.