Nursery can be a big step for both you and your child, no matter which number child you are preparing to send to your chosen nursery in London or elsewhere. Whilst many parents may be hesitant to take the step which is sending a child to nursery, it can be incredibly beneficial for your child’s development; helping them to prepare for school and make lots of friends along the way. Nurseries typically structure their days by following the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS.) This helps them to provide educational care suitable for your child. All staff will be properly and suitably trained, and will help to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for children to learn and develop in.
What Are the Benefits of Nurseries for Children?
There are dozens of huge benefits that can and likely will come you’re your sending of your child to the right nursery for their needs and requirements:
- It helps your child make friends
- Teaches your child structure
- It helps prepare for school
- Teaches independence
- Promotes cognitive development
- Keeps your child entertained
- It helps give you a break
Some parents may initially feel guilty about leaving a child at nursery. However, this time apart more often than not, does wonders for both you and your little one.
Nursery Helps Your Child Make Friends
Socialising is vital for your child’s development, particularly with children their own age. Nursery can be a great opportunity for your child to engage with other children; make friends and have a great deal of fun whilst doing it. Engaging with others in a nursery can help your child to develop social skills for school, as it gets them used to talking to new people, and forming attachments with others outside of their family. Talking with nursery staff can also be great for your child, as they can provide guidance on improving language and social development further.
Nursery Teaches Your Child Structure
Nursery can provide a great opportunity for your child to learn structure, as staff will teach them how to follow instructions, how to take their turn, and share activities with others. This can help your child to learn patience and structure throughout the day, allowing them to function and work well in a group. These are all vital skills for life, and can prepare your child for the ordered routine of school days.
Nursery Helps Prepare Children for School
At school, things will start to get more academic and often, academically challenging for your child. Many parents are unsure how best to prepare their child for this big step up, balancing pre-mathematical and pre-literacy skills with also important play and development time. Fortunately, nurseries and their staff and will be trained and helped in their structuring by the EYFS. They will provide a program designed to help prepare children for school whilst also giving them the time they need to play and interact with peers. Nursery staff are well-versed in how children develop, and will optimise the nursery’s space to help your child learn and further adjust to a learning environment.
Teaching Independence in Nursery
Prolonged periods of separation from home and parents can initially be particularly distressing for your child, and can make the leap into school quite a difficult time. By sending your child to nursery you can help to start making this transition to school less stressful, teaching them independence and how enjoyable it can be. In nursery, your child will also be given a degree of choice with regards to what they want to do. This can promote independent thinking, and enable your child discover new interests.
Promoting Cognitive Development in Children
Between 3 to 5 years old, your child’s vocabulary will grow tremendously, with sentences becoming longer and conversations more complex. A nursery is a great place to help facilitate this growth in your child’s speech, being an environment rich in stimulating language. Nursery gives children the ability to speak with a variety of different people, including those their own age and adult members of staff. Through this environment, the staff will also introduce entirely new vocabularies to children through a range of different activities.
Keeping Your Child Entertained in Nursery
It can be exhausting to keep your child entertained throughout the day at home. Whilst it may be tempting to stick on the TV or tablet device, active playtime is vital for your child’s development, helping them to gain balance, coordination and muscle control. Nurseries offer a wide range of activities to keep your child busy and playing throughout the day, many of which are designed to facilitate their development and help them to learn new skills.
It Helps Give You a Break
Nurseries give parents a much-needed break, all whilst your child keeps active and entertained in an environment designed for development and growth. This break can allow you to relax and recharge for when your child finishes up for the day, enabling you to be your best self when taking care of your little one. This means that throughout the day, your child is in an ideal and very caring environment, being looked after by nursery staff who have had a good night’s rest before coming back to relaxed, re-energised parents.
