Is My Child Ready for Nursery?

There are many benefits to sending your child to nursery, including an improvement in academic and social success. However, children develop at different rates, and you might be wondering if your child is actually ready. There are various skills a child should ideally have before starting pre-school, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have to tick all of the boxes in order to be accepted, it just might make you feel more comfortable with your decision. I have teamed up with a nursery in London to share some information for parents who are wondering if the time is right to enrol their child.

Separation Anxiety
While some kids have little trouble saying goodbye to their parents and spending time away from them, others struggle. If your child clings to you or cries when you try to drop them off at a party or leave them with a sitter, they might not be ready for nursery. It’s not an abnormal response by any means, it just might mean that they’ll find it difficult to settle in. Try and ensure your child has plenty of experience spending time away from you before you enrol them in nursery.

Toilet Training
Around the age of 3 or 4, most children should be able to use the toilet independently the majority of the time. Of course, occasional accidents are to be expected, which is why parents of nursery students are often asked to pack a change of clothes in their child’s school bag, but many nurseries have a no touch policy and will therefore expect all students to be able to use the toilet on their own.

Playing with Other Children
How does your child cope with other children their age? Are they able to take turns, share and resolve simple conflicts? If not, they might struggle to interact with their peers at nursery. Practising at home is a must, but bear in mind that nursery is actually a great way to help socialise youngsters and prepare them for big school.

*Collaborative Post