5 Tips to Help Your Child Prepare For Nursery Your kid starting nursery can be a source of mixed emotions; anxiety, trepidation, anticipation, you name it. After all, toddlers grow pretty fast. One minute you are holding them in your arms for the first time, and the next moment you are preparing them for their first day of nursery.
For one, you are not sure how your kid will react. Will they be able to settle in and make friends? How will they cope with this new routine? It can be a daunting prospect for them (and possibly you as well). However, it doesn’t need to be. As the parent, you have the power to make this transition smooth for everyone involved.

The following are tips to help your child prepare for this milestone.

1. Make them social

Assuming you only have one child, thrusting them into an environment with kids from all over the city can be a shocker to them. However, you can make the adjustment less challenging by increasing your child’s playdates.

Ensure they spend more time with kids of similar age. Introduce them to toddler groups and nurture their social side.

By the time they get to the nursery, they’ll have familiarized themselves with the idea of sharing toys and socializing with other children.

2. Set ‘nursery’ tasks

As soon as your child goes to nursery, they will be expected to partake in some tasks like cleaning up, packing toys after lessons, handing out plates, and such. You can prepare them by introducing such toddler activities at home.

Have them take their cup to the kitchen, show them how to keep the toys neat, how to clean up their personal space, etc.

This will build their confidence and independence while preparing them for the big

3. Attend settling in sessions with your child

Many nurseries in Dubai offer settling in sessions that allow your kid to familiarize themselves with the school environment in your presence.

Check if your nursery of choice offers these sessions. Your child will be comfortable knowing you are there for them if they need anything.

It is also an opportunity for you to see what type of learning activities your child will be partaking in. This way, you will have positive things to talk to with your child about the nursery and keep her excited about going there.

4. Keep Calm

One thing you should know about your child is that she is receptive to your reactions. In whatever way they react to going to school for the first time, you need to stay calm. If they sense that their nursery experience makes you anxious, they will most likely pick on that.

It is upon you as the parent to offer reassurance and support to your child. Make her feel safe and supported, especially now that she is treading unfamiliar territories.

Let her look forward to her nursery school adventure instead of fearing the experience.

5. Keep Calm

Dropping off your kid at school and picking them can be hectic, especially if you have a day job. However, it is important if you want your child to feel safe.

Make sure you drop them off as early as possible to avoid the frantic morning rush trying to get them to school on time.

Additionally, ensure you are not late when picking them up, especially in the first few weeks. Your child will be feeling much calmer when they know that you will be there to pick them up when that time comes.

Starting nursery is an important milestone and can be challenging for parents and children alike, but before you know it, your child will be settled and won’t want to leave in the evening when you come to collect her.

Westfield Nursery is a new purpose-built Nursery located in City Walk in the heart of Dubai! Book your tour today to experience our unique approach to teaching and learning! We believe that the Nursery physical environment has a big impact on children’s learning and play. As a result, we have created and curated different learning spaces for children to explore, challenge themselves, discover, and thrive. Westfield Nursery is part of Atticus Education which operates two schools and two other Nurseries in Dubai. Book a tour today, meet our passionate team, and experience our outstanding approach to teaching and learning! We can’t wait to meet you and your little ones!