4 Ways to Tell if Your Child Might be Ready for Nursery

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Starting nursery is a huge step for any parent and child. It can be such a nervous time for everyone involved and you will no doubt be asking yourself lots of question about whether you are making the right decision. Are both you and your child ready for that next step? How can you be sure your child is truly ready? Will they enjoy it?

Of course the answer (and age) will be different for every family since every child is different and of course not every child will go to nursery either. However if you are wondering whether your child is ready to start nursery, there are some things you can look out for that will allow you to feel as though your child is prepared. That is why, with the help of a Nursery in London, we have put together some areas that can help you identify whether or not your child is ready for the move to nursery school. 

Can They Be Alone? 

Being alone is not something many babies or toddler will have experienced much before so of course for some this will always be hard to begin with. But how is your child when it comes to being left alone to their own devices to play? Or if they are left with someone else whilst you run errands etc? Much of the worry with going to nursery school is that your child may suffer from separation anxiety if they are not used to spending time away from you, or by themselves to play.

Try and inspire independent playtime so that the chances of that anxiety developing are lower. If you have a grandparents or good friends that you trust, you could try leaving your child with them for short periods such as popping to the shop to see how they handle it. If they struggle you could try shorter times and building up to a longer period of time.

Are They Toilet Trained? 

Most nurseries will likely only accept your child if they are toilet trained, or at least show strong signs that they’re getting it right. Of course if your child is going to be attending a nursery at a very young age the same rules won't apply. Your child should be demonstrating a level of self-care awareness, where they know when they need to go to the toilet, how to wash and dry their hands and how to eat sensibly. However if they aren't quite there yet, these are all skills that can easily be practiced at home regularly to help kids gain confidence in these skills.

How Do They Interact With Other Children? 

Making friends and socialising is a big reason why many parents are keen for their children to attend a nursery setting. Going to nursery school means that they will be spending a lot more time with other children and encountering different situations. How are they when interacting with other kids? Some children can be quite shy, or overly aggressive around other children, so you will want to be comfortable that they’re going to be able to interact well and pay attention.

Of course you can help prepare them by going to parent-child activity groups that will allow them to meet other children from a young age, as well as be introduced to the idea of paying attention to a teacher or an instructor who is leading a lesson. Or you could arrange play dates at the park or picnics etc with other children of the same age or who may be attending the nursery too. This will give children the chance to make new friends and practice their social and playing skills before entering a nursery setting.

How Is Their Stamina? 

Nursery school days will mean a lot more is suddenly happening in your child’s day. Do you think they have the stamina to make it through the nursery school day? Make sure there’s structure in your child’s days ahead of nursery that’ll keep them used to the idea of a routine, and try to match the timings of it up to the length of a nursery school day. That way, it won’t be as much of a shock to the system, and they’ll have the stamina to make it to nap time. If your child is still napping it is important to let the nursery know so they can try to accommodate this and watch out for the signs that your child might need some quiet time or a nap.

As I mentioned above there are no set of rules for knowing when your child is ready, only you can really decide that. Of course for some this will be taken out of your hands for work commitment reasons etc and others may choose not to send their child to nursery at all. The above information is just some helpful questions you might be able to ask yourself as a guide as to whether your child might be ready for nursery. 

Remember if you are considering nursery for your child to go look around, ask questions and take your time in finding the perfect space that both you and your child love. 

How did you know your child was ready for nursery and how did you find the perfect nursery for you and your child? 

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**This is a collaborative post.**