Sending your child to nursery can be a very stressful decision. In fact, it is probably one of the most important decisions you will have to make for your child after he is born.
After all, the learning environment that they are exposed to at such a young age can have a significant impact on their long-term development. As education is so crucial for all children, it is critical that you dedicate the appropriate amount of thought to finding the right nursery for your child.
To help you with the search (it can certainly be an overwhelming one!), here are three essential things to look for when looking for the right nursery for your child.
1. A nursery that offers a safe and stimulating environment
First and foremost, you want to ensure that you are sending your child to a nursery that provides a safe and stimulating environment. Children who are under age three need to be cared for in a manner that is different to what is required for older children, which is why it is advisable to send your child to a nursery that is safe and offers a stimulating environment where your child can develop and thrive.
Take, for example, a nursery which is one of the top nurseries in Dubai. Here, children are not only in a safe environment but also in one that encourages them to move freely. The facilities ensure that there is the appropriate space for all parts of the curriculum to happen, as well as areas where children can be creative and use their imagination. Interestingly, these areas are designed to link in with “real-life experiences.”
More than just classroom areas, you want your nursery to have outdoor play areas so they can move and explore, as well as an indoor area with equipment for them to develop their physical balance and coordination.
2. A nursery with a strong curriculum — this matters so much!
As you may be able to tell, the key to finding a great nursery is to ensure that it has a wide array of facilities and offerings. However, the most crucial offering it must have is a strong curriculum as it is the curriculum that will be the backbone of your child’s experience at the nursery.
If you are living overseas, you may want to look for a British nursery in Dubai (or its equivalent) to ensure that your child is receiving the similar standard of a core curriculum that is based on the UK national curriculum.
When choosing between nurseries, make sure to take into consideration whether or not the staff administers the curriculum to each child’s unique learning needs and if they have a whole array of books and supplies that embrace all aspects of the curriculum. Ideally, the nursery you choose will offer extra-curricular activities and art classes such as music and dance intended to help your child develop their language, movement, and rhythm skills.
3. A nursery that encourages creativity
Undoubtedly, the best way for young children to learn is through play-based approaches.
More than just helping them gain basic knowledge, creative play promotes children’s social, cognitive, and physical development. Furthermore, activities that encourage children to be creative assist them in developing essential skills needed to interact, work, and cooperate with other human beings — yes, even at their age!
Therefore, when you are looking at potential nurseries, make sure to ask the staff how they utilize play and what they do to encourage the development of creativity. Additionally, you can ask them specifically how they structure the time for individual children’s interests. Last, but not least, pay attention to whether staff talk frequently to the children, even the younger ones, as this is critical to the development of the children’s communication and language skills.
Have you recently started looking at nurseries for your child? If so, what challenges are you facing when trying to identify which is the right one?
Alternatively, if you have already been through the process, what tips do you have to share with other parents who are currently struggling?
Let us start a conversation in the comments below!
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