Creating a Nursery that Enriches a Child’s Experience

Mums Tips

Childcare

Published on Monday, 18 November 2019 21:50

Last Updated on 18 November 2019

Monica Costa

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For many parents, while they might love the idea of continuing their job as a stay-at-home mum or dad, often, this is a situation that is short-lived. Finances usually play a huge part in why parents have to go back to work, and so the feeling of worry about how their child will continue their development journey is much higher. When it comes time for them to go back to work, they want to know that their child is not only in safe hands but is also having an enriching experience. As a nursery worker, you have a responsibility to provide the children in your care with such an experience, and here is how you can do so.

Choose Engaging Activities

Depending on the age of the little ones who attend your nursery, the activities that you choose to do can vary, but the main focus of these tasks should be to build up skills. For example, building blocks will improve their fine motor skills, whereas an obstacle course will help develop their hand-eye coordination. The challenge, however, is how to get the children to engage in the activities. The solution is simple; you make the learning as fun as possible. Picking educational activities that allow a toddler to play is essential. Be sure to use lots of bright colours and make the most of the space you have around you. If you have outside space, encourage the children to create a small garden or den, organise sand and water play, or use chalk to draw on the pavement. All these activities will ensure the children are having fun while also building vital life skills.

There are plenty of indoor activities that do just the same, including:

• Making models with playdough
• Finger paint counting and crafts
• DIY experiments
• Storytime
• Puzzles

Think About The Displays

From personal development to language, communication, and creative development, there is so much for a child to improve. However, it’s not just the activities that can contribute to a child’s enriching experience; it is also the displays around them. Each term or every season, consider changing up the nursery displays to best represent the changing weather or time of year, for example. By exploring autumn nursery display ideas on the Early Years website, you can incorporate natural resources such as pine cones and leaves and discover new ways to make activities fun! Researching different ideas online enables you as the teacher to link the theme to the Early Years Foundation Stage, and track an individual child’s experience and development.

 

Involve the Parents

The parents or guardians of the youngsters will undoubtedly want to know how they are getting on when they are not around. This is why it is incredibly important to regularly monitor and keep track of their child’s personal development. Monitoring their progress is not only for the benefit of the parents, however. Children develop at different rates, so while a fun activity involving completing a puzzle could see one child strive and improve their cognitive skills, another child may struggle and get nothing out of it. This is why tailoring activities to a child based on their development level is necessary when you are trying to create an enriching environment.

Involving the parents in the process will mean that their child is constantly improving their skills both at home and in the nursery. Regularly keep in contact, so that any development improvements are noted and can be taken into account when organising tasks.