Is Your Child Ready? Before you dive into the world of potty training, you should determine whether your child is ready for this turning point. Look for signs of readiness, such as a desire to use the restroom, discomfort in a soiled diaper, or longer periods of dryness. Because each child is unique, be patient and watchful. Invest in the Right Gear: Invest in the right equipment to make the adjustment to the potty as easy as possible. Consider purchasing a child-friendly potty chair or a regular toilet seat reducer. To make the experience more exciting, let your child choose their training pants or pants with fun patterns or favourite characters. Establish a Routine: When it comes to potty training, consistency is everything. Establish a regular schedule for bathroom breaks, such as after meals and before going to bed. Encourage your child to use the loo even if they do not need it. For example, a small reward or praise can go a long way towards creating an enjoyable experience with using the potty. Communication is Crucial: Having an open line of communication is essential with potty training. Encourage your child to communicate when they need to go by teaching them the phrases for common bodily functions. To strengthen the link between the event and the words, use an appropriate term or signal, such as “potty time.” Celebrate Small Victories: Potty training is a process rather than a race. Appreciate each little accomplishment, whether using the loo successfully, improving communication, or remaining dry all night. A sticker chart or a small treat are examples of positive encouragement that may motivate and build your child’s confidence. Be Patient and Understanding: Setbacks and accidents are inevitable. Stay patient and understanding and try not to let mishaps get you down. Comfort your child, tidy up with them, and tell them it’s okay. Both parents and children can benefit from the experience of potty training. Transitioning to Independence: Support your child’s independence gradually as they grow more accustomed to using the toilet. Educate them on how to wipe, flush, and wash their hands. Conclusion: A crucial turning point in your toddler’s journey towards independence is potty training. You can create a supportive environment, determination, and positive reinforcement to help you make your journey successful. Because each child is different, adjust this advice to meet your child’s needs, and acknowledge every win throughout this thrilling journey!

The Benefits of Outdoor Play for Children Outdoor play is an important part of a child’s growth and development. It gives children the chance to learn, explore, and develop important skills. In this blog, we will discuss the advantages of outdoor play for children and how it can aid in their physical, emotional, and social development. We’ll also look at how nurseries can include outdoor play into their curriculum while also providing a safe and exciting environment for children to learn and play. According to a recent National Trust study, children spend only half as much time outside as their parents do. This is a concerning trend because children benefit greatly from outdoor play. It aids in developing motor skills, improves physical fitness, and lowers the risk of obesity. Outdoor play also aids in the development of children’s social skills and creative thinking. Some of the advantages of outdoor play for children are as follows Physical Development: Outdoor play helps children develop their gross motor skills, such as running, jumping, and climbing. It also helps them develop their fine motor skills, such as picking up small objects and manipulating tools. Mental Health: Spending time outdoors can help reduce stress and anxiety in children. It can also improve their mood and increase their sense of well-being. Social Skills: Outdoor play provides children with opportunities to interact with other children and develop their social skills. It can help them learn how to share, take turns, and resolve conflicts. Creativity: Outdoor play encourages children to use their imagination and be creative. It provides them with opportunities to explore and experiment with the world around them. Cognitive Development: Outdoor play can help children develop their cognitive skills, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making. “The facilities at the nursery a really good, extracurricular activities and the outdoor space is great for the children. Everything at the nursery is great, again the staff, food, learning and facilities. The forest school and learning Spanish is an extra bonus.” Read more about what parents think about Happy Tree Academy Tips for Incorporating Outdoor Activities into Nursery Programs Here are some tips for incorporating outdoor activities into nursery programs Plan Ahead: Plan outdoor activities in advance and make sure you have all the necessary equipment and materials. Safety First: Ensure that the outdoor environment is safe for children. Check for hazards such as sharp objects, poisonous plants, and uneven surfaces. Be Flexible: Be flexible with your plans and allow children to explore and play freely. Encourage them to use their imagination and be creative. Encourage Exploration: Provide children with opportunities to explore and discover the natural world. Encourage them to touch, smell, and observe the environment around them. Make it Fun: Make outdoor activities fun and engaging for children. Use games, songs, and stories to encourage participation and keep children interested. Involve Parents: Involve parents in outdoor activities by inviting them to participate or providing them with information about the activities. Use Natural Materials: Use natural materials such as sticks, leaves, and rocks to encourage creativity and exploration. Provide Opportunities for Risk-Taking: Provide children with opportunities to take risks in a safe and controlled environment. This can help them develop their confidence and resilience. Incorporate Learning Objectives: Incorporate learning objectives into outdoor activities. For example, you could use outdoor activities to teach children about science, math, or language. Outdoor play is a time for children to explore, learn, and have fun. Enjoy the experience with them! Join our passionate team at the nursery! We welcome children aged 3 months to 5 years and our dedicated staff adore their work.  Give us a call at 01923388281, or reach out via email if you have any questions.

Credit: to https://www.daynurseries.co.uk/advice When is the right time for your child to start nursery? It’s a good question that many parents ask and a complex one.It is different for each child. Every child and their family are unique. The right time to send your child to nursery is based on a decision that is right for both the child and parent. What should parents consider before deciding when to send a child to nursery? There are many factors for parents to consider when deciding when to send their child to nursery. A decision about when is the right time to start nursery is usually influenced by choice or necessity. Factors for parents to consider include: Family budget. Financial means play a big part in decision making about what age a child actually starts nursery. Childcare availability. High quality nurseries often fill up quickly, meaning parents may have to make this decision when their baby is still quite young. Maternity and paternity leave rules. Many mums and dads send their child to nursery after their maternity leave and paternity leave offered by their employer ends in order to return to work. They will then require a nursery during working hours. Many mothers tend to take maternity leave for six or nine months. Personal wishes. Many nurseries do offer childcare for babies but for some parents if they can cope financially, their preference is to spend some of their child’s early years looking after them themselves. When you send a child to nursery, you may find when you go to pick them up at the end of the day, your child is tired after a day of playing and learning and may be grumpy so your time with your child won’t be as enjoyable. Government ‘free’ childcare offers. This is linked to children’s ages and factors into their decision about what age they send their child to nursery. Three-and-four-year-olds in England, are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare per week. This increases to 30 hours if both parents work. Child’s development. How is your child’s development? Do you feel they would benefit from early years education from trained professionals now and the chance to learn through play with other children? Some children are ready for nursery as young as six months. Some might need more time. The selected nursery. Look at the age requirement set by the nursery you are looking at as this will inevitably influence your decision. Child’s personality. Each child has a different character. For example, if your child is a confident, curious, sociable individual, you may want him or her to go to nursery earlier to benefit from the stimulating, social environment available there. If your child is more shy, quiet and reserved, he or she may benefit from one-to-one attention from for example, a childminder, grandparent or parent. Child’s independence. How independent are they? For some children, nursery will be that first step away from home and going to nursery can be great for boosting independence and learning new skills. If you are worried your child is too dependent on you, nursery can act as an important transition period between home and school. Routines. Is your child familiar with daily routines in their home life? Nurseries have routines that help children know what to expect. E.g. Snack time, lunchtime, playtime and naptime. This is normally at the same time each day. Try introducing some daily routine at home to get your child familiar with schedules. Emotions. Many parents feel a sense of guilt about leaving a young child at nursery. Add to this the separation anxiety felt by children whose stress hormone cortisol doubles during the first nine days of childcare without their parents and it is clear that the decision about what age to send a child to nursery is fraught with emotion. Nurseries will have settling-in sessions to enable families to get a feel for the setting and see how your child will cope in a new environment away from home. If you are rarely away from your child, a child might have a harder time being away from the parent, and may benefit from more time away from the parent before starting nursery e.g. in the care of a family member or childminder. (Please read the article ‘How do you help a child with separation anxiety at nursery?’ for tips to help children with separation anxiety and settling into nursery) What is the best age to send your child to nursery? There is no right or wrong answer to this. Quite simply, there is no best age to start nursery. However young a child is when they start nursery, ensure you choose a nursery where the staff have the skills and experience to care for the individual needs of a child of that age. Should a child start nursery from birth? Most nurseries offer places for children aged three-months-old or older, however some do offer places for babies as young as six-weeks-old. At this age, babies need a lot of care and nursery staff that look after very young babies will be experienced in feeding them milk, changing nappies and giving lots of cuddles. Is six months too young to start nursery? Many parents decide to send their child to nursery after six months so they can return to work. Many nurseries take babies from as young as six months and these will generally be cared for in a different room to the older children, so the environment is age-appropriate for them. Should my child start nursery at 1-2 years-old? Toddlers aged between one and two will be keen to learn and eager to enjoy new experiences so this can be an ideal age for attending nursery where they can mix with their peers and learn to share and socialise. Is 2-3 years-old an appropriate age to start nursery? When children are aged between two and three, parents are often thinking about returning to work or ensuring their children socialise with others their own age.Children learn a lot from each other and will be

Credit: to https://www.daynurseries.co.uk/advice What is separation anxiety? Separation anxiety is a feeling of stress usually felt by a child when they are away from their parent or main carer.At birth, your baby doesn’t realise that they are a separate individual because their parent responds to their every need.As time passes, they understand you are a different person from them, when they start to move about.When you are out of their sight, and your child is very young, they may not know where you are or even if you’ll ever return to them.This can create a huge amount of anxiety for a child. It is normal for young children to cry when they are apart from their parent/main carer.This is called separation anxiety. Why do children experience separation anxiety? Separation anxiety indicates that your baby realises how dependent they are on you. Your baby’s close bond with a parent/main carer may make them feel unsafe without them. Separation anxiety is a normal part of a child’s development between the ages of six months and five years. Research suggests separation anxiety peaks at 18 months, before subsiding at around three years. How does a child display separation anxiety? Babies and toddlers can become clingy and cry if parents leave them, even for a brief period of time. Signs of separation anxiety Anxiety UK has highlighted symptoms of separation anxiety occurring when a child is separated from parents. Common behaviours include: • Clinging to parents.• Extreme and severe crying.• Refusal to do things that would lead to separation.• Physical illness such as headaches or vomiting.• Violent, emotional tantrums.• Refusal to sleep alone.• Nightmares. Parents experience anxiety too If you have never been apart from your child before, the initial separation can be very hard on a parent.You may worry a lot when your child is not with you.You may only feel comfortable and stop worrying when you are with your child.You may make excuses like refusing to drop off your child to avoid being away from them. How should I respond to separation anxiety? Separation anxiety can make it difficult to leave your child at nursery.You might be sad when you see them crying and become concerned about what damage the separation may do to them, when you leave them.But your child should experience no negative impact from being away from you. It is normal for your baby to feel anxious without you.Parents must not feel guilty about leaving a child in someone else’s care. If you are a parent who is feeling anxious about leaving your child at nursery, you can: • Take deep breaths and count to 10.• Remind yourself you will see your child soon at pick up time.• Remember that by tackling separation anxiety, you are helping a child learn to cope without you and become more resilient and independent. How do you help a child with separation anxiety? Tips for separation anxiety. Practise short separationsYou could try leaving your child in someone else’s care for a few minutes and then gradually extend the time.Start by leaving your child with someone they know well so they feel comfortable and safe in your absence. Gradually work towards longer separations and then leaving them with someone in places that they are not familiar with. Leave your child with a comforting item It may a source of reassurance and comfort for your child if you leave something with them such as a favourite toy. This may comfort them while you are gone. Help your child get used to other childrenYou can take your child to a baby or toddler group which will give parents a chance to meet other parents while your child plays with other children.This experience will get them used to being around children of their own age. Familiarise child with the journey to nursery Take time to walk or drive past the nursery regularly to enable your child to become familiar with the front of the nursery. Be prepared for you and your child to feel distressed It is normal for you and your child to feel sadness about being separated when dropping off your child at nursery. But remember, this is all part of your child’s development and you should not feel guilty for leaving them. It is important your child’s anxiety doesn’t prevent them from having new experiences like socialising and it shouldn’t prevent you from going to work etc and having time away from your child.You can help your child understand and deal with their feelings and,if they are old enough, you can talk to them about what’s happening, where you’re going and when you’ll be with them again. Talk about what you’ll do together after nurseryIf they are old enough, you can speak to your child about what you will both do together after nursery, so that they have something to look forward to. Be positive about nursery and wave goodbye happily. When you talk about nursery, make it sound like an exciting place so they look forward to going there. When dropping off your child at nursery, smile and wave goodbye happily, no matter how anxious you feel to avoid the child picking up on any negative feelings. By giving your child the experience of saying goodbye in a positive way they are developing independence and resilience. Take comfort in the nursery’s key worker approach. Children need strong attachments and comfort from adults. You can tackle separation anxiety by ensuring a child has developed an attachment in the nursery before you leave the child.A nursery’s key worker system helps children settle in to nursery and helps address separation anxiety by enabling one nursery worker to take specific responsibility for your child and build a close bond with them.Your child’s keyworker at nursery may use items such as books and toys to help build trust with your child. You can test the strength of the bond your child has with a key worker before you leave your child, by leaving the room or moving