10 Things You Should Bring to Nursery

Deciding to send your child to a nursery is never easy. You may need childcare for work commitments, or you may wish your child to socialise with other children of their age outside of the family home. Whatever your reasons, the process of choosing childcare can seem quite overwhelming.

But now, it’s actually happening. Your little one is off to nursery. If you’re feeling a little nervous or anxious about leaving your child at nursery for the first time, then having as much information as possible before their first day can help to alleviate some of your worries.

To help you prepare for your child’s first day, here’s a list of 10 things you need to bring to your nursery.

1. Bag

Your child will need to bring a bag to the nursery to store all of their belongings. You can take this bag home every night, or you can feel free to leave it at the nursery if you don’t need to add anything else. Your child will have a coat peg at the nursery where you can leave their bag, coat and any other belongings. We ask that bags not be too big, as we have limited storage space at most of our nurseries.

2. Nappies, Wipes & Creams

If you have a young child who is not yet toilet-trained, it’s important that you keep a stock of any items you use at home at the nursery. We’re happy for you to bring whole packs of nappies and wipes to the nursery, eliminating the need to bring in extras each day. We label your child’s packs of nappies and wipes with their name and store them in the nappy changing areas. It is also helpful to provide us with any creams that you would like your child to have applied whilst at nursery. These can be applied as needed.

3. Coat

All children, including babies, access the outdoors every day. Whilst time outdoors may be reduced due to particularly bad weather, we do operate on the premise that children will spend time outdoors come rain or shine. Therefore, children need to have the appropriate clothing to do so. For younger and non-mobile children, an all-in-one suit may be a better option.

4. Outdoor Shoes/Wellies

All children, including those who may not yet be walking, should have a pair of outdoor shoes available to change into at the nursery. These will be used when the children go out into the garden. Wellies are great for use in wet weather and can be removed or changed when the children come indoors. Many of our parents provide their children with a set of nursery wellies that remain at the nursery at all times.

5. Spare Sets of Clothes

You may have thought that your child went through so many clothes changes when at home; however, our commitment to fun and engaging activities often results in a mess. Please ensure that you bring at least three spare changes of clothes in your nursery bag, as we cannot promise they will return home in the clothes they arrived in! For those children who have just started toilet training, more spare clothing will need to be provided. We also ask that children don’t attend nursery in their best clothes. There will be a lot of fun and messy activities taking place, so be prepared for clothes to come home marked. While we encourage the use of aprons, we know these aren’t always popular or comfortable, so children will still be able to participate without them and change if they are wet.

6. Sun Cream & Sun Hat

Parents are asked to bring in their own sun cream for their child when at nursery. This removes any issues that may occur with sensitive skin or allergic reactions. Please ensure that you keep some sun cream in your child’s bag, as the sun can sometimes make an unexpected appearance. In addition to this, please ensure that your child has a sun hat to protect them when outdoors in hot weather.

7. Extra Underwear

If your child is toilet training, it is likely that they may have accidents while at nursery. Staff will be happy to support any toilet training needs at the nursery. Please ensure that there are sufficient spare changes of underwear or clothing if your child is undergoing toilet training while at nursery.

8. Slippers

Some children may wear slippers when indoors at home. We are happy for children to wear slippers indoors if they find this more comfortable; however, for children who are walking, we advise slippers with a rubber sole to avoid any slips or accidents.

9. Comfort Item

Having a reminder from home can provide children with the reassurance they need when starting at nursery. This may be a soft toy, dummy, blanket or other familiar items. To avoid losing or forgetting the item when collecting, some parents have purchased a separate like-for-like item that can remain at the nursery.

10. Any Necessary Medication

We understand that there may be times when children will require medication when at nursery. Please ensure that if your child needs access to medication whilst at nursery, this is made available. Please ask to see our Medication and Pain Relief Policy for more information.

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If you found this blog useful, why not read about how long it should take to settle in at a nursery?