How to prepare your child for return to nursery after lockdown

Nurseries in England opened to all children on June 1st, with Wales following suit on June 29th and Scotland on August 11th. Many children will be returning to nursery after spending months at home. This transition will be exciting and apprehensive for both you and your child because it is a significant change from life in lockdown, especially if they attend full-time. With COVID-19 still, a threat, going to the nursery will be a completely different experience for both you and your child.

A lot of things will be different. The government has issued guidance for England stating that only one parent may pick up and drop off their child, with parents no longer permitted to enter the nursery to ensure their child is happily playing with friends and toys before leaving. Many children rely on soft toys for comfort, but these are also discouraged because they may carry the virus. Toys with hard surfaces, such as Lego, have also been banned in many nurseries due to COVID-19 risks.

Despite these changes, the staff is working hard to make your child's return to nursery happy and exciting, as well as to make the environment safe. It is entirely up to you how you prepare your child to return to the nursery. Your child may be eager to play with their friends again but forget to practice safety precautions such as hand washing, or they may be anxious and prefer to stay at home with you.

Children adjust quickly, but there are things you can do to assist them in adjusting.

Talk to your child about the advantages of returning to nursery school.

If your child is apprehensive about returning to a nursery, talk to them about why. It may have nothing to do with nursery, but they are having a great time at home.

Remind them of their nursery friends, favorite nursery practitioners, and the activities they participate in. Many children of key workers have continued to attend nursery, but your child is not alone in returning; many of their friends will also be returning. Any photos you have of them at the nursery could be useful. If your child is old enough to understand why they were forced to stop going to nursery, you can explain why the nursery is reopening and what is happening to keep them safe.

Re-establish their normal routine ahead of time.

Your child's daily routine may have been very different during the lockdown, and it may be difficult for them to return to their normal routine and to nursery all at once.

If at all possible, re-establish their previous morning routine a few days before they return to the nursery. Adjust mealtimes to coincide with when they eat at nursery. Take them out for exercise or to the park at the same time you would normally leave the house for nursery, to re-acquaint them with getting dressed and going out at that time.

If you speak a language other than English at home, your child may struggle to adjust to speaking English again at nursery. Try to speak English with them in the days leading up to their return to the nursery, or encourage them to watch their favorite English-speaking TV shows. Similarly, if your child attends a non-English speaking or bilingual nursery, converse with them in the language they will use while there.

Practicing new safety measures.

Nursery life will be very different for parents and children than it was before the lockdown. It may be upsetting for you as a parent not to be allowed inside the nursery to settle your child, and they may be confused as well. To reduce the risk to children, new rules will be implemented. 

These vary by the nursery, but may include: 

• Interacting in smaller groups, or bubbles, with specific toys reserved for their group.

• Cleaning toys on a regular basis and avoiding toys that are difficult to clean, such as teddies.

• Changing their clothes when they arrive.

• Markings for parents to stand behind when dropping off or picking up their child.

• Scheduling breaks and lunches, as well as drop-off and pick-up times.