Settling in a little one can be a stressful experience. Grandir UK outline ways to reduce the stress and support your child to make the transition to nursery easier, more successful and stress free

So, what is stress?

According to the NHS, stress shows up when we feel threatened or under pressure and can be triggered when we are doing something new or unexpected that takes us out of our comfort zone.

When we feel stressed, our body releases a ‘fight or flight’ hormone called adrenaline. The goal of this is to make us take action quickly, but too much of this hormone can negatively affect our mood, body or relationships.

Whether you are a growing baby or fully grown adult, everyone feels stress, and starting nursery for the first time or transitioning to a new nursery can be a recipe for stress for your child, and even yourself.

1. Don’t skip settling in sessions!

We often get asked if settling in sessions are necessary, and the answer is 100%, yes!

Settling in sessions are shorter, an hour or two, and help you and your child get used to being apart. To begin with, you, your child and your child’s key person will have a session together to help your little one get used to someone new. In the next session your child will spend a little time without you to see how they adjust. The process is always gently and gradual, but this time apart will slowly increase to help your little get used to being separate from you for periods of the day.

These sessions provide a gentle approach to nursery life, reducing separation anxiety which is very common in children from 0-5 years and managing the stress that moving to nursery can cause in this age group.

All Grandir UK nurseries and preschools provide settling in sessions before your little one officially starts nursery to ensure that the transition to nursery is a gentle and stress free as possible for everyone involved.

2. Learn calming methods with your nursery

Stress in children can show up in different ways, this could be crying, screaming, lashing out, withdrawal or through many other emotions.

There are many effective ways of calming down children, that include using breathing techniques, calm corners for children to relax and regulate their emotions in, and the use of colour to help communicate and understand emotions.

Different calming and regulating methods will work for different children, and the nursery staff and key persons will be able to work with you to establish what works best for your little one, so you can continue them at home.

3. Look for nurseries with calming environments

The type of environment will have a big impact on your child’s wellbeing and many nurseries will create an environment to embody a home-from-home feel to help your child feel, well, at home!  

Hygge environments are a great example of this and many Grandir UK nurseries include this in their offering.

A hygge environment “teaches children to slow down, take joy in the now and wait for the next pocket of happiness to gently tap them on the shoulder,” says Gina Lewis, nursery manager at Kiddi Caru Day Nursery and Preschool in Rushden and big believer in the hygge movement. “With the younger children, we are able to create lovely bonds with them in a more peaceful and tranquil environment.”

These are just a few of the many ways which you can help your child settle easily into nursery life.