Helping your child at home

Here are some suggestions about how you can support your child’s learning and development at home.

Encouraging Independence
When children come into Nursery, we encourage them to be independent, for skills such as:

• Taking their coats on and off (trying to do zips)
• Taking their shoes on and off
• Using the toilet by themselves

It is important to develop children’s self-esteem and co-ordination skills. These skills can be practised at home.

Communication and Language Skills
Developing speaking and listening skills is really important.

• At family meal times, encourage all family members to speak, listen and talk to each other, taking it in turns.
• Read books and stories to your child, especially at bed time.
• Take advantage of car / bus journeys to play games like: ‘I Spy’.

Number and Maths Opportunities
Encourage your child to be physically active everyday.

• When you are out shopping, you could ask your child to help by asking them to get you 3 apples or 2 bananas.
• At bath time, see if your child can count items in the bathroom such as ducks, toys or tiles.
• You could ask your child to help you set the table – can they get out 3 forks, 4 spoons, etc?
• On car / bus journeys – play simple games for example ‘how many red cars can you see . . . ?’

Physical (Gross and Fine) Motor Development
Encourage your child to be physically active everyday.

• Walk to Nursery
• Visit the local park, have a go on the climbing equipment
• Ride bikes / scooters
• Kick a football

Hungry Little Minds
Simple fun, activities for kids aged 0 – 5 (campaign.gov.uk)

Simple, fun activities for kids, from newborn to five

Many little things light up hungry little minds. Kids take everything in, and even the smallest things you do with them can make a big difference. They love it when you chat, play and read with them, even when they’re too young to understand everything. Whatever the time and wherever you are, you can turn almost anything into a game. And every little thing you do together will help set them up nicely for the day they start school.