Settling Your Child In - The First Few Days
Settling into a new environment is always difficult no matter how young or old you are. We appreciate that you are probably feeling a little worried about the first few days you leave your child at Mucky Pups. But there are lots of things you can do to help your child settle quickly with us and feel happy and secure in the setting.
1. Try to look happy and confident when you drop off your child, your child will pick up on your emotions: if you appear upset your child will respond to this.
2. When you arrive at the setting please help your child to hang their coat up on the pegs just outside the room.
3. Your child will be given a keyworker (a key person who will keep a close eye on your child: how they are settling and their progress). We will tell you who that key person is at the end of your child’s first or second day. Please look out for this person as a point of contact when you are dropping your child off.
4. If your child likes a comforter at home please feel free to bring this in. A favourite teddy, blanket or dummy can be very soothing to your child as they begin to settle.
5. Aim to make a ‘clean break’ when you leave your child. Try not to linger and go back to them if they cry. In most cases this only carries on for a few minutes after you have gone. Please be assured that we will contact you if we cannot settle your child within a reasonable amount of time.
6. Please feel free to call us to check how your child is doing.
7. Remember that settling into a new environment can be a tiring experience. Your child may seem more tired than usual for the first few days or even weeks. Don’t worry, this is perfectly normal.
1. Try to look happy and confident when you drop off your child, your child will pick up on your emotions: if you appear upset your child will respond to this.
2. When you arrive at the setting please help your child to hang their coat up on the pegs just outside the room.
3. Your child will be given a keyworker (a key person who will keep a close eye on your child: how they are settling and their progress). We will tell you who that key person is at the end of your child’s first or second day. Please look out for this person as a point of contact when you are dropping your child off.
4. If your child likes a comforter at home please feel free to bring this in. A favourite teddy, blanket or dummy can be very soothing to your child as they begin to settle.
5. Aim to make a ‘clean break’ when you leave your child. Try not to linger and go back to them if they cry. In most cases this only carries on for a few minutes after you have gone. Please be assured that we will contact you if we cannot settle your child within a reasonable amount of time.
6. Please feel free to call us to check how your child is doing.
7. Remember that settling into a new environment can be a tiring experience. Your child may seem more tired than usual for the first few days or even weeks. Don’t worry, this is perfectly normal.
Encouraging Independence
Here at Mucky Pups we will support your child in becoming independent and taking care of themselves.
You can help us to do this by showing your child how to:
Tell a grown-up if their nappy needs changing, or if they need the toilet.
Use a potty or toilet and wipe afterwards.
Wash their hands after using the toilet/before eating.
Hang up their coat.
Put on their shoes.
Dressing & undressing.
Taking ownership of their own belongings and caring for them (EG, putting their coat away after being outside)
We will encourage your child by:
Giving them lots of praise when they get it right.
Not responding negatively when they have an accident or make a mistake.
Talking about why it is important to do things such as washing their hands after using the toilet.
Using song, rhyme and activities to make learning fun!
Repeating activities and learning regularly to help solidify knowledge and understanding.
Working alongside parents/carers to ensure continuity of care at home and preschool.
You can also support the work we do by:
Labelling your child's clothing with their name.
Putting some spare clothes in your childs bag in case of accidents or getting wet/muddy outside.
Choosing shoes that are easy for your child to get on and off - preferably no laces please.
Sharing how your children are getting along at home with their keyworker.
Using lots of praise and encouragement with your child when they get things right.
Not penalising your child when they get things a bit wrong.
Creating a good routine at home which includes going to bed at appropriate time, eating well and making healthy choices.
Remember, being small is hard work and learning all these new things which may seem very simple to us grown ups is very hard and tiring work. Children will get frustrated and tantrums will happen, it is our job as grown ups to teach them how to control these emotions and use their will and determination to succeed. If we do this now with putting their shoes on imagine what they will be able to persevere at when they are out in the big bad world as grown ups, creating a cure for illnesses, running the country, developing as mission to Mars or bringing up their own little bundles of joy!!!!
You can help us to do this by showing your child how to:
Tell a grown-up if their nappy needs changing, or if they need the toilet.
Use a potty or toilet and wipe afterwards.
Wash their hands after using the toilet/before eating.
Hang up their coat.
Put on their shoes.
Dressing & undressing.
Taking ownership of their own belongings and caring for them (EG, putting their coat away after being outside)
We will encourage your child by:
Giving them lots of praise when they get it right.
Not responding negatively when they have an accident or make a mistake.
Talking about why it is important to do things such as washing their hands after using the toilet.
Using song, rhyme and activities to make learning fun!
Repeating activities and learning regularly to help solidify knowledge and understanding.
Working alongside parents/carers to ensure continuity of care at home and preschool.
You can also support the work we do by:
Labelling your child's clothing with their name.
Putting some spare clothes in your childs bag in case of accidents or getting wet/muddy outside.
Choosing shoes that are easy for your child to get on and off - preferably no laces please.
Sharing how your children are getting along at home with their keyworker.
Using lots of praise and encouragement with your child when they get things right.
Not penalising your child when they get things a bit wrong.
Creating a good routine at home which includes going to bed at appropriate time, eating well and making healthy choices.
Remember, being small is hard work and learning all these new things which may seem very simple to us grown ups is very hard and tiring work. Children will get frustrated and tantrums will happen, it is our job as grown ups to teach them how to control these emotions and use their will and determination to succeed. If we do this now with putting their shoes on imagine what they will be able to persevere at when they are out in the big bad world as grown ups, creating a cure for illnesses, running the country, developing as mission to Mars or bringing up their own little bundles of joy!!!!
