We understand that all children develop at their own pace, and that we’re all learning from birth. When it’s time to start school, some children will need more help than others.
There are key skills that schools expect children to be learning. Practising these will make your child’s journey to Reception as positive as possible.
In Nursery, we will work with you and your child to help get them ready but there’s lots you can do at home to build your child’s confidence and independence, helping them feel emotionally and practically prepared to start Reception.
Growing independence
Taking care of themselves
- Putting on/taking off their coat and shoes
- Using the toilet and washing their hands
- Getting dressed with little help, e.g. after using the toilet or doing PE
- Using cutlery (e.g. fork and spoon, chopsticks) and drinking from an open cup
- Spending time away from you, learning they can be looked after by caring adults
Play, creativity and curiosity
- Taking part in imaginative play (e.g. role play)
- Drawing, painting, colouring and sticking
- Sharing story books with caregivers, looking at pictures and talking about the characters
- Exploring the world around them (e.g. looking closely at the natural world or playing safely with objects at home)
Speech and Language
How many words should my child know?
In typical development:
- Children say their first words about the age of one (although they understand some words for some time before this).
- By about 18 months, children might use about 20 words, but they’ll understand more.
- By two years old, most children can say 50 words and understand between 200 and 500.
- By three years old, most children can say about 300 words.
- By the time a child reaches five years old, they may know know and use as many as 2,500 words.
