Nature Study for Preschoolers

It's the new school year in Dubai, and as an educator at a Children’s Nursery in Dubai you are thinking about what sort of activities might be enjoyable for the children in your class, something a little different than the activities you have been doing during the rest of the year. Well, since the weather is warm in Dubai you and your preschoolers will be spending more time outside over the next few months.  Being outside gives you and your little explorers the opportunity to enjoy one of the most important areas of the curriculum, which the study of nature and the environment.

Learning about nature and the environment,  preschoolers get a sense of wonder and excitement as they explore the world around them.  The Kid's Island Nursery, an Eco Friendly Nursery in Dubai explains that nature study for young children is feeling the wind blowing, smelling the flowers, watching a squirrel hunt for food, hearing the birds sing and watching a butterfly flutter by!.  A child's knowledge of nature can be expanded by encouraging children to observe, compare and contrast, experiment, ask questions, research, predict and talk about it with others.

If you are a Nursery in Dubai and would like to include nature in your curriculum, here are a few suggestions for doing nature study with preschoolers,

• Field trips - A nature field trip for preschoolers can be a simple trip to the park, the botanical gardens, a farm, the beach or the zoo. These are great environments to learn and observe the trees, the flowers, the birds, the animals, and anything else that might be present.
• Create a nature and environment room - Once the children have had the experience of the great outdoors, encourage them to bring back samples of what they you have found and bring in things from home for them to investigate in the future and set up a room dedicated to nature and the environment. Store objects such as shells, stones, leaves, petals and feathers. This can be sources of much exploration and discussion. Have posters and decor on the environment and nature, create a little area where the objects can be on display and children can observe them with tools such as magnifying glasses and also feature little fact sheets with observations made by the children.
• Collect books, magazines, posters, photographs, info graphics  and pictures about nature that is suitable and understandable by preschoolers, such the life cycle of a butterfly and parts of a flower
• Dedicate a day to watch a movie or video about nature and the environment
• Sings songs and rhymes and listen to various media related to nature study
• Ask the children to come dressed in his or her favourite nature outfit on a dedicated day
• Celebrate days dedicated to nature and the environment such as World Environment day and Earth day

The hot climate in Dubai is a good excuse for Nurseries in Dubai, to include a nature trip or field trip to allow preschoolers explore their environment and gain knowledge about nature.

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How to Handle the First Day of Nursery

Now that you have taken the first steps in selecting the best childcare nursery in Dubai, you may now be excited about the first day of sending your child to the kindergarten in Dubai or preschool in Dubai.

While nurseries in Dubai could help you cope with your anxieties of how your child will settle in to their schedule, it is still the first time for you and your child and there is nothing wrong in doing some background reading to prepare for this day.

Ensure that you don’t rush things in the morning. Start early. Get everyone to sleep early the night before and wake them up with considerable time to spare in the morning. So that the little one can take his time to eat and get ready and you will also have time to calm him or her down if they start throwing a tantrum.

Go as early as possible to the preschool. This way you can spend a little more time with your child till the other children arrive and the child can clearly see and get to know his or her teacher personally before it becomes packed with the other children.

If the school allows it, let your little child take along one of his favourite comforting object, a blanket or a soft toy, so that the new environment will not be too scary. Once he gets familiar with his or her environment and makes new friends this object can slowly be removed.

You as a parent should set the mood by being happy and smiling. If you show any sign or anxiety the child will be likely to pick up those signs and be scared as well. But if you sound happy and confident the child will start off with a confident step as well.

Some nurseries will allow the parents to stay around on the first day of school. Try not to be in hovering over the child always and just stay out of the class only to step in if needed. So with time the child will understand that you are close by to come if required and help him to get more comfortable around the teacher.

Help the preschool teachers to do their job by keeping your goodbyes short and sweet. Be clear to the child when you will be back, like after lunch. Leave with a smile and try not to look back as it can make the child feel insecure.

Don’t panic and run back if you hear your child crying, the teachers have experience in handling many children. Trust them and your instinct to make the right call.

 http://www.kidsislandnursery.com

Motor skills Development You Can Expect from Pre-Schoolers

When little children first start to walk and move around, they will need a lot of guidance and you will see that they are unable to handle equipment’s firmly without dropping or losing control over them. The difference between these children and adults are the development of motor skills. We as adults are able to understand the difference between carrying a small object and a large object, walk and move without tripping and carry out activities like tying a shoe lace or even drive a car. Can you image a young toddler doing these tasks?

So how do these little hands and legs learn to do these tasks in the years to come? What role do parents and nursery care givers at Dubai nursery and day care in Dubai have to play in helping them to develop their motor skills?

Childrens nursery in Dubai encourages children to be independent every day. It helps the children to feel more confident and keep attempting tasks like placing blocks on top of another perfectly, or placing items back in the rack. This will help towards the gradual improvement in fine motor skills. Childcare nursery in Dubai is careful not to rush children to complete tasks, patience is key in letting the children carry out tasks slowly till they master a specific skill. Even parents are encouraged to practice this at home and try to avoid rushing the children into completing tasks. This will also help to ensure that the children do not rush to complete tasks and run the risk of injuring themselves. 

Parents and nurseries are encouraged to not to help the children in all tasks, and let them gradually start doing things on their own. Like putting away the toys after play, hanging the water bottle, removing the shoes, etc. When they are encouraged to carry out these tasks every day their tiny hands and feet will begin to develop. With time they will be able to draw and write and even dance, jump and run without falling. The activities in the nurseries will the children in developing these physical and mental skills towards fine and gross motor skills development. 

It is found the young children develop gross motor skills faster than the fine motor skills. This is why they are able to walk within the second ear but not able to write till around the third or fourth year in their life.

The important role you play as an adult in their life is to carefully monitor their activities and when they begin to show interest in a specific task encourage them to try it out. Be patient around them and let them make mistakes. With practice they will be able to grasp new tasks faster. 

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Importance of Summer Holiday Camps for Kids

Summer time is great fun for children who look forward to the school holidays and many times dreaded by the parents. Keeping the children busy and entertained while attending to the day to day work is always a challenge. Many parents depend on a day care in Dubai to care for their children while they are at work. Parents young and old deal with this issue year after year and await the start of a new school term in their children’s Dubai nursery more eagerly than children.

Have you thought of how best you can utilize the summer holidays for the children while making it fun and educational? Many childrens nursery in Dubai offer various activities during summer holidays to keep children engaged and entertained. Many of these may be art and craft programmes for a few hours or even less. But summer holiday camps for children organized by a childcare nursery in Dubai are not only packed with fun for many hours if not days but they are also a great way to help children learn many new skills.

If your children are addicted to the television and electronic games, a summer camp will help get them started on spending the day more physically active. Camps are packed with various activities which may include climbing, hiking, running, jumping and swimming. Camps will also help towards developing the children’s self-confidence by letting them experience success in various activities.

Camps will also help children conquer fears and gain resiliency. They will be encouraged to try new things again and again to enable them to endure various setbacks. The skills they develop at these camps will stay with them for a life time. From various adventure, sports and/or artistic skills children will be able to discover new activities and develop skills in what they are most interested in.

Children will grow to be more independent in making decisions and caring for themselves and others. Good social skills will also be grasped through interacting with others. Camps also sets a good environment for children to learn social skills, connect with nature and make new friends which having great fun.

If you are one of those parents at a lost on how to spend the children’s summer holidays it is worth considering engaging them in an engaging summer camp. Speak to your school today to find out what they have in store this summer.

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How the Brain Develops During Early Childhood

Early year’s education in Dubai is given much importance as the children go through important development stages during their time in nurseries in Dubai. All activities carried out in any kindergarten in Dubai is aligned with aiding the children to learn in line with their brain developments.

Many nurseries in Dubai are able to observe great improvements in the childrens abilities comparatively to the time they joined the nursery. They will have better abilities in understanding and speaking and handling equipment’s. This is all related to the brain developments they are going through which makes the children capable of many complex cognitive and behavioral abilities.

The brain as we know it contains a right cerebral hemisphere and a left. It has been researched for many years and found that skills and competence related to logic, writing, language, mathematics are located in the left side of the brain while skills related to artistry, creativity, music, fantasy are found in the right hemisphere. But even if the skills are found in different areas the brain masses generally coordinate and work together.

But the development of these two areas happens at different times. The left hemisphere is more likely to full develop during early childhood years of two – six. The right hemisphere would go through its development till childhood years of Seven – Eleven. As the left side develops earlier the skills in those areas are likely to predominate for long. This explains why children are able to learn languages fast in the early years.

Brain development also determines if the person will be left or right handed. Some never develop a preference for the hand and are known as ambidextrous. The brains left cerebral is known to be associated with right handedness and vice versa for left handedness.

Ever wondered why old children do certain behaviors that the young children are not capable of? This is related to the nervous system, which develops in two stages. The glial cells (nervous system support cells) surrounding the neurons are do the role of insulating, nourishing and removing waste from the neuron, these gradually develop through infancy to early childhood.

Speak to your nursery care givers today if you are concerned about any delays in your child development and activities done at the nursery. Proper guidance is vital at this early stage to help them develop at an ideal rate.  

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The benefits of sending my child to day care

As parents who have a supportive network of friends, neighbours, or family to look after young children while they are at work, then you’re one of the lucky ones, who will not have to make the decision between day care or nanny. However, caring for your child at home is not an option, then the choice between nanny or day care can be a tough decision.

The most striking fact when choosing a nanny over day care, is that day cares are certified professional child care individuals who provide a stable environment for young children to be in. If you have never had a nanny before and have to hire a new one who will need to start caring for your child on short notice, you may not always find the right one, immediately. You may have to go through a few nannies before, you know your child is in safe hands, and this instability can leave your child confused emotionally, as she gets comfortable with one, when a new nanny replaces the old one.

Some nannies can be fun to be around with, and are in the habit or helping your child’s development needs along. They may give your child one-on-one attention, having fun learning activities planned for the whole day, but many do not do more than feeding, clothing, bathing and putting your child to sleep. Your child will certainly be well taken of, but they will not gain as much as being in a day care. When your child attends day care, they learn new things, develop their social skills, and make new friends.

Day care is structured, and works according to a schedule. A good structured schedule is beneficial to children in more ways than one. Having a set time to wake up means, they will fall asleep each night and have naps at the same time too. This also helps to prepare them for school, and additionally good sleeping habits for children promotes physical development and strong immune systems. Structure can be developed at home too, and although children as young as one, do not require routine, by the time they reach two, sending them to day care, will help them get ready for pre-kindergarten in Dubai.

Day cares prevent children from being depressed. If depression runs in your family, then leaving your child alone with a total stranger may lead them to linger in thoughts of loneliness and anguish till you return home. However, children who have a family history of depression are able to better cope with the condition as they are distracted from feeling lonely, when surrounded by children their own age and by taking part in activities.

One thing that all children need is space to run and play. In many cases, a child’s diet is different from that of us adults, and are mostly fed nutritious food that contains energy. Staying at home is certainly a good choice if they are provided with enough space to play in safely. Growing children do need an area to play in, which helps them to burn the energy they gain, strengthen muscles and bones.

If you have the choice to hire a nanny or choose a good day care, then there are other factors that you may need to consider, like costs of hiring a nanny vs. putting your child in day care, how many hours of the day does your child need to be taken care of, is it for the whole day or just a couple of hours, how reliable is the nanny compared to a day care, and most importantly would your child be comfortable alone in the hands of a nanny? Leaving your child at home with a nanny does have its benefits, but unless the nanny is passionate about caring for children, an approved day care with flexible hours will meet the child’s needs and keep them safe for you while you are away.

Kids Island and Cocoon Nurseries is an approved day and nursery in Dubai with teachers and care givers ready to take on the responsibility of caring for your child fulltime. Our nursery has a certified nurse on call for emergencies. In addition to looking after children, our facilities are designed for young children to learn things, play, and develop their own character and independence, while all their needs are met. If you are looking for a flexible day care in Dubai, drop by for a visit of our facilities with your toddler and explore our nurseries and talk to our team of loving child care professionals.

Encouraging Good behaviour

Kids Island Nursery and Cocoon Nursery in Dubai are professional early childhood educators in Dubai who lead by example. We encourage good behaviour by mimicking what we want children to follow. We are governed by the EYFS framework which guides our education activities, and the kind of educators we hire as your child’s caregiver. We believe that teaching children to behave positively means, we have to behave positively ourselves so children will follow.

Kids Island and Cocoon Nurseries leads by example, and we try to follow the right code of conduct in every situation. We understand that children are mainly influenced the actions of adults and not by our words, and therefore setting the right example is key to bringing up kind, considerate and compassionate children in Dubai.

Many parents say that at times, they are frustrated by the fruitless attempt to get their child to behave when out in social situations. And no amount of yelling out rules gets to them. Although we are inclined to correct our children at every corner, the best way to influence good behaviour is by modelling that behaviour in every situation. So if you want your child to say, “Please”, “Thank you”, and “May I?” we have to do the same when interacting with other adults and the children as well.

Our curriculum entails varied subject matters, but we include many learning opportunities to help children practice good manners. The stories we read are selected on good moral endings which help them see opportunities where others succeed by being nice. We include role plays, to encourage kindness to each other. We use role play and games to create situations where they can show off their good behaviour they learn. It is important that we teach and also let them practice.

The staff at Kids Island and Cocoon Nurseries in Dubai are trained to observe good behaviour and offer praise and encouragement as positive reinforcement. Children love to gain recognition for things they do, and by appreciating good behaviour, each time, children are motivated to keep at it.

We encourage many parents to try these simple steps at home too, and although at times, you may find yourself pulling your hair out in anger, it is always best to not show your frustration to your child and instead try the talking and reasoning method. If you find that your three year old is constantly drawing on important documents and presentations, they may repeat this action, because they think it’s funny, and also to get your attention. Furthermore, they are inclined to react the same way towards another sibling, should the same happen to them. Instead of yelling, sit down with him, and explain to him how important your work documents are, tell them how long it takes to complete, and how you would much rather spend that time with them at home. Children always want to know that they are the centre of your world, and by relating this fact to them, your young toddler will see to it that he never draws at the back of your project proposal again.

Our nurseries Dubai are centred around encouraging good behaviour as well as cultivating a need to learn.