So, you’ve just finished college or university and you’re about to take your first steps into a local, London nursery for the first time – where do you start, what should you do? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

We’re here to give you a few tips on how to prepare for their first day working in a nursery.

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Be prepared

As the old saying goes ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’. In order to make the very best impression you possibly can, we advise that you are as prepared as you can be – college and/or university can only prepare you so much! Here are some things you can do before starting your exciting new nursery job:

-Get to know your route – figure out how you’ll get there (train, tube, car, bus, walk) and how long the journey takes to ensure that you aren’t late on your first day (or any day after that!).

-Dress to impress – does your nursery have a dress code or even a uniform? If so, make sure you have the clothes you need ahead of starting.

-Be in the know – while the nursery will give you an induction of your first day, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on some key information. Being clued up on the nursery’s values and safeguarding will help you to stand out.

-Get some rest and some food – Having a good night’s sleep will help you to start the day right and don’t forget breakfast (or lunch if you are planning on bringing it with you). It’s really important to fuel your body – you are working in a nursery now; you are going to need all the energy you can get!

Keep a positive attitude

We all have bad days; however, you need to bring a positive attitude into the nursery you are working in. Children, no matter how small, can pick up on these little things it’s best to remain positive and helpful in any situation.

Of course, this is much easier said than done at times. Remember you are there to do a job and you must be professional. It's highly unlikely that your bad mood is as a result of one of the children you are working with so don’t take it out on them!

Listen and learn

Make sure you’re always listening to your manager or supervisor. Nursery managers and supervisors have been there and done it all before so, their feedback is invaluable. Listen to what they say and take on board their comments so that you can become the best nursery nurse you can be.

If you are worried you may forget what’s being said, write it down. Most nurseries encourage new starters to carry a small notebook with them for instances like this.

Thinking ahead

Once you’ve got to grips with things, start thinking of some activities to do in the various nursery rooms. Trust us; the existing staff will be thankful, and it shows some initiative! Activities you could do include:

-Sand play – building sandcastles alongside scooping, digging, pouring and sifting are great for building their muscles and coordination.

-Water play – helps children learn about the consequences of their actions and develop their hand-eye coordination and physical strength.

-Playdough play – a firm favourite with children and adults alike! Playdough is bright and colourful and allows children to get creative while strengthening their fingers for a lifetime of writing.

-Draw and painting – dive into the sensory world with the help of pencils and paints and give the children an opportunity to develop self-expression and learn about colours too.

-Music, dancing and singing – music and singing are hugely important in the development of language skills and help children to form basic literacy skills. Throw in some dancing to not only make it fun but to strengthen the children’s flexibility.

Enjoy yourself

The most important thing is to enjoy yourself. There are far less interesting jobs you could be doing – there aren’t many jobs out there where you get to play with sand and play dough! Although there may be some challenges heading your way the best thing you can do is embrace them. Don’t stress too much. We all have to start somewhere!

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We hope that these tips have helped you feel a little more confident ahead of your first day working in a real-life London nursery. Not found a nursery to work in just yet? Don’t panic. Take a look at the nursery and early years vacancies that we have available on our website or get in touch with one of our friendly team here.