Children's Day Nursery Ideas Sought

Children's Day Nursery Ideas Sought

by: AH - 08-03-13 17:05

Hi all

I am after a little bit of Market Research if possible. I am in the process of setting up a new Children's Day Nursery in my local area, and although I have extensive experience within this sector through my current role, I am looking for actual parent insight on a couple of things to assist me in the design and planning stage.

Firstly and most importantly The Name.My vision is to create a Brand, not just a name. We have Children's Centre experience, therefore, I want to use this knowledge to expand. I am looking at a name that symbolises achieving aspirations, for both children and families. Our aim is to work closely with parents, not just be a place to drop your children off. I dont want to give my name idea away on here as I am not sure it has been used before for a nursery. The name needs to be transferrable as a nursery and parenting support classes but with a different tag line!!! (hope that makes sense)

Secondly, a website. I am at the desgin stage for this - as parents, what is it that you love about your child's nursery settings website? Also, what else would you like to see on a website that isnt currently there?

Thirdly, whats the best thing about your child's nursery? Im thinking of physical features, layout, quirky things, something a bit different? We are starting from scratch so it can really encompass anything, inside and outside. I would love to hear your ideas about what you feel is important about a nursery for under 5.

Thanks for your help
Look forward to hearing your fab ideas

by: Tish501

Parents to pay month in advance since they never pay anyway !!

had my nursery for 8 years and that is the ONLY drawback.....love the job,designed it myself,converted it ourselves.....paperwork will take up all your time....

by: purepurple

Don't choose a name with the word 'kids' in, it really makes my teeth itch.

Also don't go for twee or cute. The best names are based on location.

In a nursery I would look for uniquesness, not branding or corporate identity.

Tag lines would not be of any interest- I would want to know that the staff were well qualified and experienced and also well paid.

by: Tiggy D

Little Fluffy Bunny Munchkins?"Our aim is to work closely with parents, not just be a place to drop your children off." How about Something Something House? I always think nurserys with House in their name give a homely impression and draws you in to want to visit.I'm not sure how many parent will parenting support classes. Are you aiming to attract children or families with issues of one kind or another? Will that not discourage many parents who don't feel that they need to go to a 'special help' nursery?                                                                                                                                                     Anyway, layout from scratch. I could write a book on my ideas and opinions on nursery layouts. The layout of the building affect everything that will come after. Think of a nursery with 24 3yo children with 3 rooms. How many staff do you need? 1:8 = 3 staff? Lets have freeflow. You'll need one staff in each room and one in the garden. 4 staff? Each of the rooms have one child playing in them with the member of staff leaving the other 21 children in the garden with only one staff. You would need 2 staff minimum for the garden. 5 staff? What if a child in the garden has an accident and needs changing in the bathroom? 6 staff then? With only 24 children? Child centred freeflow is not compatable with lots of little rooms. It also doesn't work with sticking strictly to ratios as there will always be the possibility of having one staff looking after only one child meaning that member of staff's 'other 7' children are elsewhere. Freeflow would only ever be possible in a one room 3-5 unit. Go for a large rectangle. Won't it get noisy and distracting for the children? Yes. It would be better to have several little rooms for the children to cut back on the distractions, so have dividing walls (Screens/units etc) at child height so the can't see the whole room at once but adults still can.                                                                                                                                     You want children to be independant? Make it possible for them. How many nurseries want children to go to their pegs, put their coats and wellies on and go outside without massive amounts of help? How many nurseries ask the children to share pegs meaning their coat might be under their bag which is under another child's coat with in turn is under the other child's bag? And how many nurseries have one big box of wellies so a child has to sort through 30 or 40 wellies to find their pair and then have to get them on by standing on one leg while being jostled by 20 other children all doing the same? The cloakroom area shouldn't be an afterthought. Each child should have a double peg each. Bag underneath, coat on top. Wellies in a welly rack with benches or chairs to sit on while they put them on. Enough room for a decent amount of children to use at once. Children can be quite independant if they are given the correct tools to do so.Storage. If you need a bit of sugar paper of no particular colour you should be able to get it without leaving the room, going down a corridoor, puting a coat on, going outside to the store shed, taking piles of stuff off the paper pile, and then taking what you need. Theese little things only take a few minutes but firstly, you need to cover your abscence in the room, and secondly, all those few minutes add up. All basic things should be available in the room.Gardens. I'm an outside kind of person. They're not an afterthought, they're a major asset. In my experience you can never train a person who doesn't really like the outdoors to love it. You either hire staff who are enthusiastic about the great outdoors or accept you're always be using the garden at 20% of it's possibilities.

by: Tiggy D

I put paragraphs in I swear! Stoopid computers! Grrr

by: Tish501

Well said Tiggy D and all that in a 'normal' days work xx

by: Donna Pelletier

Tiggy - I think you should write a book!

by: EMMA!

Yes that's spot on tiggy d! The day to day life of a nursery practitioners and the little problems we face turn into huge problems! X

by: calypso

Visit nuseries who share your vision. Pen Green for example or Reflections Nursery in Worthing, both are brimming with passion and enthusiasm for the children and families who attend.

by: Tiggy D

As I was saying, colour. Neutral colours for the walls and most of the fittings. I'm not talking about a designer's magnolia wonderland with vases of twigs and pebbly shit, but why have bright walls and furniture? To stimulate the children? The displays and toys and equipment should be stimulating and begging to be looked at, not the walls.Don't forget display boards. I worked in a place that had walls full of windows (Not complaining about those!), radiators, little cupboards, switches, and only left enough room for one board in a 26 place room. Wall space is useful and precious. Look for solutions that leave them free.Windows. Children are short. Windows should be low enough for them to see out of. I worked in a nursery that built a unit in the bottom of the garden. Beautiful natural setting. The children may as well have been in an industrial estate in Slough because the windows were too high to see out of. I believe the Reggio people would have insisted on having steps/viewing platforms so the children could see out. Great idea, but better to not mess it up in the first place.

by: Tiggy D

The paragraphs have gone again. I think Internet explorer hates this site :o(

by: Tiggy D

2 story nurseries never work. Makes freeflow too hard. mixing 2 - 5 year olds doesn't work. Toys that interest a 4 1/2 year old boy would be a choking hazard for a 2 year old toddler. Check out some warning labels. A 2-5 year old room means no toy smaller than and apple, so no Lego allowed. You'll be stuck with equipment made for under 3 year olds which a 4 1/2 year old will think of as boring so they'll be understimulated and 'disruptive'.                                                                                                                                                                I work supply quite a bit in a large chain of learning Journey factories that has children around. The children are a major obsticle to getting the lovely folders filled in. Parents do not give a toss about learning journies! When a parent asks for advice on how to find a good nursery I tell them not to bother with any that spends more that 10 seconds explaining learning journies on the showround. But won't that upset Ofsted? It might do, but it's not like the Ofsted grade of a nursery is any indication as to the quality of the nursery is it! Parents ignore Ofsted grades so don't bother chasing them too much.

by: Tiggy D

To sum up.Get good staff. Give them what they need. Let them get on with it.

by: Laura Henry

Great advice, Tiggy! I have seen a few nurseries where family grouping works on my travels. Nelly's in Dulwich who do - birth - two and then two - five. I have seen where set age grouping works as well.  All about the unique values of every setting. Indeed, having good staff is top of the tree. :-)   

by: Tiggy D

Having good staff and then trusting them. Paying sick pay would be a good start. Good staff don't take days off ill when they want to go to the beach. They think of the children and the other staff heir absence.                                                                                                                                                       And why, when people in the nursery discover a room has an 'extra' member of staff, do management assume they will be relaxing and putting their feet up doing nothing? When good staff find they're 'free' from ratios they use the opportunity to get stuff done like boards, cleaning, gardening or bloody learning journals.

by: Tish501

As an owner u make me chuckle Tiggy...so true....my two recent younger members of staff are learning to be 'good' staff....but having to be asked when free of ratios to do boards,cleaning,gardening or ****** learning journies...LOL