Childminder to Nursery

[1stTimerOnlyChild]

My DD is 2 years old and goes to the childminder for a really homely environment. She goes 4 full days per week.
I'm now looking to switch 1 of these days to Nursery to get her adapted to the environment.

Is that a good approach?
First timer with no other mums around me

A lot of nurseries will want two sessions per week rather than one, so that would be my suggestion to be honest. When is she three?

Please don't. There is no need and it will just be really destabilising for her one day a week. I would put her in a school nursery daily for the last year before Reception (3-4 years old) and the childminder could do wrap around if you need longer hours (sometimes schools will only give you 15 hours) or your could find a local preschool. Work with your childminder on this - they are a godsend.

I work with this age group and some of our children (3+) have gone to two different nurseries/ preschools and they always struggle with it even at that older age.

Not all schools have school nurseries: ours don’t.

We only take children from 2+ but those who do one day a week generally don't last long (either they are taken out or they do more days). They just get used to their normal routine and then it's disrupted by coming to preschool and they cry all day. A week is a long time for a young child. If your child is already with you 3 days and childminder 4 days, it will be disruptive to add something else on, which can undermine confidence and security.

True - but there will probably be a local preschool or even a day nursery preschool room, just for that final year.

We went to view a nursery who will accept her 1 day per week. Rated outstanding.
As soon as we arrived DD marched right in and made herself at home, exploring everywhere without me and she didn't want to leave.

My personal feeling on this if that if you have childcare you’re happy with there isn’t a need to rock the boat. I can quite see that some children may want to go from a childminder environment to nursery which is fine, and of course house moves or similar happen, but if you’re feeling she’d be better at nursery I’d send her to nursery tbh. But if you’re feeling she would be better with the childminder for a while longer then I’d do that.

She's craving more child interaction, hence the thought process. She always asks to play with other children. But the childminder only looks after 1 other

There can be novelty factor. We've had kids who don't shed a tear for a whole day (even without a parent there) and then the next day is a different story. You know your child best, but I am not sure what you're hoping to get out of it.

Does the childminder not take her to playgroups and activities?

She's a very confident independent child. She wants to play with children. No she doesn't go anywhere with childminder.

Do they not do outings at all?

I’m another one who thinks you should leave her where she is and the childminder drops her at a local preschool for 2 or three hours at least 2 times a week. They’re not all attached to schools. I think preschools are the ideal combination with home care rather than a day nursery.

It's not great childminder is not taking the kids out to playgroups at all or meeting up with other childminders in the park or whatever. Stop you take her to something on your day with her? Perhaps it is time to move on to a preschool/ nursery if she wants friendships but not just one day...that's just difficult to learn to the routines, make friends etc.

To be fair, many childminders don’t go to groups or meet ups. They spend time in woods and parks, going for days out and exploring the environment. Many areas don’t have play groups on at a suitable time. Most of the playgroups in my area don’t like childminders to attend, they actively prevent them as prefer it to be parents only.

I'd do 2 days, 1 day won't be worth it and she's unlikely to get into the new place if she's hardly there