Bad Behaviour at Nursery

[peskypoo]

My 4 year old son, who has always loved nursery, has suddenly started mis-behaving whilst there. I go to pick him up and every evening I get told he's had to have time out, told off for being rude, shouting and generally mis-behaving.
We have sticker charts at both Home and Nursery and he doesn't seem to be at all bothered about getting stickers for being good any more (it worked wonderfully for a while).
Any ideas?

When our sticker chart stopped working, we dramatically transformed it into a power ranger chart that involved pointers on a wheel and when it got to the top they earnt another Power Ranger - sitting on the shelf in the office staring down to add to the temptation. Being consistent with it, finding the perfect source of bribery - all can work again.
Have you asked the nursery why they think his behaviour has nose dived and what strategies they have put in place to help him improve? Can they identify trigger situations or times in the day when he finds it hard to listen/sit down/stay calm etc? If so, can they come up with pre-scenario praise and positive encouragement helping him to remember what he is supposed to do rather than wait until he is "naughty" and then told not to do it. Children respond to positives better than constant negatives.
I would try to get your nursery on side and look at ways to help him back up on top form. Try to get them to turn it into positive objectives instead of focussing on the negative in a retrospective end of the day way - which helps no one. The problem with them telling you this every evening is that he is probably tired, a little fed up of being in trouble again, you are no doubt frustrated that he has had another bad day and your contact time with him each day ends up with you spending time telling him how disappointed in him again rather than you both sharing your day?s stories with each other and having a nice family time..
Enough waffle. Hope it sorts itself out soon xx

Is this a day nursery? It sounds to me like at age 4 your DS is probably outgrowing nursery and not being challenged/stretched/interested by what happens there. Perhaps they could work on this. And you could try a super-duper sticker chart like fireworks suggests.

This is quite common with 4 year old boys. Have you read the book raising boys, there's alot to be said for the theories in the book.

When i was working nurseries we would try to distract, praise the good and make sure there was always something physical for them to do (not fighting) but even then there was the odd incident.

Good point about the physical Mary. Are they getting outside much at nursery now the weather has turned? Now that he is 4 he will need more exercise than younger ones.

My rule of thumb is generally get them doing something physical for at least 1/2 hour if you want any kind of calm or concentration out of them.