Parent helpers in Nursery/Reception class

[JinglingAllTheWay]

If you were going into your DC's nursery or Reception class as a parent helper, what jobs would you expect and be happy to do?

Have helped in both. Jobs have included:

• reading with individuals, small groups
• supervising craft or other activities (small group or individual)
• running cooking sessions
• dishes, clearing up
• sorting out toys/shelves/other equipment
• going on school trips
• helping with shows
• filing
• preparing displays

Have also helped in both. Mostly listening to reading 1:1 but also some putting together/up wall displays, changing reading books, and small amounts of photocopying, laminating, cutting out and tidying up to help the TA.

I have just started helping regularly in recption class. I have helped with projects the kids are working on individually (eg making mobiles) mainly. Because I now have my CRB, they have also started me on reading with the kids in space outside the room.

At nursery I either did specific jobs the teachers asked of me such as cutting out heart shapes or brought in a cooking project to do with the kids. Or just hung out and did whatever with the kids - looked at their journals, read a book to them or simply played with them. I like this more than at the previous preschool where after spending about 20 minutes with the kids, you were then stuck in the kitchen making constant tea and coffee for the teachers and then washing up all the snack bowls.

At preschool, I was expected to help with snack prep and clear up, washing up, activity clear up, talking with children while joining in an activity, reading stories to one or two ( or 3 or 4) children in book corner at children's requests.

At school, reception year, it was more about going in to help with particular activities that needed a high adult child ratio- bug hunting, walking to the next village, harvesting potatoes, making things from craft kits with instructions to follow.
Some parents do go into listen to reading, I don't,