Early years resources for parents and carers

Supporting you and your child to embark upon an exciting early years journey

Your child’s nursery journey

Supporting your early education journey every step of the way

 

We’re on a mission to widen parents’ understanding of the value of early years education. We know that a child in nursery has the opportunity to; relax and be creative, experience open-ended play, be physically and mentally active, get messy, loud and take risks, develop their language with peers and develop their balance and coordination.

 

Download our free parent guides to support you through your early education journey below.

 

 

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Your child’s nursery journey

Find a nursery for your child

Access our guides to help you make that important decision.

 

At NDNA, we know that choosing an early years setting for your child is one of the most important decisions you can make in starting your child’s educational journey.

 

Did you know a high quality nursery can put children three months ahead? Enrolling your child in an early years setting can have a positive impact that lasts a lifetime. Find out more about this through our campaign.

Access our guides to help you choose:

 

Find a nursery for your child

Are you a parent/carer preparing for nursery?

Let NDNA support you on your journey to prepare for nursery.

 

Thinking about childcare and returning to work can be a daunting and often a scary thought, especially when baby places in popular, high quality nurseries often fill up fast meaning you may have to make these decisions when your baby is still quite young.

 

This factsheet has been developed to support you through this process and make that transition from parental leave to a working parent a little easier.

 

 

Free guide to preparing for nursery
Are you a parent/carer preparing for nursery?

Are your children already in early years education?

NDNA has a range of resources to assist parents and carers to gain the most from their child’s early childhood education and learning journey.

 

NDNA’s parent guide series equips parents and carers with the knowledge to help their child thrive throughout their time at nursery:

 

 

Are your children already in early years education?

Is your child getting ready for school?

Access NDNA’s resources to help equip your child for school.

 

School is a big step for any child but one that is often supported well by attending an early years educational setting. NDNA has developed a ‘getting ready for school’ series of guides for parents and carers.

Is your child getting ready for school?

Looking for early years funding information?

NDNA is working to address the challenges facing nurseries across England, Scotland and Wales.

 

Research repeatedly shows that high quality early years education and childcare can improve children’s educational outcomes and later life chances as well as narrow the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers from more affluent backgrounds.

Find out more about what NDNA is doing to lobby and campaign for better funding for early years settings in each nation.

If you are an eligible working parent of a two-year-old download our quick step guides to take you through the steps needed to obtain your code.

 

 

More funding information
Looking for early years funding information?

Nurseries aren’t just childcare.

Did you know a high quality nursery can put children three months ahead?

 

We know that nurseries and the early years workforce have an impact that lasts a lifetime. We’re here to shout loud and proud about the incredible difference nurseries and the early years workforce make and give thanks to those who give so much to the futures of children. A high-quality, affordable early years sector also enables parents to be a productive part of the workforce.

Nominate a Super Star in your child’s early years setting, help us to spread the word and watch our video to see just much those #firstfiveyearscount.

 

 

Nominate a Super Star
Nurseries aren’t just childcare.

Quiet time activity ideas

Taking part in quiet time benefits children’s well-being, improves sleep quality, helps them to regulate their emotions and improves memory and cognitive development.

 

Calm, relaxing activities do not mean children have to stop playing and having fun or to sit still in one place, it just means a change to the pace, focus and external stimuli, whilst continuing to provide fun experiences for children to be involved in. Be a great role model by taking time to find space in your day for some calm, quiet time with your child.

Download our free Healthy Body Happy Me ‘Relax with Me’ home-learning guide for parents.

 

 

Download your guide
Quiet time activity ideas

More support for parents of nursery aged children

Paediatric first aid through Millie’s Mark

Find out more

Useful links for parents/carers

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FAQs for parents/carers

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Tell your nursery about Quality Counts

Find out more

Information about Ofsted and nurseries

Find out more

Ask your nursery if they are an NDNA member

Find out more

Inspire learning at home

myNDNA is a completely free resource for inspiration, learning and support.

 

Packed with early years activities about outdoor play, festivals, literacy, additional needs and much more! Receive our weekly myNDNA email with a free activity, tip and factsheet and access a wealth of practical resources set to inspire on the myNDNA resources page by signing up.

Parents and carers can access a wealth of free activities and tips that can be suggested to your nursery or done at home.

 

 

Explore myNDNA
Inspire learning at home


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