Learning at nursery involves every early years setting following an early years curriculum to help ensure your child reaches the right milestones for their age. This will vary according to whether you live in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Table of contents
- What do children learn at nursery?
- Learning to communicate and make friends
- Becoming more independent
- How do children learn at nursery?
- Why is learning through play important at nursery?
- What is free play at nursery?
- What is adult-led play at nursery?
- Why is the experience of play more important than the result?
- Act of play ‘more important than outcome’
- What curriculum do children follow at nursery?
- England: Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
- Scotland: Curriculum for Excellence
- Wales: Curriculum for Wales
- Northern Ireland: Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education
- How do nurseries prepare children for school?
- You may find our advice and five-step guide on how to settle your child into nursery useful.
- FAQs
Table of contents
- What do children learn at nursery?
- Learning to communicate and make friends
- Becoming more independent
- How do children learn at nursery?
- Why is learning through play important at nursery?
- What is free play at nursery?
- What is adult-led play at nursery?
- Why is the experience of play more important than the result?
- Act of play ‘more important than outcome’
- What curriculum do children follow at nursery?
- England: Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
- Scotland: Curriculum for Excellence
- Wales: Curriculum for Wales
- Northern Ireland: Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education
- How do nurseries prepare children for school?
- You may find our advice and five-step guide on how to settle your child into nursery useful.
- FAQs
At a glance
- Learning and growing: Nursery helps children develop important skills, including communication, early reading, writing and maths. They also learn to become more independent through everyday activities, such as putting on their coats and following routines.
- Learning through play: Play is at the heart of nursery life. Children learn by exploring, being creative and trying new things, both through activities they choose themselves and those led by nursery staff.
- Early years learning: Nurseries follow the early years curriculum for their country, helping children learn and develop in ways that suit their age and stage of development.
- Building confidence and independence: Playing helps children solve problems, make decisions, manage their feelings and build friendships. It gives them the freedom to try new things, make mistakes and learn at their own pace.
What do children learn at nursery?
Children learn a wide range of skills at nursery, from early reading, writing and maths to making friends, sharing and becoming more independent.
Through play, stories, songs and everyday activities, they develop their communication, language, physical and social skills. They also learn to recognise and manage their feelings, solve problems and build confidence in trying new things.
Nursery isn’t just about preparing children for school. It’s about helping them become curious, confident learners who enjoy exploring the world around them.
Learning to communicate and make friends
Nursery gives children plenty of opportunities to interact with other children and adults.
They learn to listen, take turns, share toys and play together. They also begin to understand other people’s feelings and how to manage disagreements.
Listening to stories, singing songs and having conversations with nursery staff help children develop their vocabulary, speaking and listening skills.
Becoming more independent
Nursery encourages children to do more things for themselves as they grow.
This might include putting on their shoes, zipping up their coats, washing their hands or tidying away toys.
Children also become familiar with daily routines, including mealtimes, snacks, outdoor play and rest times.
Having a predictable routine helps children feel secure, while learning to manage everyday tasks builds their confidence and independence.
How do children learn at nursery?
Children learn mainly through play, exploration and everyday experiences. Nursery staff plan activities that encourage children to develop new skills while following their interests and individual needs.
Most nurseries offer a mixture of child-led play, where children choose what they want to do, and adult-led activities designed to support particular areas of learning.
Some nurseries follow specific educational approaches, such as:
- Montessori: Encourages children to become independent and learn at their own pace through hands-on activities and carefully chosen resources.
- Forest school: Gives children opportunities to explore nature, take appropriate risks and develop confidence through outdoor learning.
Whatever approach a nursery follows, play is central to how young children learn and develop.
Why is learning through play important at nursery?
Play helps children understand the world around them. It encourages curiosity, imagination and creativity while supporting their physical, emotional, social and language development.
Through play, children learn to solve problems, make decisions, work with others and try new things.
For example, building a tower with blocks can help children develop coordination, learn about shapes and balance, and practise problem-solving. Playing shops can introduce early maths skills, while pretending to cook or care for a baby encourages communication and imagination.
Nursery staff support learning through a combination of free play and adult-led activities.
What is free play at nursery?
Free play is when children choose what they want to play with and how they want to play.
Nurseries often provide open-ended resources such as sand, water, building blocks, play dough and natural materials. These can be used in different ways, allowing children to experiment, explore and use their imagination.
For example, children might use blocks to build a house, create a road or make a pretend shop.
Free play helps children become more independent, make choices and develop their own ideas.
Nursery staff observe children’s play and may join in to introduce new words, ask questions or help them explore something further.
What is adult-led play at nursery?
Adult-led play involves activities planned or guided by nursery staff to help children develop particular skills.
These might include:
- Stories and songs: Developing language, listening and early literacy skills.
- Painting and drawing: Encouraging creativity and fine motor skills.
- Building blocks and puzzles: Supporting problem-solving, coordination and early maths.
- Outdoor games: Developing movement, balance and teamwork.
- Sand and water play: Exploring different textures, quantities and how things work.
- Role play: Encouraging imagination, communication and social skills.
Although adults guide these activities, children should still have opportunities to explore, make choices and enjoy themselves.
Why is the experience of play more important than the result?
Young children don’t need to produce a finished picture, complete a puzzle perfectly or build the tallest tower to learn something valuable.
The experience of playing is often more important than the end result.
For example, a child experimenting with paint may be learning about colours, textures and movement, even if they don’t create a recognisable picture.
Play also gives children opportunities to take manageable risks, make mistakes and try again. These experiences help build resilience, confidence and problem-solving skills.
Nursery staff encourage children to explore at their own pace, rather than focusing only on what they achieve.
Act of play ‘more important than outcome’
Stuart Brown, a psychiatrist, who wrote the book Play, refers to play as voluntary, saying: “It’s pleasurable, it offers a sense of engagement, it takes you out of time. And the act itself is more important than the outcome.”
The nursery group, Bright Horizons, believes that “when children are deprived of opportunities for play, their development can be significantly impaired”.
Play also promotes risk-taking and gives children that valuable sense of control as they make their own decisions and learn consequences.
What curriculum do children follow at nursery?
Nurseries across the UK follow early years curricula or guidance designed to support children’s learning and development.
The curriculum depends on which UK nation the nursery is in, but all place importance on learning through play, building relationships and supporting children’s individual needs.
England: Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
In England, nurseries and other registered early years providers follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
The EYFS sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five years old.
It focuses on seven areas of learning and development:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
The first three are known as the prime areas of learning and are particularly important for building the foundations for children’s development.
Children learn through play, everyday experiences and activities planned around their interests and abilities.
Nursery staff observe children to understand their progress and identify where they may need extra support.
There is a statutory progress check between the ages of two and three, and children are assessed against the Early Learning Goals at the end of the Reception year.
Scotland: Curriculum for Excellence
In Scotland, nurseries follow the early level of the Curriculum for Excellence, alongside national guidance on early learning and childcare.
The curriculum supports children from the age of three through to 18, with the early level covering nursery and the beginning of primary school.
Learning through play is central to the early years approach, helping children develop confidence, curiosity and independence.
There are eight curriculum areas:
- Health and wellbeing
- Languages
- Mathematics
- Expressive arts
- Religious and moral education
- Sciences
- Social studies
- Technologies
Nursery staff use play, exploration and everyday experiences to help children develop skills across these areas.
Wales: Curriculum for Wales
In Wales, funded non-maintained nursery settings providing education for three and four-year-olds use the Curriculum for Funded Non-maintained Nursery Settings, which supports the wider Curriculum for Wales.
The curriculum encourages children to learn through play, exploration and hands-on experiences.
Rather than following a rigid timetable of lessons, nursery staff create opportunities for children to develop their skills through activities that interest them.
The curriculum identifies five developmental pathways:
- Belonging
- Communication
- Exploration
- Physical development
- Wellbeing
These pathways help nursery staff support children’s confidence, relationships, communication and understanding of the world.
Children are encouraged to explore their surroundings, solve problems, move freely and learn through meaningful experiences.
Northern Ireland: Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education
In Northern Ireland, funded pre-school education follows the Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education.
The guidance focuses on learning through play and practical experiences that help children develop socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually.
There are six areas of learning:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Physical development and movement
- Language development
- Early mathematical experiences
- The arts
- The world around us
Nursery staff provide opportunities for children to explore, ask questions, use their imagination and develop new skills through play.
How do nurseries prepare children for school?
Nurseries help children develop many of the skills they’ll use when they start school.
These include listening to instructions, following routines, making friends, taking turns and becoming more independent.
Children also develop early literacy and maths skills through stories, songs, counting games and everyday activities.
However, being ready for school isn’t just about recognising letters or numbers. Feeling confident, communicating their needs and being comfortable around other children are equally important.
Nursery staff support children at their own pace, helping them feel secure and prepared for the next stage of their learning.
Next steps
- Every nursery has its own approach to learning, daily routines and activities. Visiting a few nurseries can help you understand how they support children’s development and whether their approach is right for your child.
- When visiting, ask how children learn through play, what activities are available and how nursery staff support different ages and abilities.
- Use daynurseries.co.uk to find nurseries near you, read reviews from other parents and compare your options.
You may find our advice and five-step guide on how to settle your child into nursery useful.
FAQs
Is nursery important for social skills?
Nursery provides an excellent opportunity for children to enjoy each other’s company and learn social skills, including sharing, taking turns, making friends and just learning new things from peers.
What are the national standards for early years learning?
As part of Scotland’s rollout of the increased ELC entitlement, the National Standard was developed. The standards are a set of minimum quality criteria that childcare providers must meet in order to be allowed to provide the government-funded ELC hours.
What do children learn at nursery?
Nurseries follow an early years curriculum to help children reach milestones as they grow. Nurseries offer a combination of structured play and free play. Nurseries offer children the chance to make friends and practise social skills with children their own age, improve literacy by listening to stories, answering questions and talking about feelings. Nurseries help children experience and respect nature, appreciate music through singing and dancing and engage in physical activities to boost health.