In this guide
One of the most consistent questions we hear from parents at Pleasant Places School – usually before their child has even visited – is some version of the same thing: Is my child ready for nursery school? And underneath it, sometimes unspoken: Am I making the right decision?
This guide will answer both questions as honestly and practically as we can. There is no single right answer that applies to every child. But there are clear signals to look for – and a straightforward way to think about the decision that removes most of the uncertainty.
The Typical Age Children Start Nursery School in Nigeria
In Nigeria, most children start nursery school between the ages of two and three. The official Nigerian Basic Education curriculum begins at age three, but many nursery schools – including PPS – accept children from age two into an early years programme designed specifically for that developmental stage.
Starting at two is not early in any concerning sense. A well-run nursery for two-year-olds is not pushing academic content – it is providing a structured, social, stimulating environment that supports the developmental milestones children naturally reach between 24 and 36 months.
The most important variable is not age – it is the child. Two children of exactly the same age can be at very different stages of social and emotional development. The guidance below focuses on what to look for in your specific child, not what a calendar says.
Signs Your Child Is Ready for Nursery School
Nursery readiness is typically assessed across four areas: communication, independence, social interest, and routine tolerance. Here is what to look for in each.
Communication
Your child does not need to be speaking in full sentences to start nursery. But they do need some way of communicating basic needs – whether that is words, signs, pointing, or reliable gestures that caregivers can learn to read. A child who can communicate “I need the toilet,” “I am hungry,” or “something hurts” – in whatever form – is communicatively ready for a nursery environment.
Basic Independence
- Can manage some aspects of eating without full assistance
- Is beginning to show interest in dressing or undressing
- Can follow simple one-step instructions (“put this here,” “sit down”)
- Is showing awareness of bodily functions, even if not yet toilet trained
Note on toilet training: many nurseries for two-year-olds will accept children who are still in nappies. Always check the specific policy of the school you are considering – at PPS, we work with parents on this transition rather than making it a barrier to enrolment.
Social Interest
Does your child show interest in other children? Do they observe other children playing, try to engage, or show curiosity about what peers are doing? Children who are socially curious – even if they are naturally cautious or introverted – typically adapt well to a nurturing nursery environment. You are not looking for a child who immediately joins a group; you are looking for a child who wants to.
Routine Tolerance
Nursery school involves a predictable daily routine. Children who thrive under structure – who seem settled and comfortable when days follow a familiar pattern – tend to adapt to nursery more quickly than children for whom any change in routine causes significant distress. That does not mean a child with separation sensitivity cannot start nursery; it means the transition may need to be more gradual.
Signs Your Child May Need a Little More Time
Starting nursery later is not a failure – and there is no competitive advantage to starting earlier than your child is ready. The following signals suggest a child might benefit from a few more months at home or in a playgroup before beginning full nursery:
- Significant separation anxiety that has not begun to settle even with familiar caregivers
- Very limited communication that makes expressing distress difficult
- A recent major change at home (a new sibling, a move, a family disruption) that is still unsettled
- Health challenges that would make managing illness in a group setting risky
None of these are permanent reasons not to start nursery. They are reasons to wait until the specific situation has stabilised. If you are uncertain, the best approach is to speak directly with the nursery – a good school will give you an honest assessment, not a sales pitch.
How to Make the Transition Smooth
The transition to nursery school is one of the first significant separations most children experience. Done well, it builds confidence and security. Done poorly, it creates anxiety that can persist for weeks. Here is what we recommend to PPS families:
Visit the School with Your Child Before the First Day
Familiarity reduces anxiety. When your child walks into a nursery room on their first day and recognises the space – the toys, the colours, the face of the teacher who showed them around – the experience is fundamentally less threatening than walking into a completely unknown environment.
Talk About School Before It Starts – Matter-of-Factly
Children pick up emotional cues from parents. If you are anxious about the transition, they will feel it. Talk about school as a normal, exciting part of growing up: “Next week you will go to your new school and learn things and play with other children.” Keep it simple and positive, without over-selling it.
Establish a Goodbye Routine and Stick to It
One of the most important things a parent can do in the first weeks is to say goodbye clearly, warmly, and quickly. Prolonged goodbyes extend distress rather than reducing it. A consistent routine – a hug, a specific phrase, a wave – gives children a reliable signal that goodbye is happening, that it is okay, and that you will be back.
Give It Time
Most children who experience genuine separation distress at the start of nursery settle within two to four weeks. Some settle faster. A small number take longer. If distress is still significant after six weeks, speak with the nursery – it may indicate an adjustment to the approach is needed, not that nursery itself is wrong for the child.
Questions to Ask the Nursery School
When you visit a nursery school in Lekki or anywhere in Lagos, these are the questions that give you the most useful information:
- What is the caregiver-to-child ratio in the class my child would join?
- How do you support children who find separation difficult in the first weeks?
- What does a typical day look like, hour by hour?
- How do you communicate with parents about what happens each day?
- What is your policy on toilet training – do children need to be trained before joining?
- How are developmental milestones tracked and reported to parents?
- What happens if my child becomes unwell during the school day?
A nursery school that answers these questions confidently, specifically, and without evasion is one that has thought carefully about its programme. A school that gives vague or defensive answers to any of them is worth approaching with more caution.
At Pleasant Places School, our nursery programme is designed to meet each child where they are. We invite you to visit us in Lekki, see the environment for yourself, and discuss what readiness looks like for your child specifically.
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