Choosing a nursery in Spain

As september looms many mums are confronted with the dilemma of whether or not to send their child to nursery and then having made that momentous decision, you are faced with another ....how to choose the right nursery for you and your child ....

Choosing a nursery for you little one is a very personal and often difficult decision. For many this is the first time they will be separated from their child on a daily basis and sometimes the child is little more than a baby! Bella started nursery at 22 months last September. Nearly a year on I can honestly say that nursery has been nothing but positive for both of us and I am incrediably happy with both my decision and the nursery we choose. I think that even if I had not been working I would have sent Bella to nursery as she has so much fun and has developed so much from her time there and in some ways not having her around in the mornings makes our afternoons together more special!!

I decided to send Bella to nursery as our business http://www.indybel.com/ was launching and myself and my business partner were incrediably busy. We needed some time to concerntrate on work before we went mad and my robust and challenging toddler was ready for some stimulation as she was becoming increasingly fed up with mummy tapping away on the laptop!

I did quite a lot of reseach into the nurseries in my area. I decided that I wanted a bilingual setting as I wanted Bella to learn Spanish at nursery. However her command of English was also good at home that I wanted her to be able to make herself understood and to understand the teachers, so a bilingual nursery was definitly right for us.
I discounted a few nurseries on distance from our home and one because there were a long list of rules the children had to follow on it's website which I felt was a bit much for a 1 year old who really just wanted to have fun. In the end I made an appointment to visit Costa Kinder Care in Benalmadena which was perfect as I'd heard positive things about it and it was only a ten minute drive from our home.

On our first visit to Costa Kinder Care I was impressed by the facilites which included bright and sunny classrooms, a lovely outdoor play area full of toys and slides and a friendly and family orientated atmosphere. I was also impressed that the nursery provided balanced meals for the children which were based on health authority guidelines and that they invited health and safety inspectors to make random checks. I was told that there was a high staff to child ratio in each classroom, that children were encouraged to learn a second language and that learning was fun based with an emphasis on developing the child's social skills, encouraging their independence, helping them to form friendships and increase their confidence. I was so impressed with the nursery after this first visit that I signed Bella up for September without hesitation. I decided to start with just mornings which would be from 9am - 1pm and see how we went.

I was pleased too, when I paid an improtu visit to the nursery to pay my deposit, to see that all the children there looked really happy and were hugging the staff etc and all the staff seemed to know all the children ... little things like that are really important.

When September came it was time to start nursery. I won't lie and say the first two weeks were easy as they weren't! My little girl was not happy to be parted from mummy and spent most of the first week in tears. But the staff were great. They suggested I stay with her on the first day, sit in reception on the second and then leave her when we both felt ready. They suggested staggering how long she spent at nursery the first week to get her used to it and not taking her to the dinning room for lunch as she was just getting used to the classroom and so they didn't want to disorientate her. It's hard to leave your child in tears but I knew the staff would look after her and so I stuck with it! Just when I was starting to despair half way through week 2 she suddenly settled down and her teachers told me she had joined in some of the activities and made some friends. By week 3 she was really starting to enjoy herself and by the end of the first month she had properly settled and was having a great time. It's lovely when you go to pick your child up and see her dancing round the classroom and holding hands with her new little friends! The teachers had become a big hit too and at weekends Bella was quite put out by not being able to see them!

Bella models her Easter Bonnet at the nursery's annual Easter parade!

I also knew she was happy because she was eating really well. I'd signed Bella up for lunch ( which is optional ) and her little daily report book informed me that she was eating the full 3 courses most days ( more than she does at home! ) More than that she was learning a few table manners too! I'm sure she's a lot better behaved when eating at nursery than when she eats out with us!

The little daily report book also informed me if she'd done anything particularly unusual and of her daily bowel movements! ( very important info for us mums! ) It was so cute too to start receiving little pictures and models that she'd made when she came home.

I definitly think Bella's development has come on in leaps and bounds since starting nursery. The monthly themes are set out for parents to see and her age group explore things like colours, shapes and numbers. I have noticed she understands certain Spanish words and phrases and most of all is much better at sharing and playing with other children now. It's so sweet to hear her talk about her little friends and to tell me what activities she has done during the morning.

I am more than happy for Bella to stay at Costa Kinder Care next year. Although we had the option of moving her to a Spanish school ( which we will do want to do at primary level ) we decided that as she is so happy it would be a shame to move her. She is very comfortable with her teachers and friends and this was proved when she moved up a class at Easter and settled down again very quickly. When she moves to infant level her activities will be slightly more educational and she will also be spending a week communicating in just English and then a week in just Spanish which I hope will really encourage her use of the second language and prepare her for Spanish school.

I believe you can tell a lot about a nursery if you visit during dropping off and picking up times. At Bella's nursery the children are literally racing to their classrooms when you drop them off and you rarely see tears. At pick up times the relaxed parents and happy tired children says it all! I find it incrediable that when I follow Bella around the school, staff I've never seen before know her name and she greets them all and is brimming with confidence.

Having had such a positive nursery experience in Spain I'd urge all parents in the area to consider Costa Kinder Care, and have no hesitation in recommending this happy, family orientated and fun nursery ...

To find out more about Costa Kinder Care simply visit their website or call 952 448 007

Costa Kinder Care is fully licensed with the British and Spanish authorities and Ofsted inspected. Accredited by the Junta de Andalucia.