of a nursery nurse

One of my favourite memories is of when I was showing Alexander the treasure basket when he first started. He was just 9 months old. I remember his little eyes widening as he pulled out a pine cone which immediately went into this mouth. Alexander continued to explore the basket, putting objects in his mouth as he discovered them, then putting them to one side to search for more things. Alexander then pulled out the mirror. He must have spotted his reflection as he was bringing it to his mouth because he smiled and let out a big chuckle. He studied himself for a few moments and chuckled again. Then he saw me smiling at him and passed me the mirror. The next day when Alexander came to nursery we said goodbye to mummy and he began to look around the floor. I thought he might be looking for the treasure basket. I took it over to him, full of different objects this time. Alexander's face lit up as he reached with both hands for the basket. He also loves playing outside, exploring the outdoor environment with curiosity , consideration and enthusiasm.

I have watched Alexander grow and develop and can't believe he is now getting ready to start school. We play outside a lot at Prelude, building dens, playing with water, dressing up, gardening and riding the bikes. Once when we were using the water toys another child called Emma filled a big bowl up with water, it took her ages but she kept going, backwards and forwards, from the tap to the bowl until it was full. She then looked at me cautiously as she slowly stepped into the bowl, jumped up and down and laughed out loud. I'll never forget her little face as she jumped so hard the water went over the top of her wellies- she had a great time! Three of the other children heard her laughing and came over to see what she was doing. It was only a matter of time before they all had their waterproof suits on and were having a go themselves. This is why I went into childcare, why I worked hard to be qualified. The children give so much back to me.

Through the eyes of a parent.....

Through the eyes of a child.....