Nursery Education

Nursery Education, term universally applied to the education of children aged two to six before they enter primary school. The ages of the boys and girls depends on the admission requirements of the nurseries and schools, the availability of places in the area, and the educational policy of the country.

Most nurseries and playgroups operate policies of learning through play, and activities are informal and flexible to suit the needs of young children. Sand, water, and paint form the basis of many learning exercises. Storytelling, nursery rhymes, and the development of early literacy and numeracy skills are also an important part of the curriculum.

State and private nurseries in the United Kingdom are staffed by qualified teachers and nursery nurses. Playgroups are run by workers with qualifications in the education of young children, helped by parents and volunteers.

But in developing countries nurseries are either non-existent or very few in number.

Most of the nurseries established in the latter half of the 19th century were supported by charitable organizations. Both in Europe and in the United States, the day nursery movement received great impetus during World War I, when unprecedented numbers of women replaced men in industry. In Britain, France, Germany, and Italy nurseries were established even in munitions plants, under direct government sponsorship.

As studies of children revealed the importance of the early years in physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development, the nursery school movement gained momentum in Britain and other European countries.