Happy Days Nursery & Pre-School is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its Yeovil location, formerly known as Yew Tree Nursery. The official ceremony took place on Saturday, June 22nd, with a ribbon-cutting led by the honoured Mayor of Yeovil, Councillor Andy Kendall.

Happy Days acquired Yew Tree Nursery earlier this year, expanding its commitment to providing exceptional childcare across the South West of England and Wales. The grand opening event was a great occasion, welcoming both new and existing families. Attendees, including parents hoping to secure a spot for their child, were treated to tours of the beautifully refurbished nursery and some wonderful activities led the Happy Days team.

“We are delighted to celebrate the official opening of Happy Days Nursery & Pre-School in Yeovil,” said Kylie Mitchel, Nursery Manager. “The beautifully refurbished interior space is fantastic, and we can’t wait to continue nurturing young minds in this exceptional environment and I encourage all parents to come and take a closer look.”

A big thank you to Katie, after reaching her 10th year work anniversary at Happy Days Nursery Exeter!

This month we have been celebrating our colleague who has worked at Happy Days for 10 years. Throughout her time at Happy Days Katie has supported the learning and development of children in both our Explorers and Adventurers units…. Where she has worked in every room caring for all different ages and needs. Katie has supported whole families as siblings have attended Happy Days and Katie loves sharing stories with children.

Thank you for all of your support and dedication over the years!

We are super happy to announce that our Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-School Penair chef, Yasmin has retained a 5* this week during her EHO inspection!

Yasmin has been at Penair for 3 years now, we’re so thankful for her dedication to the nursery and commitment to the role. The Manager at Penair spoke ‘Yasmin enjoys producing wonderful food daily and is great at accommodating any dietary requirements needed.’

So, what is an EHO rating and what does it cover? Ratings are a snapshot of the standards of food hygiene found at the time of inspection.

This includes:

• handling of food
• how food is stored
• how food is prepared
• cleanliness of facilities
• how food safety is managed

The Importance of Sleep for Children

Any parent knows that plenty of sleep is essential for their child, but the specifics of how much and why can often vary.

Why is Sleep Important for Children?

Getting a good amount of sleep helps your child in their mental, physical, social, and emotional development. It is an essential part of growing up and learning, in much the same way as school or play.

How Many Hours Sleep do Children Need?

Unfortunately, there is no magic number to ensure your child rests well every night, and the needs of each child can vary. However, Great Ormond Street Hospital has provided a guide on how much sleep children in specific age categories should get per day, including naps:

• 4 – 12 Months: 12 – 16 hours
• 1 – 2 Years: 11 – 14 hours
• 3 – 5 Years: 10 – 13 hours
• 6 – 12 Years: 9 – 12 hours

How Bedtime Affects Children Learning

The amount of sleep your child gets can directly affect their learning, as sleep can help stimulate the analysis, understanding, and memorisation of new information.

Being well rested also helps improve their concentration, mood, and behaviour, which will help them learn from their experiences throughout the day, at home or at school.

Five Tips for Better Sleeping Patterns in Your Children

Every child has different needs when it comes to sleeping, and the tactics that work for one child may not be as effective for another. Try some of the following and see what works for you!

1. Time Without Screens – Also a common recommendation for adults, putting phones, tablets, and TV’s off and away a little while before bed can help reduce brain stimulation before it’s time to sleep.

2. Give Them a Bath – Running a bath to help them get ready for bed signals to your child that it’s time to wind down, and the warmth will often have a soothing effect on their emotions.

3. Start Building a Routine – Whether it’s brushing their teeth, getting changed into pyjamas, or running the bath, getting a child into the routine of falling asleep in the same place every day will support their sense of security.

4. Read Age-Appropriate Books – Reading before bed is an excellent tool to stimulate sleep and can also start winding down your child’s emotions and excitement. Relaxing bedtimes stories for children can be found anywhere, so try to find some that relate to your child’s interests.

5. Create a Meditative Atmosphere – There are lots of ways to employ children’s meditation for sleep, such as dimming the lights, playing quiet and relaxing music or white noise, and gently talking to them about soothing subjects. Also consider the colours of a child’s bedroom to ensure that they aren’t over stimulating.

6. Use neutral colours in bedrooms that aren’t over-stimulating; creams and pastel shades are helpful If possible use the same sleeping environment for the child. Getting into the routine of falling asleep in the same place each day will help them to feel more secure Always follow safe sleep practices. Details of the latest information and research is available from the Lullaby Trust

Example Bedtime Routines for 3-Year-Olds

Setting up a strict routine helps your child prepare for bed naturally every single night. By turning off their screens or running a bath at the same time, your child will know what to expect and start unconsciously calming down and preparing for sleep.

Let’s use a three-year old as an example. The recommended bedtime for a 3-year-old is about 19:30, so you may want to start running a bath at about 16:30. This will let them know bedtime is approaching and give them time to start winding down.

When the bath is ready, turn off their screens for the night, dim the lights, and consider playing some gentle music to help them relax. Once out of the bath, get them dressed into their pyjamas and make sure they brush their teeth.

Now they’re ready to be tucked into bed, consider reading them a children’s story appropriate and relevant to them, before letting them rest independently.

Starting to have success getting your child off to sleep at night? The morning routine is just as important, helping you and your child lay the foundations for a positive day. Check out our blog on morning routines for tips on how to help your child feel their best and get ready for nursery!

Get in Touch for More Information

We’re no strangers to effective childcare and parenting tips. We are a leading nursery chain operating in the Southwest of England and South of Wales, helping young children prepare for school with purpose-built facilities and a specialist curriculum of learning.

We like to support the development of the children in our care both when they’re at nursery, and when they’re at home.

Get in touch if you have any questions by calling 0800 783 3431 or emailing enquiries@happydaysnurseries.com, or use our Find a Nursery tool to see which of our nurseries or preschools is closest to you!