Moving from infant care to the toddler room, or from toddlers to preschool, is a bigger deal than a birthday. It is a new educator, a new peer group, a new physical space, and usually a new nap arrangement, all landing together.
Done badly it can undo months of settling. So we stagger it.
How it works
Visits first. For a week or two before the move, your child spends short periods in the new room — usually outdoor time or a snack, when things are relaxed. They meet the educators and see the space while their own room is still home.
A handover conversation. The educators talk to each other properly, not via a form. Sleep signals, comfort strategies, friendships, the specific things that upset them.
Friends move together where we can. A familiar peer makes an enormous difference, and where two children are ready at the same time we try to move them together.
Age is not the only trigger. A child who is chronologically ready but still settling stays put a little longer. Licensing sets age ranges; readiness within them is a judgement.
We tell you well in advance and expect a wobble for a week or two afterwards.
What helps at home
Talk about it as a promotion rather than a change. Name the new educator repeatedly so the name is familiar before day one. Expect tiredness and some regression — a child who had stopped needing a comfort item may want it again for a fortnight.
And ask us how it is going, rather than asking your child. A three-year-old's report on their own settling is not reliable.
