During the first years of life, every experience leaves a lasting mark on your child’s development. The benefits of attending nursery go far beyond family organisation — choosing a quality early years setting has a direct impact on growth and emotional wellbeing.
At our British school in Madrid, we have seen how children who attend the early years stage develop social, cognitive and emotional skills that accompany them throughout their education. Below, we explain the many advantages that nursery attendance brings to your child’s overall development.
Why take your baby to nursery?
Families choose to enrol their babies in nursery for different reasons. For many, balancing work and childcare is a key factor work schedules often make it essential to have a safe, reliable place where little ones are well cared for.
However, many parents also choose nursery because they want to offer their child a stimulating and nurturing environment that supports holistic development. Increasingly, parents view nursery as an invaluable opportunity for early socialisation and learning through play — a space where children can interact with others, explore, and build new skills.
In essence, the decision combines practical family needs with the desire to nurture a baby’s full potential from the very beginning.
The benefits of attending nursery for your baby’s overall development
Attending nursery provides numerous advantages across all areas of growth social, emotional, cognitive and physical. It’s a carefully prepared environment that supports well-rounded development.
Social benefits: interaction and bonding
Nursery is the perfect setting for babies to begin discovering the social world, learning to connect and build bonds beyond their family circle.
Early socialisation
One of the greatest contributions of nursery is early socialisation. In this environment, your baby interacts with peers of similar ages and with caring educators. This regular exposure to a social group allows children to start
- Sharing: Through play and guided activities, children learn to share toys and spaces.
- Cooperation: Group dynamics foster teamwork and collaboration, teaching children to listen to others and work towards shared goals.
- Communication: Daily interaction boosts verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Your child learns to express needs and understand others.
- Respect and rules: Nursery routines and boundaries help children grasp concepts like waiting their turn, respecting others, and following simple rules — valuable foundations for future learning.
Forming bonds
In addition to facilitatinggeneral social interaction, nursery school is a place where the first bonds of friendship are formed. Your babywill have the opportunity to connect with other children, creating a sense ofbelonging to a group beyond the family. These early relationships areimportant for their emotional well-being.
At the same time, educators become secondary attachment figures. Through consistent, sensitive care comforting words, gentle reassurance, or a warm hug they offer safety and trust. Learning to rely on adults outside the family home is an important step that positively influences future relationships.
Emotional development: confidence and self-regulation
Nursery plays an important role in a child’s emotional growth, helping them build confidence and learn how to manage their emotions.
Independence
Nursery promotes children’s autonomy in a gradual and age-appropriate way. The environment is designed for safe exploration and self-directed activity, strengthening self-esteem and confidence in their abilities.
Educators encourage children to practise self-care skills, such as feeding themselves or, later on, beginning to use the toilet. Taking part in daily routines helps them feel capable and responsible. Teachers guide this process without overprotecting, allowing children to try, make mistakes and learn at their own pace. Offering small choices and responsibilities is key to fostering independence.
Emotional regulation
Interaction with other children and adults provides a natural opportunity to learn about emotions. Babies begin to identify what they feel, express it appropriately, and regulate their reactions.
Educators play a vital role by naming the emotions they observe (“I can see you’re upset because…”, “You look happy about…”). This helps children build emotional awareness and vocabulary. Predictable routines also bring comfort and stability, which supports self-regulation.
When frustration or conflict arises, teachers introduce simple strategies such as deep breathing, seeking comfort or finding peaceful solutions. Learning to handle disagreements and recognise others’ perspectives lays the foundation for empathy.
Cognitive stimulation and school readiness
Nursery provides a rich environment full of opportunities for learning and discovery, enhancing intellectual development and preparing children for future education.
Educational activities
Nurseries offer carefully designed educational programmes for babies, aimed at sparking curiosity and a love of learning:
- Sensory stimulation: Activities engage all the senses through textures, sounds, colours, smells and tastes.
- Language development: Songs, storytelling and daily communication expand understanding and encourage early expression. In bilingual schools like ours, children are naturally introduced to a second language.
- Early concepts: Through play, babies learn about colours, shapes, sizes and numbers.
- Exploration and discovery: Children’s natural curiosity is encouraged through safe hands-on experiences with varied materials and situations.
Transition to school
Nursery attendance makes the transition to primary school much smoother. Children who attend early years education tend to adapt more easily to structured classroom routines.
They are already familiar with listening to teachers, following instructions, taking turns and engaging in group activities. Previous social experiences also give them the tools to form new friendships and relationships with teachers. Research suggests that this early preparation is associated with stronger academic performance during the first years of schooling.
Physical benefits: motor skills and health
Nursery supports physical growth, both in motor skill development and overall health.
Motor development
Nurseries provide safe, stimulating spaces for babies to move and explore freely. Active play is a daily part of the routine. Broadly speaking, there are two types of motor development:
- Gross motor skills: Developed through large movements like crawling, walking, running, climbing, jumping and ball games — improving coordination, balance and strength.
- Fine motor skills: Enhanced through precise hand and finger movements such as stacking blocks, drawing, shaping playdough or fitting objects together — key for hand-eye coordination.
Early physical stimulation helps children reach milestones such as crawling or walking confidently.
Stronger immune system
Many parents worry about illnesses in nursery. While children in group settings are indeed exposed to more germs, the so-called “hygiene hypothesis” suggests that early exposure helps “train” and strengthen the immune system over time. Studies show that although nursery children may catch more colds initially, they often experience fewer common illnesses later in primary school. Of course, high-quality nurseries maintain strict hygiene standards, healthy meals and outdoor playtime to support children’s wellbeing.
Other key benefits for families and children
Beyond developmental gains, nursery offers meaningful advantages for family life too.
Structured routines
Daily nursery routines for meals, naps, play and activities provide predictability and comfort for babies. Knowing what to expect helps them feel secure and manage transitions better.
This structure also encourages self-regulation and can positively influence home life by making family routines smoother. Nursery schedules are thoughtfully designed to meet babies’ needs for rest, nutrition and stimulation.
Supporting work–life balance
As mentioned earlier, nursery is an essential support for work life balance. It allows parents to continue their careers knowing their children are in a safe and caring environment.
In Spain, there are support schemes such as the “Ticket Guardería”, a childcare voucher benefit offered by some employers, which helps cover nursery costs with tax advantages. These initiatives highlight the social value of nursery education for working families.
When should a baby start nursery?
There’s no single answer to this question. The ideal age depends on your child’s individual development, family circumstances and the type of nursery chosen.
Many experts suggest that between two and three years old is an optimal time — when children are more independent, communicative and have a stronger immune system.
However, some studies indicate that between eight and eighteen months can be a more sensitive stage, when separation anxiety is common and adaptation may take longer.
For very young babies (under three months), the main concern is their developing immune system, which carries a higher infection risk. For this reason, professionals often recommend waiting at least until that age if possible.
As we’ve seen, there are many benefits to attending nursery. It provides valuable opportunities for socialisation, emotional growth, cognitive stimulation and physical development. While the right starting age is a personal decision, we hope this information helps you appreciate how a high-quality nursery experience can enrich your baby’s formative years.
References:
- Diaz, A. (s.f.). 4 beneficios sociales de ir a la guardería. Abrazando su desarrollo. https:// abrazandosudesarrollo.com.mx/etapas/ya-me-siento/4-beneficios-sociales-de-ir-a-la-guarderia/
- Discovery Time Learning. (2025, enero 1). Fostering Independence in Children Through Daycare Activities. https:// discoverytimelearning.com/fostering-independence-in-children-through-daycare-activities/
- Playto. (2024, diciembre 4). Daycare Strategies for Fostering Emotional Intelligence. https:// playto.com/blog/daycare-strategies-for-fostering-emotional-intelligence
- Real Academia Europea de Doctores. (2023, octubre 23). El papel de las guarderías en la educación. https:// raed.academy/el-papel-de-las-guarderias-en-la-educacion/
- Up Spain. (s.f.). ¿Cuándo es el mejor momento para llevar a mi hijo a la guardería? https://www.up-spain.com/blog/cuando-es-el-mejor-momento-para-llevar-a-mi-hijo-a-la-guarderia/
