A Few Nurseries To Consider This September
Sending your little one off to the nursery for the first time ever is a MAJOR milestone, mamas (cue tears and sleepless nights –and that’s just us, never mind the kids!). Whether you’re looking for that extra special somewhere to start their journey away from home for a couple of days a week, you need a nursery that’ll step-up when you’re at your desk until late or you’re still undecided to know your options– we’ve put together a few for you to consider (warm and friendly vibe obligatory).
Mamas are gaga about this very popular little nursery. Truth be told, it has become a bit of a trendy nursery for mamas to be seen at and for their kids to attend – and places are actually quite hard to come by. That being said, it’s fabulous for many very good reasons and while this excellent preschool may have an insane waiting list but it’s worth trying as you never know (and we have heard of people who beat the odds and got lucky!)
With a solid base in the British EYFS curriculum, Home Grown applies an integrated approach where environmental awareness plays a big role – they call it “The Green Curriculum” and we are all for it! They also practice what they preach by being environmentally aware on a day-to-day basis (like responsible AC usage and artificial lights being kept low etc.) Teacher and child ratio is also very good.
www.homegrownnursery.ae
tel: +971 (0)4 330 7008
Inspire Children’s Nursery is housed in a gorgeous Al Safa 2 Villa with that ‘home from home’ feel which mamas with kids here rave about. And there’s plenty more which makes this nursery a fabulous choice – particularly the truly all-inclusive policy of welcoming children of all abilities and Special Education Needs (SEN) and a dedication to fun, energetic, caring and nurturing. Over the past 7 years INSPIRE has developed and built a strong reputation as a holistic child and family-centered environment in which children, families and staff come together to learn and grow. The creative curriculum strives to raise the bar in early childhood education through an expressive, creative and play-based approach to early years growth and development – all in a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment (think spacious, naturally lit classrooms, a large shaded garden, nature garden and plenty of play areas). With a separate Infant and Baby section for tinies (the nursery accepts infants at 3 months old) and flexible hours tailor-made to suit the needs of all parents, Inspire is a great choice for working mamas. And with daily language sessions in French and Arabic (delivered in the fun, play-based Inspire style), Early Years introductions to coding and pre-school robotics, STEAM daily sessions (that’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) plus beautiful outside garden facilities including a vegetable plot, sand, water, plenty of shaded areas, splash time AND in house yoga sessions in addition to a focus on expressive arts, music, movement, dance and more – there’s no doubt that petit pupils here are encouraged to enjoy, thrive and grow into well-rounded, happy little people.
Want to know more? Head to the Inspire Nursery Mummy and Me Coffee Unicorn Morning on Saturday 7th October between 10am – 11.30am, a fun-filled morning for mamas and tots to explore the facilities, feel the zen at a mummy and me yoga session, get stuck into some unicorn arts or just chat and relax while the little ones play in a supervised environment. The event is free for all Sassy Mama readers – simply quote ‘as seen on Sassy Mama’ when booking your slot.
www.inspireallchildren.com
tel: +971 (0) 4 395 5473
Jebel Ali Village Nursery was established in 1976 as the very first nursery in Dubai area to provide the growing expat community with a safe and nurturing environment for their children. Now many years later, this highly respected brand offers 4 locations and has earned a fantastic reputation (with many of its first pupils now registering their own kiddos for places!). In addition to fabulous facilities and a superb teaching team, Jebel Ali Village Nurseries will soon be introducing a huge range of parent seminars by some of the regions very best experts, exploring topics including children’s behaviour, first aid, eating habits, speech therapy and much more – all available free of charge and will also be introducing an optional online payment website to allow the easy payment of term fees, healthy lunches and extra curricular activities from football to ballet, language classes and more –all from the comfort of your own home (and we’re ALL for making life easier, mamas!).
And if, like us, you think that learning languages is incredibly important, especially in our multi-cultural society, then the Baby Arabia taught language classes in French, Arabic and Spanish will ensure that your little one is ahead of the game with a second, third or even fourth language up their sleeve before starting ‘big’ school!
With plenty of Early Years activities to help your kiddo experience a positive and confident start, Jebel Ali Nursery is the perfect pre-school environment – and with branches at The Meadows, The Lakes, JBR, Al Furjan Pavilion, Arabian Ranches Polo Club and Motor City – there’s a convenient location for all.
PERK: Register your little one and receive 2 x full sets of Jebel Ali Village Nursery, worth AED 200, for free! Simply bring a print out of this page with you to any of the nursery branches before November 1st 2017.
www.javn.ae
tel: +971 (0) 4 424 3791 JBR Branch
tel: +971 (0) 4 454 8404 Lakes Branch
tel: +971 (0) 4 422 4222 Meadows Branch
tel: +971 (0) 4 368 9882 Polo Branch
tel: +971 (0) 4 551 6335 Al Furjan Branch
tel: +971 (0) 4 422 1415 Motor City Branch
Established for more than 35 years, Jumeirah International Nurseries (JINS), part of the Fortes Education group, are very well trusted and regarded – and for good reason. Offering nursery places for little ones between the ages of 45 days to 4 years, JINS is a perfect choice for working parents looking for a structure that’ll accommodate a busy at-the-office schedule.
The curriculum is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage framework of the National Curriculum of England but enriched through the integration of the principles of Positive Education which uses the science of Positive Psychology to enable children to flourish. We’re talking ‘feeling good and doing good’ through positive emotions, engagement, purpose, relationships, accomplishments and health which all form the heart of the JINS philosophy, activities and teaching methods. Fabulous!
All teachers are highly qualified, British educated and committed to working with each of their children to help them feel nurtured, supported and encouraged in their uniqueness. Teaching goes beyond the classroom with the “JINS Learning Hub” methodology which ensures that skills are embedded into all aspects of the day, making each moment a valuable learning experience.
Then there are the CCTV monitored state-of-the-art facilities, the availability of a healthy food programme, bus transport options, flexible payment options and priority placement in Fortes Schools (Sunmarke and Regent International). Sound good? We think so.
With branches in Al Safa (Umm Suqeim), Downtown (Southridge Towers) and within the campus of Sunmarke School in Jumeirah Village Triangle, there’s a convenient location for everyone.
www.jinspire.com
Tel: +971 (0) 4 394 5567 JINS Al Safa Branch
Tel: +971 (0) 4 456 4955 JINS Downtown Branch
Tel: +971 (0) 4 423 8910 JINS Sunmarke JVT Branch
Set up by a mama whose search for a boutique style nursery with that special extra something saw a gap in the market, Kids Spot Nursery, just behind box park on Al Wasl Road, is an extension of home, where mamas can be sure that their little ones will be cared for as individuals. With beautiful purpose made indoor spaces and super fun outdoor areas too (think mud kitchens and wall painting for starters), Kids Spot Nursery caters for every child’s needs and offers a customised programme for little ones aged between 3 months and 4 years, with staff who are committed to creating a loving, happy and stimulating environment and with the utmost attention to detail and to the needs of every single pupil.
With an emphasis of ‘learning through play’ combined with an EYFS curriculum plus all-inclusive extras including French, Arabic, gymnastics and soccer provided by the very best professionals, there’s no doubt that this little learning establishment is all about providing a well-rounded option with something for everyone. And with optional nursery meals catered for by Sassy fave BookMunch plus flexible hours depending on your schedule, the nursery is all about finding ways to make mama’s life easier while nurturing confident, happy children – hooray!
www.kidsspotnursery.ae
tel: +971 (0) 4 344 8541
This awesome British Montessori nursery consistently ranks as a family fave – and with nearly 20 years of experience in the business, it’s no surprise. Sadly for those based in Umm Suqeim (but a big bonus for those closer to JVC), their main premises recently moved to the site of Arcadia School in Jumeirah Village Circle – whilst the original Jumeirah 1 location stays put and both are truly excellent. The Jumeirah Village Circle branch might be a pricier option – but has facilities to match and is worth every dirham. The nursery follows the EYFS and Montessori curriculums; encouraging children to develop through educational play. They’re all about working with parents and child carers to help prepare your child for their next big steps – and students move onto some of the best primary schools in Dubai.
www.ladybirdnursery.ae
tel: +971 (0)4 344 1011
Little Stream Nursery is the region’s first early years STEM-based nursery. Their vision is to provide our littles with the character and skills they need to make their mark in this world (something we’re all for, right mama?!). The first of its kind in the region, their STREAM curriculum combines traditional areas of development such as Reading, Arts, and Math with more relevant concepts such as Science, Technology, and Engineering through play and social interaction.
TRILINGUAL (English, French, and Arabic) play-based programs are delivered through a “flow learning environment”, where children rotate amongst STREAM-themed learning rooms. This innovative method offers a “stream” of activities and experiences, which stimulates the imagination, creativity, and love of learning in children. We love how learning here is a fun and inspiring experience that develops confidence and character and ignites a passion for knowledge in our littles – perfect for setting them up for ‘big’ school and for all that the world can offer.
Perk: Registration is now open for 4months – 4-year olds and there is a 10% discount on the first term (September-December 2017) and a 15% siblings discount for all Sassy Mama readers. Send an email to hello@littlestreamnursery.com stating that you read this article and would like to register for the Autumn term. Offer ends on September 17, 2017.
www.littlestreamnursery.com
tel: +971 (0) 4 338 9883 Al Manara, Dubai
JLT Mamas, listen up – as Paddington Nursery is one of the newest nursery to open its doors in Jumeirah Lake Towers and it’s quickly becoming a favourite with parents and kiddos across the city! Teaching EYFS Curriculum, it caters for little ones between 6 months and 4 years old – and it keeps its doors open 5 days a week, all year round, which is music to the ears of working mamas! As with all nurseries in this part of town, space is a little limited – but with JLT Park just a short walk beyond the nursery doors, energetic tots will definitely sleep well every night!
www.paddingtonnursery.com
tel: +971 (0)4 50 1542938
Founded in 2012, Rainbow Valley Nursery, is one of the first British nurseries to open in JLT. Providing a high quality EYFS education, they believe that “children should be feeling so comfortable and having so much fun that they don’t even realize how quickly they’re learning”. Allowing our children to be little for as long as possible is so important in today’s world so this philosophy is right up our street, mamas. At Rainbow Valley Nursery, learning is not restricted to the classroom, but is introduced through a huge variety of fun activities involving the local community too. From cookies and milk at the café downstairs to a trip to the grocery store (starting them early on how to help mama shop healthy), nature trail walks, mad scientist expeditions looking for insects on the way to the park (simply put, they do all things that we love to do with our kids too –finding the magic in childhood and igniting curiosity).
Rainbow Valley Nursery was nominated for the best nursery of the year at the Mother, Baby and Child Awards (and for great reason) and the team is now working on opening a 2nd branch (we cant wait, the more the merrier!).
Perk: Rainbow Valley Nursery is offering a 5% discount on term fees and 50% off on registrations for all Sassy Mama readers. To redeem this offer simply quote Sassy Mama and book a nursery tour. Offer ends on September 7, 2017.
www.rainbowvalleynursery.com
tel: +971 (0) 4 423 2540, JLT Dubai
The Children’s Garden Barsha (TCGB) is one of Taaleem’s multilingual kindergarten, nursery, and pre-schools that provides a caring, friendly and fun environment for 2-6 year olds and a completely multilingual learning structure with classes in English, Arabic and French too – amazing! We live in a multicultural city and our little kindergarten kids are the perfect age for soaking up the lingo so why not get them started early? (studies prove that being bilingual benefits the brain….).
Classes are taught mainly in English and supported by French and Arabic language options that go beyond the norm, allowing each pupil to pick up that all-important early appreciation of languages. And there’s more. With facilities including a library (or ‘Room Of Knowledge’ which encourages curiosity), art studio, water park, climbing frames, sand pit, shaded play areas, indoor gym, music and movement room, sensory room AND STEAM Room (nope, we don’t mean the post-workout kind but rather a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math area), this lovely little pre-school ticks all the boxes.
Anything which helps our children grow into well-rounded, multicultural and tolerant little people gets our seal of approval, and The Children’s Garden Barsha is just the place to get them started. There is also a TCG in Green Community, DIP, which offers German in addition to the three other languages!
www.childrensgarden.ae
tel: +971 (0) 4 399 0160, ext. 200, Al Barsha Branch
tel: +971 (0) 4 885 3484, ext. 200, Green Community Branch
Featured image from pexels.com
