One of the hardest things in any part of the world, is looking for the "first" school for your child. As an expat living in the Middle East, it might just be a little more stressful. You want your kid to truly grow and adjust to a certain place and actually belong there, but then again we call it "expat" life for a reason and nothing is certain.

Irregardless of the uncertainties, a school or a nursery will be your kid's first step into the social world. And believe it or not, it is as important as choosing a university. The first encounters, the essential know-how's, the "first" friends, it will all start there.

If you're looking at options and things are getting overwhelming for you, we created a little cheat sheet of some questions you should ask the nursery/pre-school your child is planning on attending, and hopefully come to a final decision!

1) What's your method of education? (Montessori, Waldorf, High Scope, Reggio Emilia)

 

2) Do kids spend time out in the nature? Do you have nature walks and do outdoor activities? If so, how often? 

 

3) How's one day in the nursery like for the child? Is there screen time? How long is free-play?

 

4) How long have your teachers/educators and staff have been employed?

 

5) Is there a child psychologist on board? In which cases do they interfere?

 

6) What is your approach on "price and punishment" system?

 

7) What's your approach when a kid unintentionally hits another kid, or "harms" them?

 

8) How many students are in each class? How many teachers? What's the size of a classroom?

 

9) What's your expectations from parents? Do you have communication channels that parents can track their kids from?

 

10) What's your procedure on emergency situations? If a bee stung them, where do they go for example?