Why is early education so important?

The early years, from birth to age five, are the most significant period of brain development in a child’s entire life. The connections formed during these years shape how children think, communicate, socialise and feel. Ofsted’s landmark research series, Best Start in Life, published in October 2024, makes it clear that early education is too important to be left to chance. A high-quality early years curriculum gives all children, particularly those who face additional challenges, the very best start.

That doesn’t mean pressure. It doesn’t mean learning to write stories or how to do multiplication! What it does mean is that the rich, playful, nurturing experiences children have between the ages of two and five genuinely matter and can have a lasting impact on the people they become.

What skills is my 2-year-old working on?

Two-year-olds are natural explorers. NHS developmental guidelines remind us that every child develops at their own pace. That’s something to celebrate, not worry about. But here’s what’s typically happening inside that curious little mind:

• Language and communication: Most 2-year-olds have a vocabulary of around 50 words and are beginning to put two words together. Research from Great Ormond Street Hospital notes that at around two, toddlers often build up to 100–200 words and love singing, action rhymes and naming things they can see.
• Physical development: From running and jumping to holding a crayon and turning the pages of a book, fine and gross motor skills are developing fast.
• Social and emotional skills: 2-year-olds are beginning to notice other children, learn about sharing and understand simple emotions.
• Imagination and creativity: Pretend play is in full swing. From ‘feeding’ a toy bear to ‘cooking’ in a play kitchen, this imaginative play is far more powerful than it looks.
• Problem solving and curiosity: Stacking, sorting, experimenting. Why does water splash? How does this fit together? These questions are the start of a scientific mind.

What is the EYFS and does it apply to my 2-year-old?

In England, all nurseries and early years settings follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. This is a government-backed set of standards that covers learning, development and care from birth to age five.

The EYFS identifies three prime areas for learning and forming relationships:

• Communication and language
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Physical development.

It also recognises four specific areas for igniting children’s curiosity:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design.

At Seymour House, our passionate early years team carefully plans every experience around the EYFS framework, ensuring every child in our care is gently guided through each area in a way that feels magical, not pressured.

How does nursery education benefit a 2-year-old?

Nursery education for 2-year-olds offers something truly special, a world designed entirely with them in mind. Here’s what a brilliant nursery experience can do:

• Harness their imagination: Nurseries create rich environments full of invitations to explore, discover and create. Sensory trays, story time, outdoor adventures and messy play. Every activity is purposefully designed to spark curiosity and harness their imagination.
• Build confidence and social skills: Mixing with other little ones in a safe, nurturing setting helps children learn to take turns, communicate and develop those all-important friendships.
• Develop language and literacy: Through songs, stories, conversations and play, language blooms. Research consistently shows that rich language environments in the early years have a significant impact on literacy throughout school.
• Nurture emotional wellbeing: A great nursery team provides warmth, routine and consistency, which gives children the emotional security to take risks, try new things and grow.
• Lay the foundations for school readiness: Not by rushing childhood, but by building the skills, attitudes and love of learning that make the transition to school a happy one.

Inspirational Education at Seymour House Nurseries

Seymour House is a group of 12 day nurseries across Essex and Hertfordshire, with over 35 years of experience delivering beyond brilliant early years education. Every one of our nurseries has a fantastic Ofsted rating, a testament to the passionate, dedicated teams who bring magic to the everyday.

Our unique approach to inspirational education draws on the EYFS framework, the latest early years research, and a deep belief that when children harness their imagination, they can become anything they want to be. We nurture the whole child, their body, their mind and their character, guided by wholesome values and a genuine love of learning.

From next-level mealtimes full of healthy, freshly prepared food to outdoor discovery sessions that ignite a sense of wonder, every part of the Seymour House day is thoughtfully crafted. Because we believe early education isn’t something that happens to children, it’s something that happens with them.

Not at nursery yet? Your 2-year-old is still learning every day

If your child isn’t at nursery yet, that’s absolutely fine. The home is one of the most powerful learning environments there is. You are your child’s first and most important teacher. The conversations you have, the books you read together, the games you play, the songs you sing, all of it is education. NHS-supported guidance confirms that toddlers learn through interacting with the world around them and parents play a vital role in that. During the toddler years, learning happens through exploration. You don’t need expensive toys or structured sessions. You just need time, attention and a sense of fun.

5 magical learning activities for 2-year-olds at home

Here are some wonderfully simple ways to nurture your toddler’s learning every day:

1. Treasure Basket Play

Fill a basket with safe everyday objects, for example a wooden spoon, a small mirror, a fabric square and a lemon. Let your toddler explore freely. This stimulates all the senses and builds curiosity, problem-solving and language as you talk about what they’re finding.

2. Puddle Stomping and Outdoor Exploring

The garden, the park, even the pavement, the outdoors is a classroom. Collect leaves, spot birds, jump in puddles or talk about colours and textures. Physical development and understanding of the world, all rolled into one muddy afternoon.

3. Messy Play

Homemade playdough, finger painting, or water play with cups and bottles. Messy play is rich learning in disguise. It builds fine motor skills, creativity and scientific thinking. Pop an old shower curtain on the floor and let the magic happen.

4. Storytime Every Day

Reading together is one of the most powerful things you can do for your 2-year-old. It builds vocabulary, concentration, emotional understanding and a lifelong love of stories. Ask questions as you read: ‘What do you think happens next?’ or ‘How is the bear feeling?’

5. Helping with Real Tasks

Toddlers love to feel useful. Involve them in simple tasks like washing vegetables, sorting laundry by colour or watering a plant. These everyday activities teach maths concepts, language, independence and wholesome values around contributing to family life.

Ready to Find Out More?

Seymour House nurseries are home to 12 beyond brilliant early years settings across Essex and Hertfordshire. Whether your little one is ready to start their nursery journey or you’d like to learn more about nursery education for 2-year-olds, we’d love to hear from you.

Find your nearest Seymour House nursery and book a visit, because every child deserves a beyond brilliant start.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nursery Education for 2-Year-Olds

Is nursery education compulsory for 2-year-olds in England?

No. Education doesn’t become compulsory in England until the term after a child’s fifth birthday. However, families may choose nursery education from age two, or even earlier, to give their child the benefits of structured early learning, social development and professional early years support.

Can 2-year-olds get funded nursery hours?

Yes. In England, eligible families can access funded childcare. We have prepared a Seymour House Funding Guide which give you lots more information on this.

What do 2-year-olds learn at nursery?

Through play-based learning guided by the EYFS framework, 2-year-olds at nursery develop communication and language, physical skills, personal and social confidence, early maths and literacy foundations, creativity and an understanding of the world around them.

How do I know if my child is ready for nursery?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Most children thrive in nursery from age two. The social interaction, the stimulating environment and the dedicated early years team all make a wonderful difference. If you’re unsure, book a visit to your nearest Seymour House nursery. Seeing the magic for yourself is often the best way to know.

Working together from the start

During your child’s first settling-in session, your key person will take time to chat with you about your child’s sleep habits. When they usually nap, how long for, and what helps them drift off comfortably. We aim to mirror your home routine as closely as possible, helping your child feel secure and settled in their new environment.

We never force a child to stay awake or wake them before they’re ready. Research into early brain development shows that while children sleep, their brains are hard at work, consolidating memories, learning, and processing the discoveries they’ve made during their busy day. That’s why we see sleep as an essential part of your child’s development, not just rest time.

Comfort and care

There’s no need to worry about bringing in bedding, we take care of everything! Each child has their own individual sleep bag, where bedding is safely stored and regularly laundered to keep it fresh and clean.

Depending on your child’s stage of development, they’ll be offered a cot or a sleep mattress for their naps. Our team takes a nurturing and responsive approach to sleep, ensuring that every child feels comforted and secure as they settle down. We never leave children to cry themselves to sleep, and all sleeping children are closely supervised, with regular sleep checks carried out to ensure their safety.

Safer sleep always

Importantly, our safer sleep practices are in accordance with recommendations from both the NHS and the Lullaby Trust to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

The Lullaby Trust have lots of helpful information to support families with safer sleep at home too, visit The Lullaby Trust – Safer sleep for babies, Support for families for more information.

Here’s everything you need to know about how Early Talk Boost can make a lasting impact on your child’s communication journey.

What is Early Talk Boost?

Developed by I CAN, a leading charity in speech and language, Early Talk Boost is an evidence based programme designed to help young children strengthen their communication skills. Tailored specifically for 3 and 4-year-olds, the programme supports children who might benefit from extra help with their speech and language development, focussing on essential skills such as listening, building vocabulary, sentence structure and conversation.

Delivered over a 9-week period, Early Talk Boost is run by team members trained as Early Talk Boost Leads. Held during the nursery day, sessions are structured, engaging and interactive, with small groups of children coming together to develop their communication skills in a fun and supportive environment.

Why Early Talk Boost matters

Language development is the foundation for future learning, the skills your child builds now will have a lasting impact on their ability to read, write, and communicate as they grow. Early Talk Boost ensures that children who need extra support receive the right guidance at the right time, setting them up for success both now and in the future.

The Key Focus Areas

Throughout the programme, children take part in a series of fun learning activities that build their speech, language, and communication skills. Week by week the programme covers:

Weeks 1 & 2: Attention and listening

The first two weeks focus on the essential skill of listening carefully, an important foundation for future learning. Activities focus on attention and help children follow simple instructions.

Weeks 3 & 4: Developing vocabulary

In weeks three and four, the focus shifts to expanding vocabulary. Children learn to use a wider range of words, from names for objects (nouns) to descriptive words such as ‘big’ and ‘small’.

Weeks 5 to 8: Building sentences

As vocabulary grows, the children move on to forming simple sentences. These weeks focus on teaching action words (verbs) and prepositions.

Week 9: Having conversations

In the final week, the programme emphasises using language for social interaction. Children practise initiating and responding to simple conversations to build meaningful connections and friendships.

At the end of each week, children take home a special book featuring the characters Jake and Tizzy. These books complement the weekly themes and give families a fun way to reinforce the language skills their child is learning.

Visit the school

Take advantage of opportunities to visit the school together, whether this be popping along to settling-in sessions, open days, fetes, or other events organised by the school. Visiting together will help your child become familiar with their new learning environment and will give you both the chance to meet your child’s new teacher. 

Out and about

When out and about, walk or drive past the school to help your child get used to the idea of where they will be going. Point out things that your child will like, such as the big field to play football, or the sand pit to hunt for treasure! Do a practice school run before the first day to allow for a straightforward journey, considering practicalities such as timings and parking. 

Share stories

Books such as ‘The Colour Monster Goes to School’ by Anns Llenas or ‘Charlie and Lola: I Am Too Absolutely Small For School’ by Lauren Child, are a wonderful way to gently open conversation about school life. You can use these as a starting point to talk about a typical school day together, and explore concepts such as daily routines, playtimes, and school assemblies. If your child has an idea of what to expect, they are less likely to get upset. 

Our loan library at nursery has a collection of books on going to school – why not borrow one for your family to read and enjoy at home. 

Emotional wellbeing

Chat with your child about the school they will be going to. For example, you could talk about when you were little and the things you enjoyed doing at school, and encourage older siblings or friends to chat about the fun things they enjoy at school, too. Ask your child what they think school will be like, what they are looking forward to and if there is anything they are not looking forward to. It’s important to talk positively about how exciting school will be, but at the same time, let your child know that it’s okay to feel a little worried too. 

When it comes to pitching conversation, you know your child best. Some children will love the excitement of talking about big school, whereas for others, a little and often approach to school talk works best. And remember, your child will pick up on your emotions, so try not to show too many nerves!

Meet up with others

Arrange play dates with fellow classmates if you can. A familiar face will help your child feel at ease in their first few weeks, and play dates also give your child time to interact with other children and develop social skills. If your child struggles to make friends easily, teach them useful phrases to initiate play, such as, “Can I join in?” or “Would you like to play with me?” 

School routine

As the start of the term approaches, try to get into a routine compatible with school hours. Encourage your child to get up and go to bed at a sensible time, and practice eating breakfast and getting dressed in time to leave for school. Let your child practice putting on and taking off their school uniform, including their shoes and coat (the flip trick is a great way to encourage your child to put on their coat by themselves!). If your child has naps or a favourite security toy or blanket, leave plenty of time to try and phase these out ahead of starting school. 

Self-care skills

Toileting, hand washing, and nose blowing are useful self-care skills for children to have mastered before they start school. Encourage your child to go to the toilet by themselves, managing to wipe themselves clean and adjust their clothing. After toileting and before mealtimes practice washing hands thoroughly using soap and water. Effective hand washing will hopefully eliminate any bugs as your child’s immunity system develops. 

Mealtimes

Did you know that every child from Reception to Year 2 in state-funded schools in England is entitled to a free hot meal at lunchtime? To help prepare your child for school meals, practice using a full-sized knife and fork to eat, and encourage your child to try to cut their own food. Alternatively, some schools offer the option of packed lunches. If your child will be taking a lunch box to school, practice managing lunch box contents such as opening yogurt pots or peeling fruit. 

Academic skills

In Reception, the school day will be structured a little differently, and the challenges your child will encounter will naturally change in line with their age/stage of development. Just like at nursery, your child will continue learning under the EYFS framework. 

Give your child everyday responsibilities such as laying the table or putting their clothes away as a means of following instructions, and to help develop a ‘can do’ attitude. Activities such as drawing, threading, or puzzles can help build your child’s concentration and attention span and build strength in their fingers to aid pencil skills. 

Name recognition is really useful for your child to be able to identify their personal belongings, their coat peg, and their drawer for schoolwork, so provide lots of opportunities for your child to see their name. You could write their name on drawings or spell out their name using magnetic letters on the fridge. And finally, continue to read regularly with your child as this will be strongly encouraged at school. 

A few more considerations

Your school may offer a phased start, if so, you will need to consider the practicalities around collection times and childcare. Ahead of your first day, it’s advisable to find out details of drop off and collection arrangements, such as: 

• Where do you need to go to drop your child off at school? 
• Do you wait in the playground or enter the classroom? 
• Where do you need to leave your child’s PE kit? 
• Where do you need to be at the end of the school day?

And don’t forget, if your working arrangements mean you work beyond school hours, it can be hugely helpful to start planning before and after school childcare in advance. Talk this through with your child so they know what to expect and if you can, arrange a settling in visit before they start. 

Explorasaurus – Playing & Exploring🔭🕵️‍♀️

Explorasaurus loves finding out about the world using all her senses. She explores and investigates, asks questions, and isn’t afraid to try new things. She enjoys using what she knows in her play and always has a ‘have a go’ attitude!

Thinkasaurus – Creating & Thinking Critically 🤔💭

Thinkasaurus is full of clever ideas! He likes to solve problems, test out what might happen, and think about what he has learned. He finds his own way to do things and links ideas together to figure things out.

Tryasaurus – Active Learning 🏅🤩

Tryasaurus keeps going even when things are tricky. He really concentrates and stays involved in what he’s doing. He doesn’t give up and feels proud when he finishes something he has worked hard on!

Why not try using the Learning Dinosaurs at home too! Encourage your child to be curious like Explorasaurus, persistent like Tryasaurus, or thoughtful like Thinkasaurus during everyday activities. It’s a fun way to support their learning and celebrate their efforts!

Download the poster, HERE!

Talk about the changes ahead

Children at this age might not fully understand the concept of a new baby or sibling arriving. Nevertheless, it is still important to engage them in conversations about this, and to show them changes that might be coming, such as new items like a bouncer or play mat at home.

Start with stories

Read picture books about new babies or different types of families, sharing images of what this may look like and introducing new words such as sister, brother and new baby.

Share the baby’s name

If you have decided on a name before baby arrives and are comfortable sharing it, this is a great way for the older child to become familiar with this new chapter for your family. 

Do something special together

Do something special for your child when the new baby or sibling arrives. This could be taking them somewhere such as the beach or on a bug hunt in the woods, or spending time with a special family member or friends.

Regression

Regression is common for children when a new sibling or member of the household comes along. This may present itself through sleep routines, toileting, eating or general behaviour.

How to support regression

There are a variety of ways to support this, including showing the benefits of having a bigger family, showing them how they can learn from each other and help each other.  Your child may also want to start being more baby like and want to drink from a bottle or have things done like the baby. You can acknowledge this feeling by saying “I can see you want to play babies right now” and allow them to play this out in a fun way.