At Two Hands Preschool we can take children in the September, January or April before or after they turn 2. Often parents prefer to wait until their child is 2.5 or closer to 3. If this is because of logistics that benefit the whole family, we can’t argue with that! Yet sometimes it stems from a concern that two is just too young for full-time preschool.

The benefits of starting at 2 years old

The age of exploration

Two years old is a magical age of exploration. At Two Hands Preschool, we provide a diverse range of activities that cater to your child's natural curiosity. From sand and water play to messy play, countless opportunities to fuel their creativity, cooking, and daily outings, our environment is designed to stimulate and engage young minds. Starting a little younger, your child will develop a strong drive to play independently, encouraged to explore our indoor and outdoor environment.

Early social interactions

Starting preschool at aged two allows your child to begin forming early social interactions. Whilst they will still be too young to play collaboratively, they will learn to share their space and resources with other children, play cooperatively alongside others, and develop comfort in social settings. They can also benefit from ‘onlooker play’, where they observe and learn from how others play and explore. With one adult to every three children in our youngest class, our teachers are on-hand to support your child as they navigate their earliest social interactions. As young as two years old, we see children here light up when they greet their friends in their class, or help each other put their shoes on.

Expert eyes on their development

Our experienced team keeps a close watch on your child's development, offering reassurance and identifying early any areas that may need attention. This expert oversight ensures that your child is progressing typically and provides peace of mind for parents. We’re always on hand to discuss any concerns you have too. More often than not, we offer reassurance that your child is developing typically, but where we share your concerns we work together as a team because early intervention is more effective.

Parental support

We understand that parenting a toddler comes with its challenges. At Two Hands Preschool, we offer support without judgment in areas such as sleep, nutrition, behaviour, and emotional regulation. Our team is here to help you navigate these important aspects of your child's growth and to join you in your journey as a parent.

Building confidence and independence

Preschool is a place where children can gain confidence through independence and self-care. 2 year olds are infinitely capable and our environment, routines and supportive adults encourage children to take care of themselves, fostering a sense of accomplishment and self-reliance. As young as two, children can learn to pour themselves milk or water, serve themselves food, clear up after themselves, put on and take off shoes, put on and take off their coats and wash their hands.

Language development

This is the age of rapid language development and unlike your typical nanny, our preschool provides high quality 1:1 interactions, books, nursery rhymes and strategies informed by our expert knowledge. This individualised attention from qualified early childhood teachers helps enhance your child's communication skills.

Addressing common concerns about starting full-time preschool at 2 years old

1. Isn’t it just too many hours away from home?

This is only a concern if they are out and about all day, or in an environment that doesn’t feel like home. The children at Two Hands Preschool see this place as a second home. The space is big and varied enough that they can have a little lie down with a book, a cuddle with their favourite adult or take some time playing away from others as and when they need to. We structure our days like you might structure your time at home with a 2 year old, with an outing mid-morning, a nap after lunch, and a bit more time outdoors in the afternoon. We go out every day to places like playgrounds, libraries, and shops. These outings provide the kinds of experiences you would want for your child if you cared for them or they had a nanny 1:1.

Our preschool is a busy environment first thing in the morning and at lunch time and we see real benefits to mixed age group interaction for two year olds, as well as for the older children. However, for much of their day, your child will only be with their small class, having the indoor or outdoor environment to themselves to explore. We know this is important for all children, especially for any little ones who might otherwise feel overwhelmed or overstimulated.

2. Will they really sleep and eat well at preschool?

We know how important nap time is for two year olds - and for you! Each child is given their own toddler bed, with a mattress and fitted sheet, and then you can provide whatever else helps them sleep well, such as a blanket or a favourite toy. These are washed regularly and the dedicated sleeping room is dark, quiet and we use white noise to support good sleep. Within our 2 hour nap time window after lunch, we can put your child to sleep a little later or wake them up a bit earlier if that’s what works best for their sleep needs. Some children need a little more reassurance and comfort to fall asleep and that’s something we can offer here.

Our meal times feature a nutritious and varied menu. Adults eat with the children and model good table manners, encourage children to listen to their bodies, and try new foods without pressure. We emphasise the importance of mealtimes as important social interactions as well as times to fuel our bodies and children learn quickly from their peers and the adults to stay at the table even when they themselves have finished.

3. Will they get the attention they really need at this age?

We keep a 1:3 staff to child ratio even when your child turns 2. Three teachers with 9 children means that each child has lots of 1:1 interactions all day long and that there is always someone who will notice when they aren’t quite themselves, when their nose needs wiping, when their nappy needs changing. If you ask us to apply a cream on your child before their meal times because they have a rash on their chin, the message will get to the right people and we will follow through on your request.

4. Will I be able to communicate with the people looking after my child?

We believe in open and honest communication. Between our preschool app and our message board to support communication at pick up and drop off, you can rest assured that your message will get through to those who care for your child. Do you want to know how much they ate at dinner? We can tell you. Do you want to know exactly when your child had a toileting accident? We can tell you. Do you want us to prepare your child for the birth of a sibling? We can do this. The 1:3 adult to child ratio doesn’t just mean your child gets more individual attention; it also applies to all of our families. We find that we can respond to individual parent / carer needs and requests quickly and provide reassurance when you raise a concern.