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Baby nursery in Tilehurst, Reading

A calm, caring start for babies.

A gentle first nursery experience built around security, responsive care, sensory discovery and each baby’s own rhythm.

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Baby room ball pit and sensory play area

AgeFrom approximately 3 months to under 2

RoomRed Room

Key personA familiar practitioner builds a close, consistent relationship

Care routinesSleep, feeding and nappy-changing routines are discussed with parents

A day in Baby Room

A familiar rhythm, with room to follow the child.

Early years days are not rigid timetables. The sequence below shows the kinds of experiences that create continuity while leaving space for children’s interests, needs and energy.

Welcome & handover

A calm handover helps us understand how your baby has slept, eaten and arrived that day.

Connect & explore

Floor play, sensory materials, songs and responsive interaction create opportunities to move, notice and communicate.

Meals & rest

Feeding, sleep and comfort are supported around the individual baby rather than forcing one shared routine.

Fresh air & discovery

Outdoor and sensory experiences introduce movement, light, sound, texture and the wider environment.

Home update

Parents receive practical information and developmental observations so nursery and home stay connected.

Learning through play

What learning looks like at this stage.

Our practice is rooted in the EYFS and brought to life through observation, warm relationships and play that means something to the child.

Secure relationships

Babies learn when they feel safe. A familiar key person responds to cues, builds trust and becomes a secure base for exploration.

Communication from the start

Talk, songs, facial expression, gesture and turn-taking all support the foundations of language.

Sensory & heuristic play

Safe open-ended materials with different textures, weights, sounds and shapes invite babies to investigate for themselves.

Physical confidence

Floor time, reaching, rolling, crawling, pulling up and movement experiences support coordination and growing independence.

DDiscoverFollow curiosity.

OOracyGrow language.

CConnectionFeel secure.

KKindnessBuild character.

SSteady StepsGrow independence.

Explore the DOCKS Approach

Parents & key person

Your baby’s routine still matters at nursery.

Starting nursery can be the first significant handover outside the family. Before a baby starts, we talk through sleep, milk, meals, comfort items, communication, allergies and anything that helps us understand what “normal” looks like for your child.

Talk to the Nursery

Key-person relationship

One practitioner knows the child especially well and helps connect observations, family knowledge and next steps.

Daily communication

Practical care information and meaningful observations help parents understand the day rather than receiving only a generic summary.

Tapestry

Where used, learning observations and milestones can be shared digitally so families stay connected to development over time.

Settling & transitions

Confidence grows through familiarity.

Transitions work best when adults share information, children meet new people and spaces gradually, and expectations stay realistic.

Step 1

Before starting

Share feeding, sleep and comfort routines, medical information and the things that reliably help your baby settle.

Step 2

Settling sessions

Short visits create familiarity with the room, key person and sensory environment before the first full day.

Step 3

First weeks

We keep communication especially close while your baby learns the new pattern and we learn their cues.

Step 4

As routines change

Babies develop quickly. We keep discussing changing sleep, food, movement and communication with you.

Environment & care

Designed for the whole child.

Good nursery provision is not just what appears on a planning sheet. It is also the room layout, the quality of conversation, access to outdoor play, how adults respond when a child is tired, and whether everyday routines are treated with dignity and patience.

Freshly prepared meals and snacks, with dietary needs considered
Outdoor play and movement as part of the nursery experience
Quiet spaces and rest appropriate to the age group
Safer recruitment, DBS checks and ongoing professional development
Accessible communication and inclusive practice

Baby Room FAQs

Questions parents commonly ask.

What age can babies start?

Dickory Docks accepts babies from approximately 3 months old, subject to availability and registration requirements.

How are sleep and feeding routines handled?

Routines are discussed with parents and supported within the baby provision, with the aim of creating consistency between home and nursery.

What will my baby learn at nursery?

The baby provision emphasises secure relationships, communication and language, physical development, personal and social development, sensory exploration and the confidence to investigate.

How will I know how my baby’s day has gone?

The nursery shares practical care information and developmental observations with parents, including through Tapestry where appropriate.

Can I visit before deciding?

Yes. A visit is the best way to meet the team, see the room and talk through your baby’s routine before you make a decision.

Keep exploring

The next useful page.

The website is intentionally connected, so parents can move from age-stage information to curriculum, practical costs and a visit without starting again.

Next step

Come and experience Baby Room at Dickory Docks.

A visit lets you see the room, meet the team and talk through the routine that matters to your family.

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