Nursery visits
What to watch for, and what to ask, before you choose.
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Your free AI nursery advisor on WhatsApp for parents in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Visits, fees, curriculum, admissions and safety, answered any hour.
UAE Future 100 company
Free for parents · any hour
NurseryWhere AIonline
What should I look for when we visit a nursery?
Look at how teachers talk to the children, how the classrooms are set up for learning, and how they report accidents. Want a checklist for your visit?
1Say hi on WhatsApp
2Tell it about your little one
3Get answers you can use
What should I ask on a nursery visit?How do I know a nursery is safe?What do nursery fees usually include?How early should we apply for nursery?Is my 2-year-old ready for nursery?EYFS, Montessori or play-based: which suits my child?Full days or half days for my 2-year-old?How do nurseries support speech delay?We're moving to Dubai. How early should we look for a nursery?How do I compare two nurseries fairly?How should a nursery tell me about an accident?Do nurseries charge for the summer?Does the nursery curriculum matter for school later?What is Reggio Emilia?
What parents ask about nurseries
Tap a question and it opens in WhatsApp, ready to send.
Safety and standards
Dubai nurseries follow KHDA's enforced Early Childhood Quality Framework and safety standards.
Nursery fees
What's included, what's extra, and how to compare.
Admissions
When to apply, what to bring and what nurseries look for.
Curriculum
EYFS, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, bilingual and Arabic.
Location and hours
Commute, full or half days, and summer terms.
Good to know
KHDA oversees Dubai nurseries under its Early Childhood Quality Framework.
Ask what it meansTell it about your little one
Four taps, and your message to the advisor writes itself. Send it on WhatsApp and get a plan for your nursery visits.
How old is your little one?
When do you need a place?
What matters most?
Where are you?
Hi! I'm looking for a nursery for my 2-year-old in Dubai, starting in the next 1 to 3 months. What matters most to us: outdoor play and a British (EYFS) curriculum. Can you help me plan our nursery visits?
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Send it on WhatsApp
41 questions parents ask most when choosing a nursery.
- What should I ask on a nursery visit?
- What are red flags on a nursery tour?
- How do I compare two nurseries fairly?
- How many nurseries should we visit before choosing?
- Is a big nursery or a small nursery better?
- What should I look for in the classrooms?
- How do I know a nursery is safe?
- What do KHDA's nursery standards cover?
- How should a nursery tell me about an accident?
- What qualifications should nursery teachers have?
- How do nurseries keep children's photos and data safe?
- What do nursery fees usually include?
- Are there extra costs like registration fees or deposits?
- Do nurseries charge for the summer?
- Do nurseries offer sibling discounts?
- What happens to fees if we leave a nursery mid-term?
- Is a pricier nursery worth it?
- EYFS, Montessori or play-based: which suits my child?
- What is EYFS?
- What is Reggio Emilia?
- Is a bilingual nursery a good idea?
- How much Arabic do children learn at nursery?
- Does the nursery curriculum matter for school later?
- How early should we apply for nursery?
- What documents do nurseries ask for when registering?
- Is my 2-year-old ready for nursery?
- Do nurseries assess children before admission?
- How does nursery lead into FS1 at school?
- How far is too far for a nursery commute?
- Is a nursery near work better than one near home?
- Full days or half days for my 2-year-old?
- Do nurseries stay open in summer?
- What does a typical nursery day look like?
- What should I ask a nursery about additional needs support?
- Can a nursery support a child with autism?
- How do nurseries support speech delay?
- Do nurseries work with speech or occupational therapists?
- We're moving to Dubai. How early should we look for a nursery?
- How do nurseries work in Abu Dhabi?
- How do nurseries work in Sharjah?
- Which curriculum suits us if we might move countries again?
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Powered by Sayy AI, a UAE Future 100 company
Sayy AI was named to the UAE Future 100 for 2025, the national list of companies shaping the UAE's new economy.
NurseryWhere runs on the same Sayy AI engine that matches more than 1,500 students with study-abroad consultants across the UAE every month.
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Choosing a nursery in the UAE
What to check, who regulates nurseries, how curriculums differ and what fees usually cover.
How to choose a nursery, step by step
- Start early. Begin 6 to 12 months before you need a place.
- Set your basics. Your child's age, start date, full or half days, budget and area.
- Pick a curriculum. EYFS, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, play-based or bilingual.
- Shortlist two or three. Check each one is licensed by your emirate's education authority.
- Visit and compare. Use the same checklist at each nursery, and ask for a written fee breakdown.
- Apply. Have your documents ready and confirm the place, start date and fees in writing.
Who regulates nurseries
| Emirate | Authority |
|---|---|
| Dubai | KHDA, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority. Nurseries follow its Early Childhood Quality Framework and safety standards. |
| Abu Dhabi | ADEK, the Department of Education and Knowledge |
| Sharjah | SPEA, the Sharjah Private Education Authority |
| Other emirates | Ask the nursery which authority licenses it, and to see the licence |
What nursery fees usually cover
Fees vary a lot between nurseries. Ask each one for a written breakdown so you compare like for like.
- Usually in the fee: teaching hours and learning materials
- Sometimes included: meals and snacks, uniforms, trips and activities
- Often extra: registration fee, deposit, transport, extended hours and summer terms
- Worth asking: sibling discounts, how fees are paid, and what happens if you leave mid-term
Nursery curriculums at a glance
| Approach | What it is | Ask on your visit |
|---|---|---|
| EYFS | The British Early Years Foundation Stage, used by many UAE nurseries. Children learn through play across seven areas of learning, from communication to maths. | How do you track my child's progress? |
| Montessori | Child-led learning with hands-on Montessori materials, often in mixed-age classes. | Are your teachers Montessori trained? |
| Reggio Emilia | An Italian approach built on projects that follow children's interests, with the classroom treated as a teacher. | Can I see a recent class project? |
| Play-based | Learning through free and guided play, with fewer set lessons. | How is a typical day structured? |
| Bilingual | Daily learning in two languages, often English and Arabic. | How much of the day is in each language? |
Nursery visit checklist
- Staff-to-child ratio in your child's class
- Teacher qualifications and how long staff stay
- The curriculum and how progress is shared with parents
- Daily outdoor play and a safe outdoor area
- How accidents and illness are reported
- Security at drop-off and pick-up
- The licence from your emirate's education authority
Admissions: what to have ready
Nurseries set their own lists, so check with each one. Most ask for:
- Your child's birth certificate and passport
- Emirates ID and visa copies for your child and parents
- Vaccination record and health form
- Passport photos
- The registration fee or deposit, if the nursery charges one
Nursery terms explained
- FS1
- Foundation Stage 1, the first year of British-curriculum school, usually for children aged 3 to 4
- FS2
- Foundation Stage 2, the year after FS1, usually for children aged 4 to 5
- EYFS
- Early Years Foundation Stage, the British framework for learning from birth to five
- KHDA
- Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai's education regulator
- ADEK
- Department of Education and Knowledge, Abu Dhabi's education regulator
- SPEA
- Sharjah Private Education Authority, Sharjah's education regulator
- Ratio
- How many children each adult looks after in a class
- Feeder nursery
- A nursery linked to a school, which can make the move into FS1 easier
- Settling-in period
- The first weeks, when children start with shorter days
Updated October 2026. NurseryWhere gives general guidance. Nurseries confirm places, fees and admission requirements.
Quick answers
What is NurseryWhere?
A free AI advisor on WhatsApp for parents choosing a nursery in the UAE. Ask it about visits, fees, curriculum, admissions and safety, any hour.
Ask the agentIs NurseryWhere free for parents?
Yes. NurseryWhere is free for parents. You chat with the AI advisor on WhatsApp at any hour, in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or any other emirate.
Ask the agentHow does NurseryWhere help me choose a nursery?
Tell the advisor your child's age, when you need a place, your area, your budget and what matters most. It answers your questions and points you to nurseries that fit, starting with the closest. Nurseries confirm places and fees with you directly.
Ask the agentWhen should I start looking for a nursery in Dubai?
Start 6 to 12 months before you need a place. That gives you time to visit two or three nurseries, compare fees and curriculum, and apply.
Ask the agentWhat is the difference between EYFS and Montessori?
EYFS is the British early years framework, used by many UAE nurseries, where children learn through play across set areas of learning. Montessori is a teaching approach built on child-led activities with special materials. Many UAE nurseries blend the two.
Ask the agentWho regulates nurseries in Dubai?
KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority) regulates nurseries in Dubai, ADEK (Department of Education and Knowledge) regulates them in Abu Dhabi, and SPEA (Sharjah Private Education Authority) regulates them in Sharjah. Dubai nurseries follow KHDA's enforced Early Childhood Quality Framework and safety standards.
Ask the agentWhat do KHDA's nursery safety standards cover?
KHDA's enforced Early Childhood Quality Framework and safety standards cover centre design, infection control, nutrition, incident reporting, cybersecurity and staff duties.
Ask the agentWhat should I ask on a nursery visit?
Ask about staff-to-child ratios, teacher qualifications, the curriculum, outdoor play and how they report accidents. The agent can build a checklist for your visit.
Ask the agentDoes NurseryWhere cover nurseries outside Dubai?
Yes. Ask about nurseries in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or any emirate, or if you're moving to the UAE.
Ask the agentIs NurseryWhere a person or an AI?
An AI agent built for nursery questions in the UAE. It's free for parents, and it tells you when something needs the nursery itself to confirm, like a place or a fee.
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