What does a nursery teacher do?
A nursery teacher plans and leads play-based activities for children aged about 2 to 6, builds early language, number and social skills, keeps children safe and healthy, observes and records their progress, manages routines such as arrival, snack time and toileting, and keeps parents informed. The job is part teaching, part care and part partnership with families.
What this means in practice
A typical day mixes short group times with free play, outdoor play, stories, songs, art and practical life tasks. Children this age learn by doing, so the teacher sets up the room and activities carefully and then joins the play to extend talk and thinking.
Daily responsibilities
- Welcome children and help them separate from parents
- Lead circle time, rhymes, stories and short focused activities
- Set up learning corners: blocks, books, sand, water, art, role play
- Support eating, toileting, hand-washing and rest
- Observe children and note progress and concerns
- Talk with parents at pick-up and through diaries or apps
- Keep the room clean, safe and well organised
What makes the job different from primary teaching
Nursery children cannot sit still for long, may not yet speak the school language and are still learning to manage feelings. Nursery teachers therefore spend more time on routines, emotional support and hands-on activities, and less on worksheets or tests. NCF-FS 2022 in India describes this as play, activity and conversation-based learning.
A typical nursery day
- 8:30 Arrival, greetings and free play
- 9:00 Circle time: songs, calendar, theme talk
- 9:20 Small-group activities: phonics game, counting, art
- 10:00 Snack and hand-washing
- 10:20 Outdoor play
- 11:00 Story and rhymes
- 11:30 Free play in learning corners
- 12:00 Goodbye song and handover to parents
What to do next
- Volunteer or observe in a preschool to see the routine.
- Learn a set of rhymes, songs and stories you can use confidently.
- Train in child development and classroom management.
- Practise talking with parents clearly and kindly.
What to keep in mind
Nursery teachers notice development but do not diagnose. If a child's speech, hearing, movement or behaviour worries you, record what you see and talk to the coordinator and parents about specialist advice.
Common follow-up questions
Do nursery teachers have to change nappies?
In some playgroups and day-care settings, yes. Personal care is part of early-years work, with dignity and hygiene rules set by the setting.
How many children are in a nursery class?
It varies by school and country. Smaller groups with an assistant are better for young children.
Sources
- National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage 2022, NCERT
- NAEYC: Developmentally appropriate practice
- APTTI: Nursery Teacher Training
Course facts come from APTTI's published course pages. Examples use made-up names. How these answers are prepared.