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Child Development & Early Education vocabulary · Nursery Practice and Routines

Drop-off

Meaning in child development & early education, with examples

nounCore term

In child development & early education, drop-off means: The time when a parent or carer brings a child to the nursery and leaves them with staff; the end-of-day equivalent is pick-up or collection.

In Turkish: çocuğu bırakma, sabah teslim, bırakma saati

How it is used

An everyday nursery word used with parents. The verb is drop off (drop a child off) and the noun is drop-off. Staff talk about drop-off times, quick goodbyes and a smooth drop-off.

Example sentences

  1. Drop-off is between eight and half past nine.

  2. He cried at drop-off but was playing happily ten minutes later.

Common collocations

  • drop-off time
  • pick-up time
  • drop a child off
  • smooth drop-off
  • handoverA short exchange of information when a child passes from one adult to another, for example when a parent collects a child and staff explain how the day went.
  • separation anxietyDistress a young child shows when separated from a parent or main carer, such as crying or clinging; in babies and toddlers it is a normal stage of development.
  • settle inTo become comfortable and relaxed in a new place, such as a nursery or a new room, and get used to its people and routines.
  • routineThe regular order of events in a child's day, such as arrival, snack, play, meals, nap and home time, which helps children feel secure and know what comes next.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Nursery Practice and Routines

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