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Child Development & Early Education vocabulary · Nursery Practice and Routines

Settle in

Meaning in child development & early education, with examples

phrasal verbCore term

In child development & early education, settle in means: To become comfortable and relaxed in a new place, such as a nursery or a new room, and get used to its people and routines.

In Turkish: uyum sağlamak, alışmak, ortama alışmak

How it is used

Very common in talk with parents. Nurseries plan settling-in sessions or a settling-in period, and staff say a child 'has settled in well' or 'is taking time to settle'. The adjective settled describes a child who feels secure.

Example sentences

  1. She settled in quickly and now runs in to find her friends.

  2. We offer three short settling-in visits before the first full day.

Common collocations

  • settle in well
  • settling-in period
  • settling-in sessions
  • take time to settle
  • 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.
  • key personThe member of nursery staff who has special responsibility for a small group of children, builds a close bond with each child and is the main contact for the family.
  • transitionA change from one situation to another: either a big move such as starting nursery or school, or a small change during the day such as tidying up before lunch.
  • drop-offThe 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.

More terms: Nursery Practice and Routines

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