A great local nursery can be a good choice if you primarily wish to keep costs as low as possible, can drop off/pick up every day at 6pm (or whenever the nursery closes) without fail, and can cope with exclusions and the nursery’s own holiday periods. Care ratios at nurseries tend to be higher (up to eight 3-year-olds per carer) and nursery workers tend to be paid close to or at minimum wage.  Whether children take to nursery really depends on the child. Some children thrive in the hubbub of a busy nursery while others are overwhelmed. One major disadvantage of nursery is child sickness. If your child is sick, the nursery won’t take them either that day or the next (48 hours) – even if their runny poo is due to something non-contagious, like teething (which some children do for months and months!).