What a Good Nursery Daily Report Looks Like, and What to Ask For

A good nursery daily report tells you what your child ate, how long they slept, when their nappy was changed, how their mood was, what they did and whether anything went wrong, in plain words and on the same day. If you are not getting one, kindly ask what the nursery can send, and how often.

What should a daily report include?

• Meals: what was offered and how much your child ate. Ate well is not enough on its own.
• Naps: start and end times, so you can plan the evening.
• Nappies or toilet use: how many times, and anything unusual.
• Mood: how your child seemed in the morning and after the nap, and what pleased or upset them.
• Activities: what they did and enjoyed, which gives you something to talk about on the way home.
• Incidents and injuries: what happened and what the teacher did, even when it is small.
• Medicine: if any was given, what it was, when, and by whom.
• What is needed tomorrow: nappies, spare clothes or a form to sign.
• A personal line from the teacher: a small moment about your child alone, not a sentence copied for everyone.

How should the nursery tell me about an incident?

Some things in a child's day are small and ordinary, like a scrape in the yard or a tussle over a toy. You will still want to know. Ask when you enrol:

• When do you call me, and when is a note in the report enough?
• Do you keep a written record of what happened and what was done?
• Who do I speak to if I have a question about it?

It also helps to ask for the written health, illness and medication policies that the American Academy of Pediatrics, a US source, advises parents to check. Then you know what should happen before you ever need it.

What about photos and privacy?

Photos may be the nicest part of your day, but your child is often not alone in them, and other children can appear in your child's pictures. So ask:

• Do you ask for my consent before taking and sharing photos, and can I withdraw it later?
• Who sees my child's photos? Are they sent to me alone, or to a group?
• Are photos used in advertising or on social media accounts?
• Do teachers use their personal phones, and where are the photos kept?

On your side, please do not post a picture showing another child without their parents' agreement.

Is a daily report required?

In Saudi Arabia, yes. Art. 15 of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development Controls requires centres to give a daily report on the child and a monthly report on acquired skills, on ministry-approved forms. The Controls give existing licensed centres 180 days to comply, so some may still be changing their forms.

For Kuwait, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, we did not find a matching published requirement in the sources we checked. That does not mean a nursery there will not send one. It means you should agree it when you enrol.

What can I do if I am not getting one?

1. Ask the teacher first. Reports may be going to an old number, or being handed out at the door without you knowing.
2. Ask for something simple. A short daily note on food, sleep, nappies and mood is far better than nothing, and it need not be long.
3. Agree the format. Paper, message or app, at what time, and in which language.
4. Speak to the director. If it continues, ask for a short meeting and mention what you agreed.
5. Use the complaints policy. In Saudi Arabia, Art. 13 lists a complaints policy among those centres must have, so ask for a copy.

Remember that a teacher is looking after several children at once. A kind, clear request tends to land faster.

At nurseries that use Bambini, the daily report with photos reaches the parent's phone in Arabic or English, and photo sharing follows each family's consent.

Last checked 4 November 2026. This is general information, not medical advice.