How Nurseries are Using Digital To Connect with Parents and Staff

For today’s nursery leaders, building strong relationships with parents starts long before they step through the door. The way families explore their options has changed - often beginning with online searches, social media, and recommendations from friends.

At Oxhey Nursery in Hertfordshire, embracing digital tools has helped them strengthen connections with both parents and staff - before they’ve even set foot inside the building. Their experience highlights how nurseries can use simple but effective technology to enhance engagement, improve recruitment, and build trust in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Meeting Parents Where They Are: Online

For most parents, the first introduction to a nursery isn’t in person - it’s through a website, a Google search, or social media. That’s why Head of School Annette Norris is a strong advocate of using virtual tours to create a more immersive online experience that helps families feel more connected before they even booked a visit.

"We know that the decision to choose a nursery is emotional as well as practical. Parents want to feel confident that they’re making the right choice, and having an online presence that reflects our setting well is crucial," says Annette.

That’s where a virtual tour has played a key role. By embedding an interactive virtual walkthrough of the nursery  directly on their website, Oxhey Nursery has created a more engaging and informative first impression for prospective parents.

"It allows families to get a feel for our space before they visit, which means that when they do come in, they’re already familiar with the environment. It makes that in-person visit much more valuable because they can focus on getting to know us rather than just looking around."

Beyond Parents: Engaging Wider Family and Future Staff

One unexpected benefit of offering a virtual tour has been wider family engagement. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles - especially those who may not live nearby - can now explore the nursery online and feel more involved in the decision-making process.

"We’ve had parents tell us that they’ve shared the tour with family members who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to visit. It’s a great way to include everyone in what is such an important milestone for a child."

But it’s not just parents who have benefited. Oxhey Nursery has also used the tour as a tool for staff too, allowing potential employees to explore the environment before applying.

"Recruitment is a challenge for nurseries everywhere," Annette explains.  "Having a virtual tour has helped give potential new staff an opportunity to already feel connected to our space before they even come in for an interview. And that’s important when it comes to finding the right people who genuinely see themselves working here."

Creating Content That Works for You

Beyond its practical benefits, the virtual tour has also provided Oxhey Nursery with valuable marketing content that can be used across multiple platforms.

By embedding the tour on their website, they’ve created an interactive feature that keeps visitors engaged for longer - something that can also boost their online presence and searchability.

"The tour isn’t just for prospective parents - it’s a tool we can use in so many ways. We can share it on social media, feature it in emails, and even use it in job adverts. It’s something that keeps working for us every day, without any extra effort."

What Can Other Nurseries Learn From This?

Oxhey Nursery’s experience raises an important question for other nursery owners: how can digital tools enhance the way you connect with families and staff?

At a time when first impressions happen online, ensuring that your nursery’s website is more than just a static page can make all the difference. Whether it’s through a virtual tour, social media storytelling, or engaging video content, finding ways to bring your nursery to life before parents visit can build trust and confidence - ultimately leading to more enquiries, stronger engagement, and better recruitment.

Virtual tours are just one example of how nurseries can enhance their digital presence.

Many nurseries are already embracing this approach through Nursery Tours, an innovative company offering affordable, contract-free virtual tours tailored specifically for nurseries and early years settings.

"What we’re seeing is a shift in how nurseries present themselves to families," says Peter Barker, Founder of Your Nursery Tour.  "A great website is essential, but the nurseries that go a step further - offering interactive experiences, engaging content and a more immersive introduction - are the ones that stand out. It’s about making it easier for parents to say ‘yes’ before they’ve even walked through the door."

And there’s some interesting research too from a recent EAB Virtual Tour Insight paper that outlines the following facts too…

The average time users spend engaging with a high quality virtual tour is 8 minutes and 20 seconds (4 x longer than on a standard website).

There was a 21% increase in enquiries from potential customers when a virtual tour was included in email campaigns.

People that viewed a virtual tour were 3.9x more likely to book an in-person visit.

For more information on how nurseries are using virtual tours to enhance parent engagement, view some example tours here...

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